To get married in Georgia, both partners appear together at any county probate court, present government-issued photo ID (plus divorce or death paperwork if either has been married before), pay the $76 license fee, and have the ceremony performed by an authorized officiant who signs and returns the license to the probate court within 30 days. There is no waiting period, no blood test, and no residency requirement so long as at least one of you lives in the state.
Who Can Legally Marry
Georgia law sets four conditions. You must be of sound mind, at least 18 years old, not currently married to anyone else, and not closely related to the person you plan to marry.1Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-2 – Who May Contract Marriage; Emancipation Requirement; Minimum Age for Marriage If a previous marriage was never finalized by divorce, any new marriage is void from the start.
A 17-year-old may marry only if legally emancipated, only after at least 15 days have passed since emancipation, and only after completing a premarital education course.1Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-2 – Who May Contract Marriage; Emancipation Requirement; Minimum Age for Marriage No one under 17 can marry.
The prohibited family relationships are parent and child (including stepchild), siblings of whole or half blood, grandparent and grandchild, and aunt/nephew or uncle/niece.2Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-3 – Degrees of Relationship Within Which Intermarriage Is Prohibited A marriage entered into by someone who lacked capacity to consent, was unwilling, or was deceived into it is void, though it can sometimes be ratified later if both parties freely agree and continue living together.3Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-5 – What Marriages Void
Where to Apply
Neither of you needs to live in Georgia to marry here. If at least one partner is a Georgia resident, you can apply at any county probate court in the state. If neither of you lives in Georgia, you must get the license from the county where the ceremony will take place.4Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License
What to Bring to the Probate Court
Both of you must appear in person, together. Bring a government-issued photo ID that proves your identity and age. Acceptable forms include a valid driver’s license, state ID card, passport, military ID, or certified birth certificate.5Fulton County Probate Court. Marriage Licenses Most counties also ask for your Social Security number on the application. Applicants without one, such as foreign nationals, should call the specific probate court ahead of time, because policies on alternatives vary by county.
If either of you has been married before, bring a certified copy of your final divorce decree or, if a former spouse died, a death certificate.6Rockdale County Probate Court. Required Documents for a Marriage License Georgia won’t assume a prior marriage ended on its own. You need paperwork to prove it.
License Fee and the Premarital Education Discount
The standard marriage license fee is $76. If both of you complete a qualifying premarital education program, that fee drops to $36.7Chatham County, GA – Court System. Probate Court – Marriage Licenses
A qualifying program runs at least six hours and covers topics like communication, conflict resolution, financial responsibility, and parenting. Both of you must attend together, and the course must be completed within 12 months before you apply. Eligible instructors include licensed counselors, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and active members of the clergy who are trained in premarital education.8Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30.1 – Premarital Education; Fees; Special Requirements if Marriage Applicant Is 17 Years Old The instructor will give you a certificate of completion. Bring it with you to the probate court.
The Ceremony
Once the probate court issues your license, there is no waiting period. You can have the ceremony immediately, and the license never expires.9Athens-Clarke County, GA – Official Website. Marriage Licenses Georgia hasn’t required a blood test since 2003.
The ceremony must be performed by someone authorized under Georgia law. That list includes any current or former governor, any judge of a state or federal court of record in Georgia, a city recorder, a magistrate, a minister, or any other person authorized by the rules of a religious society or sect to perform marriages.4Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License The statute doesn’t require the minister to be formally ordained, only authorized by their religious organization. Georgia law does not require witnesses, though many couples include them.
Returning the Signed License
After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and is responsible for returning it to the issuing probate court within 30 days of the wedding date.4Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License This is the step that gets fumbled most often. The legal duty falls on the officiant, but it’s your marriage record at stake. Check in with your officiant a week or two after the wedding to confirm they’ve mailed it. Once the probate court receives the signed license, the clerk records it, and the marriage becomes part of the official public record.
Common-Law Marriage Is Not Available
Georgia abolished common-law marriage effective January 1, 1997. You cannot establish a new common-law marriage in the state, no matter how long you live together or how you present yourselves. Common-law marriages formed in Georgia before that date are still recognized, but no new ones are possible. If you want your relationship to carry legal weight, you have to go through the license and ceremony process.
After the Wedding
Order Certified Copies
The probate court keeps the original license on file. You’ll need certified copies for almost everything that follows: updating your Social Security card, changing your driver’s license, adding a spouse to insurance. Certified copies cost $10 each at most Georgia probate courts and can be ordered in person, by mail, or through online portals.10Columbia County, GA. Marriage Licenses Order three or four at once so you’re not waiting on replacements when multiple agencies need them at the same time.
Change Your Name in the Right Order
A Georgia marriage license doesn’t change your name automatically anywhere. If you’re taking a new last name, update each record separately, and the order matters.
Start with the Social Security Administration, because most other agencies want SSA records to match before they’ll process a name change. Wait at least 30 days after the wedding to give Georgia time to update its vital records, then use the SSA’s online name change portal. Georgia is one of the states where you can complete or start the process online, using your marriage certificate and proof of identification.11Social Security Administration. Just Married? Need to Change Your Name? There is no fee for a replacement Social Security card.
Once your Social Security record is updated, visit a Georgia Department of Driver Services customer service center in person with a certified copy of your marriage license or state-issued marriage certificate. Georgia gives you 60 days from the date of your name change to update your license, and the replacement is free once per license term.12Georgia Department of Driver Services. Section 4 Continued If your marriage took place in Georgia on or after November 1, 1982, you can also choose a hyphenated surname by presenting a certified copy of the marriage license application reflecting that choice.
For a passport, updating within one year of both the passport’s issue date and your legal name change means no fee for the correction. After that window, you pay the standard passport renewal fee. Either way, submit a certified marriage certificate and a new passport photo.13U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error
Add Your Spouse to Health Insurance Within 60 Days
Marriage is a qualifying life event for health insurance. You generally have 60 days from the wedding date to add your spouse to an employer-sponsored plan or enroll in a new marketplace plan. Miss that window and you’ll typically have to wait until the next annual open enrollment. Contact your employer’s HR or benefits administrator as soon as you can after the ceremony. The same 60-day window applies to other employer benefits like dental, vision, and life insurance.
Know Your Filing Status for Taxes
The IRS considers you married for the entire tax year if you’re married on December 31. Even a late-December wedding means you file as a married couple for that full year, either jointly or separately.14Internal Revenue Service. Publication 501, Dependents, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information Filing jointly usually produces a lower total tax bill but makes both of you liable for the full amount owed. Filing separately preserves individual liability but often raises the combined tax and disqualifies you from several deductions and credits.