Baltimore City Marriage License: Requirements, Fees, and Waiting Period

A Baltimore City marriage license costs $85 in cash and is issued in person by the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse, 100 North Calvert Street, Room 627.¹ Both applicants need government-issued ID, their Social Security numbers, and proof of age. The license takes effect at 6 a.m. on the second calendar day after it’s issued and stays valid for six months.²

Who Can Apply

Both parties must be 18 or older to marry without restrictions. A 17-year-old can apply only with written consent from every living parent or guardian and a court order authorizing the marriage. No one under 17 may marry in Maryland.

Maryland also voids marriages between close relatives, including parents and children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren, aunts or uncles and nieces or nephews, and several in-law pairings. Neither applicant has to be a Maryland resident, but the ceremony itself must take place inside Baltimore City. Baltimore City and Baltimore County are separate jurisdictions, so a license issued by one cannot be used in the other.²

What to Bring

Maryland Family Law Section 2-402 sets out what the clerk collects from each applicant. Have the following ready before you go:

Proof of age: a government-issued birth certificate, driver’s license, passport, or similar document showing your date of birth.
Social Security number for each party who has one. The number does not appear on the public marriage record.
Full legal name and residential address, exactly as they appear on your ID.
If either of you was previously married, the exact month, day, year, county, and state of every divorce decree or spousal death.

The Social Security requirement comes from Maryland law. If you don’t have a number for a legitimate reason, such as certain religious exemptions or non-citizen status, you may still be able to apply.

Where and When to Go

Applications are handled in person at the Land Records and Licenses Department inside the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse, 100 North Calvert Street, Room 627. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.¹ Arrive well before closing. Both of you will sign the application and swear to the accuracy of the information. Once the clerk reviews the paperwork and the fee is paid, the license is typically handed over on the spot.

Fees and Payment

The application fee is $85.00, cash only. No credit cards or personal checks are accepted for the marriage license, even though the Land Records and Licenses Department takes money orders and certified or corporate checks for other services.¹

Certified copies of the marriage certificate are $5.50 each.¹ You’ll want several, since the Social Security Administration, your bank, employer, insurer, and passport office will each ask for one. Ordering extras at the time of application is cheaper than requesting them later by mail.

Waiting Period and How Long the License Lasts

Maryland imposes a cooling-off period. Under Family Law Section 2-405, the license cannot be used until 6 a.m. on the second calendar day after it’s issued.² Pick it up Monday and the earliest you can marry is Wednesday at 6 a.m. This catches people off guard when the schedule is tight.

A circuit court judge can waive the waiting period for good cause, but only if at least one party is a Maryland resident or a member of the U.S. armed forces.² Military deployment and medical emergencies are the most common reasons judges grant early authorization.

The license is valid for six months. If the ceremony doesn’t happen within that window, the license is void and you’ll need to reapply and pay again.²

The Ceremony and the Certificate

Maryland authorizes specific officials to perform wedding ceremonies, including judges, clerks of the circuit court, and ordained or licensed clergy. The person officiating must be legally authorized under Maryland law, or the marriage can be challenged later. If you’re planning something non-traditional, confirm your officiant’s qualifications with the Clerk’s office in advance.

After the wedding, the officiant has five days to sign the marriage certificate and return it to the Clerk of the Circuit Court that issued the license.³ This filing is what puts your marriage on the public record. A polite follow-up with your officiant is worth the time, because a missed filing can create problems later when you need to prove the marriage took place.

After You’re Married

Getting married doesn’t automatically change your legal name. If either of you plans to take a new surname or hyphenate, you’ll use certified copies of the marriage certificate to update records with the Social Security Administration, the Maryland MVA, the State Department for a passport, your bank, your employer, and your insurer. That’s the main reason to order extra certified copies at $5.50 each when you’re already at the counter.¹

1
Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Land Records and Licenses Division
2
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-405 – Issuance of Marriage License
3
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Family Law 2-409 – Duties of Official Performing Marriage Ceremony