Courthouse Wedding in CT: Requirements, Officiant, and Cost

A courthouse wedding in Connecticut costs about $50 for the license, has no waiting period, and can happen the same day you apply. One catch surprises most couples: Connecticut town clerks issue the marriage license but do not perform the ceremony. You’ll need to line up your own officiant, whether that’s a Justice of the Peace, a judge, or a member of the clergy. The ceremony can happen almost anywhere in the state, as long as the officiant is physically present.

Who Can Legally Marry in Connecticut

Both people must be at least 18. Connecticut removed the older exceptions that once let minors marry with parental or judicial approval, so there is no workaround under 18.¹

Neither of you can already be in a legal marriage or civil union. If a prior marriage ended in divorce or a spouse’s death, you’ll attest to that on the application under oath. Connecticut does not require you to bring a divorce decree or death certificate to the clerk.

Marriages between close relatives are void from the start. The prohibited list covers parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, siblings, aunts or uncles with nieces or nephews, and stepparents and stepchildren.²

There is no residency requirement. Out-of-state couples can marry in Connecticut as long as they get the license from the town where the ceremony will take place.³ Connecticut also does not require a blood test or any medical exam. If either applicant is under a conservatorship, the conservator’s signed, notarized consent is required before the license can issue.⁴

Where to Apply and What to Bring

Both people apply in person at the vital records office of the town where the ceremony will happen.³ You don’t have to appear together on the same day, but if you show up separately, the later date becomes the official application date, and the 65-day validity clock starts from there.

Each person should bring:

A government-issued photo ID: a driver’s license, state ID, or passport showing date of birth, signature, and expiration.
Their Social Security number. The statute requires both numbers be recorded on the license.⁵
$50 for the license fee. State statute sets it at $15 plus a $35 surcharge. Some clerks take cards; some don’t. Call ahead.⁶

The application asks for each person’s full legal name, age, birthplace, current address, and marital history (single, widowed, or divorced).⁵ Many town clerks also collect parental names, so have that information ready. You’ll sign the finished form under oath. Double-check every spelling before you arrive; errors can force you to start over.

No Waiting Period, 65-Day Window

Connecticut has no waiting period. The moment the registrar certifies the license, you can hold your ceremony.³ That’s what makes a same-day wedding possible here.

The license stays valid for 65 days from the application date.⁷ If the ceremony doesn’t happen in that window, the license expires and you’ll reapply and pay $50 again. There is no extension.

Finding an Officiant

This is the step people miss when they expect a walk-in courthouse wedding. Connecticut town clerks are not authorized to marry anyone. You bring your own officiant from the list the state recognizes:⁸

Judges, including sitting or retired judges, federal judges, and judges from other states who are legally authorized to marry people in their own jurisdictions.
Justices of the Peace appointed in Connecticut. A JP appointed in another state cannot officiate here. Your town clerk’s office keeps a directory.
Family support magistrates and state referees.
Ordained or licensed clergy, from Connecticut or another state.

A Connecticut-appointed JP can perform your ceremony anywhere in the state, not just in the town they were appointed to. Fees vary. Expect roughly $50 to $150 for a simple civil ceremony, more for travel or weekend work. Judges sometimes officiate as a courtesy, but availability depends on the court’s schedule.

The ceremony has to happen with the officiant physically present. Connecticut does not recognize proxy marriages or virtual ceremonies performed by video call.⁷ You hand the license to your officiant before the ceremony, and they complete and sign it afterward. Witnesses are not required, though many couples bring them anyway.

After the Ceremony: Filing and Certified Copies

The officiant returns the signed license to the registrar of vital records in the town where the ceremony took place.³ At that point it becomes a permanent vital record, referred to as a marriage certificate. The original stays on file with the town forever; you will never get it back.

What you actually use going forward is a certified copy. Those cost $20 each and can be requested in person or by mail from the town holding the record. Order at least two or three upfront. You’ll go through them quickly updating your name on IDs, bank accounts, and insurance. Later copies can be ordered from the same town clerk or through the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Total Cost

A civil ceremony in Connecticut is one of the least expensive ways to get legally married. What to budget:

Marriage license: $50, set by state statute.⁶
Officiant fee: $0 to $200, depending on whether you hire a Justice of the Peace, ask a judge, or have a friend become ordained.
Certified copies of the marriage certificate: $20 each. Plan for two or three.

All in, most couples spend between $50 and $300.

What to Handle Right After You’re Married

Getting married does not automatically change your legal name or update any account. Each agency and institution has to be handled separately, and a few of them have deadlines.

Name Change

Start with the Social Security Administration by filing Form SS-5 for a replacement card in your new name. Bring your certified marriage certificate and a current ID. Some applicants can do this online; others need an in-person appointment. The card arrives in five to ten business days, and there is no fee.⁹

Then update your driver’s license at the Connecticut DMV with your certified marriage certificate and current license. Wait at least 48 hours after the SSA change so the databases have time to sync. If you’re switching to a Real ID at the same time, bring your birth certificate and proof of residency.

For a U.S. passport, if it was issued within the last year and your legal name change is also within that year, file Form DS-5504 with your current passport, certified marriage certificate, and a new photo. There is no fee unless you pay for expedited service. Passports older than a year use the standard renewal process and fees.¹⁰

Health Insurance

Marriage is a qualifying life event. Employer-sponsored plans give you 30 days from the marriage date to add your spouse or change coverage.¹¹ Miss that window and you’re generally locked out until open enrollment. Marketplace plans through HealthCare.gov allow 60 days.¹² Tell your HR department right after the ceremony, and while you’re at it, review life insurance and retirement account beneficiary designations. None of those update automatically.

Taxes

If you’re married on December 31, the IRS considers you married for the entire tax year. A late-December wedding changes your filing status for all income earned that year. Your only options going forward are Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately. For 2026, the standard deduction for joint filers is $32,200, compared to $16,100 for a single filer.¹³ For couples with one high earner and one lower earner, joint filing usually produces a lower combined bill. Two high earners can end up worse off filing jointly than they would have separately, so run the numbers both ways before you file.

1
Justia. Connecticut Code 46b-20a – Eligibility to Marry
2
Justia. Connecticut Code 46b-21 – Marriage of Persons Related by Consanguinity or Affinity Prohibited
3
Connecticut Department of Public Health. License to Get Married
4
Justia. Connecticut Code 46b-29 – Marriage of Persons Under Conservatorship
5
Justia. Connecticut Code 46b-25 – License Application
6
FindLaw. Connecticut Code 7-73 – Fees for Registrars of Vital Statistics
7
Justia. Connecticut Code 46b-24 – License, Period of Validity
8
Justia. Connecticut Code 46b-22 – Who May Join Persons in Marriage
9
Social Security Administration. Change Name with Social Security
10
U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport
11
U.S. Department of Labor. Life Changes Require Health Choices
12
HealthCare.gov. Special Enrollment Periods for Complex Issues
13
Internal Revenue Service. IRS Releases Tax Inflation Adjustments for Tax Year 2026