Georgia Marriage License Application PDF: Where to Get It, What to Bring

Georgia does not publish a single statewide marriage license application PDF. Applications are handled by each county’s probate court, and some counties (Fulton is one) post a downloadable PDF you can print and fill out at home before your visit.¹ The PDF is a preparation tool. Both partners still have to appear together at the probate court and sign under oath in front of the clerk, so the form saves you time at the counter rather than letting you apply remotely.²

Where to Find the PDF

Go to the website of the probate court in the county where you plan to apply. If a downloadable application is available, it will be on the marriage license page. Fulton County posts one; other counties may use an online form instead, and some still hand you a paper application when you arrive.³ There is no universal Georgia form, so a PDF you find on one county’s site is not necessarily accepted in another. Use the one from the court you plan to visit.

You have some choice about which court that is. If at least one of you lives in Georgia, you can apply in any county in the state.⁴ If neither of you is a Georgia resident, you must apply in the county where the ceremony will take place.¹

What the Form Asks For

Expect to fill in full legal names, dates of birth, current addresses, birthplaces, and parents’ information — including mothers’ maiden names and both parents’ birthplaces. If either of you has been married before, the form asks for the date and location the prior marriage ended. Some counties also ask for Social Security numbers.³

Fill every field carefully, and make sure names and dates of birth match your photo IDs exactly. Mismatches are one of the most common reasons couples get sent home to try again.

Do Not Sign the PDF at Home

Even if you complete the entire application in advance, leave the signature lines blank. Georgia law requires the application to be verified under oath by both applicants, which means the probate court clerk has to witness both signatures.² A pre-signed form will be rejected, and you’ll fill out a fresh one at the counter.

What to Bring With the Completed PDF

Both applicants need to appear in person with a valid government-issued photo ID. Acceptable IDs include a state driver’s license, state ID card, valid passport, original or certified birth certificate, or military ID.¹

If either of you was previously married, bring a certified copy of the final divorce decree, annulment order, or death certificate from the most recent marriage.¹ A regular photocopy is not enough; the document has to carry the court’s seal. If the divorce was in another state, request a certified copy from that state’s clerk and allow time for it to arrive.

Documents in a language other than English need a certified English translation, and most Georgia courts expect the translator’s certification to be notarized.

Because counties handle small details differently, check the probate court’s website or call ahead to confirm exactly what they require.³

Who Is Eligible

Both applicants must be at least 18 and of sound mind. A 17-year-old can marry only after being legally emancipated, waiting at least 15 days after emancipation, marrying someone no more than four years older, and completing a premarital education course.⁵ No one under 17 can marry in Georgia. Neither applicant can have a living undissolved spouse, and marriage between close relatives (parent and child, siblings, grandparent and grandchild, aunt or uncle with nephew or niece) is prohibited and void.⁶ Georgia does not require a blood test or medical exam.

When to Submit It

Probate courts issue licenses between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.⁴ In practice, many smaller counties keep shorter hours or close earlier on Saturdays. Some accept walk-ins; others want appointments. Call before you drive out.

Fees and the Premarital Education Discount

Fees are set at the county level. Fulton County charges $68.50, and Chatham County charges $76.00; both include one certified copy of the marriage certificate mailed to you afterward.¹⁷ Most Georgia counties fall in that range.

Georgia law says couples who complete a qualifying premarital education program shall not be charged a license fee.⁸ Many counties still charge a reduced administrative fee. Fulton drops to $28.50 and Chatham to $36.00 when you present the certificate.⁷

To qualify, the program must include at least six hours of instruction covering conflict management, communication, and financial responsibilities. Both partners have to attend together, and the course must be completed within 12 months before the application. Eligible providers include licensed counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and active clergy or their trained designees.⁸ Bring the completion certificate to the courthouse with your application.

After You Get the License

Once the license is issued, you can hold the ceremony immediately. Georgia has no mandatory waiting period, and the license does not expire, so a postponed wedding does not force you to reapply.⁹¹

After the ceremony, the officiant is responsible for completing the certification section and returning the license to the issuing probate court within 30 days.⁴ Once the court records it, your marriage certificate is typically mailed within about 30 days.³ Additional certified copies come from the same probate court, usually around $10 each. The Georgia Department of Public Health’s State Office of Vital Records only holds marriage records from June 1952 through August 1996, so for anything outside that window the county court is the only source.¹⁰

1
Fulton County Probate Court. Marriage Licenses
2
Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-33 – Application for Marriage License
3
Georgia.gov. Apply for a Marriage License
4
Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License
5
Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-2 – Who May Contract Marriage; Emancipation Requirement; Minimum Age for Marriage
6
Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-3 – Degrees of Relationship Within Which Marriages Are Prohibited
7
Chatham County, GA. Chatham County Probate Court – Marriage Licenses
8
Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30.1 – Premarital Education; Fees; Special Requirements if Marriage Applicant Is 17 Years Old
9
Athens-Clarke County, GA. Marriage Licenses
10
Georgia Department of Public Health. Marriage Records