To get a DeKalb County marriage license, both applicants complete an online pre-application through the Probate Court, schedule an in-person appointment, and appear together at the courthouse in Decatur with government-issued photo ID. The fee is $66, or $26 if you present a certificate showing you completed a qualifying premarital education course. Most couples walk out with the license the same day, and it is valid anywhere in Georgia with no expiration date.
Who Can Apply
Georgia law requires you to be at least 18, of sound mind, currently unmarried, and not related to your intended spouse within prohibited degrees of kinship.1Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-2 – Who May Contract Marriage If either of you was married before, that marriage must be fully ended by divorce or death before the court will issue a new license, and you need to prove it with a date.
A narrow exception lets a 17-year-old marry if they are already legally emancipated, 15 days have passed since emancipation, the older party is no more than four years older, and the 17-year-old completes a premarital education course. No one under 17 may marry in Georgia.1Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-2 – Who May Contract Marriage Blood tests are not required; Georgia dropped that in 2003.
Where You Can Apply
If at least one of you lives in Georgia, you can apply in any county, including DeKalb, and marry anywhere in the state. If neither of you is a Georgia resident, you have to apply in the specific county where the ceremony will take place.2Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Each applicant needs a government-issued photo ID. A driver’s license, state ID, or passport all work. If either of you was previously married, bring the exact date that marriage ended, whether by final divorce decree or the former spouse’s death.
The application asks for each person’s full legal name, date of birth, current address, parents’ full names (including mother’s maiden name, if known), Social Security number, and the number of prior marriages.3Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-33 – Application for Marriage License
Any legal document in a language other than English must come with a certified translation. The translator has to sign an affidavit confirming their qualifications and the accuracy of the translation, or the court can reject it.4DeKalb County Probate Court. Marriage License
How to Apply, Step by Step
DeKalb County runs the process in two parts, and walk-ins are not accepted.
First, complete the online pre-application through the Probate Court’s portal. Once you submit it, you’ll get a receipt confirmation with an order number.4DeKalb County Probate Court. Marriage License
Second, use that order number to book an appointment through the court’s self-scheduling calendar. Bring proof of your appointment, printed or on your phone, or you will not be allowed into the building for marriage license services.5DeKalb County Probate Court. Appointment Calendar Appointments run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Both of you have to appear together. The Probate Court is in the DeKalb County Courthouse at the Judicial Tower, basement floor, room B190, in Decatur. The mailing address is 556 North McDonough Street, Decatur, GA 30030.
Fees and Payment
The standard fee is $66. That covers one certified copy of the marriage certificate plus $2 for shipping. If you present a signed certificate showing you completed a qualifying premarital education program of at least six hours, the fee drops to $26, which also includes one certified copy and shipping.4DeKalb County Probate Court. Marriage License Georgia law actually waives the license fee itself for couples who complete the course, so the $26 covers administrative costs and the certified copy rather than the license.2Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License
The court takes money orders payable to the DeKalb County Probate Court, plus Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. No personal checks. Card and ACH transactions carry a 2.75% service fee with a $2 minimum. All fees are nonrefundable.4DeKalb County Probate Court. Marriage License Most couples receive the license the same day, once the clerk finishes the review and payment goes through.
After You Receive the License
The license does not expire, so there is no deadline for holding the ceremony after pickup.4DeKalb County Probate Court. Marriage License
Georgia authorizes a wide range of officiants: judges of state or federal courts of record in Georgia, magistrates, city recorders, ministers, anyone else authorized by their religious organization, and the current or any former Governor of Georgia.2Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License The state does not require officiants to register, so online-ordained ministers can perform ceremonies as long as their organization authorizes it. Some venues or families still ask to see ordination documentation, so your officiant should keep proof on hand.
After the ceremony, the officiant must sign the license and return it to the DeKalb County Probate Court within 30 days of the wedding. The court then records it as the permanent public record of the marriage.2Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License If the license never gets returned, either spouse can still establish the marriage by submitting affidavits from two witnesses to the ceremony, and the court will reissue and record the license on that evidence.
Getting Extra Certified Copies
Your license fee includes one certified copy. Additional copies cost $10 each from the DeKalb County Probate Court.4DeKalb County Probate Court. Marriage License You can also request marriage records from the Georgia Department of Public Health’s vital records office at $10 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.6Georgia.gov. Request Vital Records
Order two or three certified copies up front. Banks, insurers, and government agencies each want their own, and it is cheaper and faster to get them together than to come back later.