A Dallas County marriage license costs $80, requires both partners to appear together in person at the County Clerk with valid photo ID, and triggers a 72-hour waiting period before any ceremony can take place. The license expires if you do not marry within 90 days of issuance.1State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.201 – Expiration of License
Who Can Apply
Both applicants must be at least 18. Texas no longer lets minors marry with parental consent alone; anyone under 18 needs a court order removing the disabilities of minority before a clerk will issue a license.2State of Texas. Texas Family Code Chapter 2 – The Marriage Relationship
Both partners must be legally single. If an earlier marriage ended in divorce from a Texas court, you have to wait at least 30 days after the decree before applying for a new license, unless you are remarrying the same former spouse or a judge waives the restriction.3State of Texas. Texas Family Code 6.801 – Remarriage
Texas prohibits marriages between close relatives, including parents and children, siblings and half-siblings, grandparents and grandchildren, aunts or uncles and nieces or nephews, and stepparents and stepchildren. The bar applies to biological and adoptive relationships alike.
Same-sex couples apply through the same process as any other couple. Although Texas Family Code § 2.001 still refers to “a man and a woman,” the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges requires Texas to issue licenses to same-sex couples, and it has done so since.4Texas State Law Library. Same-Sex Marriage in Texas
What to Bring to the Appointment
Each applicant needs an original, unexpired, government-issued photo ID. A driver’s license, passport, or military ID will do. Photocopies are not accepted.5State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.005 – Proof of Identity and Age
You will also need your Social Security number (the card itself is not required), your date of birth, and both parents’ full legal names, including your mother’s maiden name. If you were previously married, bring a copy of the divorce decree or the former spouse’s death certificate.
If your identity documents are in a language other than English, bring a certified English translation with the original. The translation must be typed, carry a signed certification of accuracy from the translator, and cannot be prepared by the applicant.
How to Apply in Dallas County
Dallas County requires you to complete the application online before coming in. The County Clerk’s portal collects your personal information and generates an order number to bring to the appointment.6Dallas County. Vital Records Division – Marriage License
Both partners then visit a Dallas County Clerk location together. The main office is at 500 Elm Street, Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75202, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed on court-approved holidays. Branch locations operate at Justice of the Peace offices in South Dallas, North Dallas, and Grand Prairie. Call the branch before visiting, because hours and accepted payment methods can differ from the main office.
At the appointment, a clerk reviews the pre-filled application, checks your IDs against the information you submitted, and administers an oath. Both partners sign under oath that everything is accurate, and the clerk issues the license on the spot.
Cost and How to Cut It
A standard marriage license in Dallas County is $80.7Dallas County. Vital Records Fees and Payment Information
Couples who finish the state-approved Twogether in Texas premarital education course pay only $20, a $60 savings, and the 72-hour waiting period is waived as part of the same benefit.8Texas State Law Library. Marriage in Texas – Premarital Education Bring the course completion certificate to your appointment; it must be dated within one year of the application.
The 72-Hour Wait and the 90-Day Deadline
Texas enforces a 72-hour cooling-off period between license issuance and the ceremony.9State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.204 – Waiting Period Pick the license up Monday morning and the earliest legal ceremony is Thursday morning.
The waiting period is waived if:
- Either applicant is active-duty U.S. armed forces, or a Department of Defense employee or contractor.
- The couple completed the Twogether in Texas course within the past year.
- A judge with family-law jurisdiction, a county judge, or an appellate court judge signs a written waiver.
The license expires on the 90th day after issuance. If that date passes without a ceremony, you start over with a new application and pay the fee again. No extensions are available.
Who Can Perform the Ceremony
Texas authorizes a short list of officiants under Family Code § 2.202: licensed or ordained Christian ministers and priests, Jewish rabbis, officers of any religious organization authorized by that organization to conduct marriages, and current, former, or retired federal or state judges.10State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.202 – Persons Authorized to Conduct Ceremony
No officiant registration or state license is required.11Texas State Law Library. Who Can Perform a Marriage Ceremony in Texas If you want a friend to officiate through an online ordination, confirm beforehand that the ordination qualifies them as a licensed or ordained minister under Texas law, because this is where disputes occasionally arise.
After the Wedding
Your officiant records the date and county on the license, signs it, and returns it to the Dallas County Clerk within 30 days. Failing to return the license is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $200 to $500.12State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.206 – Return of License Penalty If the officiant is someone you hired for the day rather than a longstanding clergy member or judge, follow up to make sure it gets filed.
Once the clerk records the signed license, it becomes part of the permanent public record. Certified copies cost $10 each from the Records Building at 500 Elm Street, requested in person or by mail. Mail requests should include a money order payable to the Dallas County Clerk and can take six to eight weeks to process.13Dallas County. County Clerk Vital Records Division – FAQs Order several copies at once; you will need them for name changes, insurance updates, and tax records.