A Cameron County marriage license costs $82, or $22 if you complete an approved premarital education course beforehand. Both applicants generally appear in person at a Cameron County Clerk branch, present valid ID, complete the application, and take an oath before the clerk issues the license.1Cameron County. Cameron County Clerk Marriage License Texas then requires a 72-hour wait before the ceremony, and the license expires 90 days after issuance.
Who Can Apply
Both applicants must be at least 18. A person under 18 may apply only if a Texas court (or another state’s court) has issued an order removing the disabilities of minority for general purposes. A parent’s signature or verbal consent does not qualify.2State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.003 – Application for License by Minor
Neither applicant can currently be married to anyone else. The application asks whether you have been divorced within the last 30 days, and you must answer truthfully under oath, so plan to wait at least 31 days after a divorce is final before applying.3State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.004 – Application Form
Texas also bars marriages between close relatives. You cannot marry an ancestor or descendant (by blood or adoption), a sibling (full or half, by blood or adoption), an aunt or uncle, a niece or nephew, a first cousin, or a current or former stepparent or stepchild. Both parties confirm under oath on the application that none of these apply.3State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.004 – Application Form
Identification You Can Bring
The clerk must verify each applicant’s identity and age. One document from the list below is enough:4State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.005 – Proof of Identity and Age
- A driver’s license or state ID from any U.S. state or Canadian province, current or expired within the last two years
- A U.S. passport, or a current foreign passport or consular document
- A federal immigration document with a photo, such as a Certificate of Citizenship, Naturalization Certificate, Permanent Resident Card, or Employment Authorization Card
- A military ID (active, reserve, or retired) with a photo
- A certified birth certificate, original or certified copy, from any state or foreign government
- Other documents including court orders for name or sex changes, secondary school or college records, a voter registration certificate, a handgun license, a pilot’s license, or a motor vehicle title
Knowingly providing false proof of identity or age is a Class A misdemeanor.4State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.005 – Proof of Identity and Age The information you write on the application should match your ID exactly, since mismatches can delay issuance.
Where to Apply in Cameron County
Cameron County operates several County Clerk branches, including the main office in Brownsville at 835 East Levee Street, 3rd Floor, and a branch in San Benito.5Cameron County. Cameron County Clerk Contact Information Both applicants can appear together at any branch. For couples who cannot come in, the county offers a video conference option accessible through a link on the clerk’s website.1Cameron County. Cameron County Clerk Marriage License
At the counter, the clerk administers a sworn oath covering the entire application: your identity, marital status, the relationship prohibitions, and a child support declaration. Both parties sign directly below the oath printed on the form.3State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.004 – Application Form Once the oath is completed and the fee paid, the clerk issues the license.
Fees and the Premarital Course Discount
The standard fee is $82. Couples who completed a Twogether in Texas premarital education course within the past year pay $22 instead.6Cameron County. Marriage License Requirements You must present the course completion certificate at the time of application to receive the discount. The same certificate also waives the 72-hour waiting period.7Texas State Law Library. Premarital Education – Marriage in Texas
The 72-Hour Wait and 90-Day Expiration
After the license is issued, you cannot hold the ceremony for 72 hours. Four exceptions apply:8State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.204 – 72-Hour Waiting Period; Exceptions
- Active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces
- Department of Defense civilians and contractors
- A written judicial waiver from a judge with family law jurisdiction, a justice of the peace, or certain other judges, granted for good cause
- A completed Twogether in Texas premarital education course within the past year
For a judicial waiver, contact the judge directly and explain why you need to marry before the 72 hours expire. There is no standardized form; the judge decides whether good cause exists.8State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.204 – 72-Hour Waiting Period; Exceptions
The license expires on the 90th day after issuance if no ceremony has taken place. There is no extension. If it expires, you start over and pay the full fee again.9State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.201 – Expiration of License
Who Can Perform the Ceremony
Not just anyone can officiate. Texas limits it to four categories:10Texas State Law Library. Conducting the Ceremony – Marriage in Texas
- A licensed or ordained Christian minister or priest
- A Jewish rabbi
- An officer of a religious organization authorized by that organization to perform marriages
- A current, former, or retired federal or state judge
Texas does not register or license officiants, so the person performing the ceremony is responsible for confirming they qualify. Friends ordained through online ministries may fall under the third category if the ordaining body is a recognized religious organization that authorizes them to conduct marriages, though Texas courts have not drawn a clear line. If an unauthorized person knowingly performs a ceremony, they commit a criminal offense, but the marriage itself may still be valid where the officiant appeared to have authority, at least one party participated in good faith, neither party was a minor barred from marrying, and neither committed bigamy.11Texas State Law Library. Who Can Perform a Marriage Ceremony in Texas?
After the Ceremony
The officiant records the date and county of the ceremony on the license, signs it, and returns it to the Cameron County Clerk within 30 days. Late return is a misdemeanor carrying a fine of $200 to $500.12State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.206 – Return of License; Penalty Until the license is returned and recorded, proving the marriage for legal purposes can be difficult. Follow up with your officiant if you are not sure they filed it.
Certified copies from the Cameron County Clerk cost $21 per copy.1Cameron County. Cameron County Clerk Marriage License You will need them for name changes with the Social Security Administration, driver’s license updates, insurance, and bank accounts, so order several at once.
If a name is misspelled or a date is wrong on the recorded license, both parties can file a notarized affidavit of correction with the clerk. The affidavit must include both parties’ full names, the date of the marriage, the error, and the corrected information. The clerk files it as a permanent amendment and includes a copy with any future certified copies.13Legal Information Institute. 25 Texas Admin Code 181.25 – Application for Marriage License and Affidavit of Correction to Marriage License
When One Applicant Cannot Appear
If one applicant is 18 or older and unable to come to the clerk’s office, another adult (or the other applicant) can apply on their behalf. The absent applicant provides a notarized affidavit with their biographical information, declarations about marital status and prohibited relationships, the reason they cannot appear, and the name of the person they intend to marry. The person applying on their behalf brings acceptable ID for the absent applicant.14State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.007 – Affidavit of Absent Applicant
If both applicants are absent, the clerk can issue the license only when each absent applicant’s affidavit states they are a member of the U.S. armed forces stationed in another country supporting combat or military operations. Otherwise, at least one applicant must appear in person.15State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.006 – Absent Applicant An absent military applicant can also appoint a proxy for the ceremony itself.
Informal (Common-Law) Marriage as an Alternative
If you already meet the requirements for an informal marriage under Texas law (both parties 18 or older, neither married to anyone else, an agreement to be married, living together in Texas as spouses, and holding yourselves out as married), you can record a Declaration of Informal Marriage at the Cameron County Clerk instead of obtaining a license.16State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.401 – Proof of Informal Marriage Certified copies of the declaration also cost $21 each.1Cameron County. Cameron County Clerk Marriage License Minors cannot enter an informal marriage.