Getting Married in Illinois: Non-Resident Rules, Wait, and Fees

You can get married in Illinois as a non-resident without living in the state, holding an Illinois address, or spending any minimum time there before applying. Both of you appear together at the county clerk’s office in the county where the ceremony will happen, show ID, pay the fee, wait one day, and marry within 60 days. There is no blood test and no medical exam.¹

Where You Apply and What It Costs

Both parties must appear in person, together, at the county clerk’s office in the county where the ceremony will take place.¹ You cannot apply in one county and marry in another. Most clerk offices keep standard weekday hours, and some require appointments, so call ahead.

If the wedding is in Chicago or suburban Cook County, you can begin the application online before your in-person visit, which saves time at the counter.² Not every county offers that, so check with the specific office.

Fees run roughly $50 to $75 depending on the county. Cook County charges $60; Peoria County charges $75.² Payment methods vary. Some clerks take only cash or checks; others accept cards with a small surcharge. Confirm the exact fee and payment options before you go.

What to Bring

Each applicant needs valid government-issued photo ID. A driver’s license, state ID, passport, or military ID all work.³ You will also give your date of birth, Social Security number, and occupation information. If you don’t have a Social Security number, which is common for non-U.S. citizens, contact the clerk’s office in advance about alternatives, because procedures vary by county.

If either of you was married before, you will need to give the date and place that marriage ended, by divorce or by death. Some counties want a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. Others accept the information verbally.⁴ Call first.

You both need to be at least 18 to marry without parental consent. Applicants who are 16 or 17 can still get a license, but both parents or a legal guardian must appear in person at the clerk’s office to give sworn consent when the application is made.¹ If one parent cannot be found after diligent effort, the other can sign an affidavit explaining why.

The One-Day Wait and 60-Day Window

Illinois imposes a one-day waiting period after the license is issued. Pick it up Thursday and the earliest you can marry is Friday.⁵ This is the detail that catches traveling couples off guard. You generally cannot apply and marry the same day. Plan on at least two days in Illinois: one for the license, one for the ceremony.

The waiting period can be waived by petitioning the local circuit court. A judge can order the license effective immediately. It is a real option when travel is tight, but it requires a court appearance and there is no guarantee the order will be granted on short notice. If you think you’ll need the waiver, contact both the county clerk and the circuit clerk well before the trip to ask about procedure and filing fees.

Once issued, the license is valid for 60 days. The ceremony must happen and the license must be returned to the clerk’s office inside that window. Miss it and the license expires, and you reapply and pay again.⁵

If You Are Coming From Another Country

A valid passport is the standard ID for international applicants. Some county clerks may ask for additional documentation such as a visa to confirm lawful entry into the United States, so check with the specific office before your visit.

Marrying a U.S. citizen does not by itself give you a green card or citizenship. The path from marriage to permanent residency is a separate application through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and eligibility depends on factors including your immigration status at the time of the marriage.⁶ If you entered on a K-1 fiancé visa, you must marry your U.S. citizen petitioner within 90 days of arrival and then file for adjustment of status. Naturalization requires at least three years of permanent residency while married to your U.S. citizen spouse, along with the usual residency, physical presence, and other requirements.⁷

Verify that your home country will recognize an Illinois marriage. Most countries recognize marriages validly performed where the ceremony occurred, but some impose additional registration or documentation steps. An immigration attorney can flag problems on either side of the border before the wedding.

Who Can Officiate

Illinois gives you broad options. State law allows the following people to solemnize a marriage:⁸

Any judge of a court of record, a retired judge who has not been removed by the Judicial Inquiry Board, or a judge of the Court of Claims.
The mayor or president of any Illinois city, village, or incorporated town, provided they currently hold office on the ceremony date.
County clerks, but only in counties with 2,000,000 or more residents, which effectively means Cook County.
Anyone performing the ceremony in accordance with the practices of a religious denomination, Indian Nation, Tribe, or Native Group, as long as the officiant is in good standing with that organization.

Illinois does not require ordained ministers to register with the state or any county before performing a wedding, and the state keeps no list of approved officiants.⁹ The requirement for a religious officiant is simply good standing with their denomination. Notaries public are not authorized to officiate in Illinois.

Illinois also accommodates ceremonies with no individual officiant, such as Quaker meetings. In that case, both parties complete and sign the marriage certificate themselves and return it to the county clerk.⁸

After the Ceremony

Whoever solemnized the marriage, or both spouses if no individual officiant was involved, must complete the marriage certificate and return it to the county clerk’s office within 10 days.⁸ If you are flying home right after the wedding, make sure your officiant has the deadline and the correct mailing address for the clerk’s office.

Once the license is filed, you can request certified copies from the county clerk. Those are the documents you will need for name changes, insurance updates, immigration filings, and anything else that requires proof of marriage. Fees vary by county and typically run about $16 to $25 for the first copy, with additional copies at a lower rate. Many counties accept mail requests, which helps once you have left the state, and some process requests online.

Marriages Illinois Will Not License

Illinois will not issue a license for a marriage that violates state law. The prohibited categories are:¹⁰

Bigamy. Neither party may still be legally married to someone else through a prior marriage or civil union.
Close family relationships. Marriages between ancestors and descendants, between siblings of full or half blood including by adoption, and between aunts or uncles and nieces or nephews are all prohibited.
First cousins. Not allowed unless both parties are 50 or older, or one party provides a physician’s certificate confirming permanent and irreversible sterility.

Both parties must be physically present for the license application and for the ceremony. Illinois does not allow proxy marriages where someone stands in for an absent party. That requirement comes from the licensing statute, which requires both parties to appear before the county clerk, and from the solemnization rules.¹

One county-level quirk is worth a call before you travel: some Illinois counties, including Peoria County, will issue a license to non-residents only if the marriage would also be legal in the couple’s home state or country.¹¹ It is not a statewide rule, but it is another reason to check with the specific clerk’s office before you go.

1
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 750 ILCS 5/203 – License to Marry
2
Cook County Clerk. Marriage / Civil Union
3
Jackson County, IL. Marriage License
4
Rock Island County. Marriage Licenses
5
Kane County Clerk. Marriage License Instructions
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Green Card for Fiancé(e) of U.S. Citizen
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I am Married to a U.S. Citizen
8
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 750 ILCS 5/209 – Solemnization and Registration
9
McLean County, IL – Official Website. Information Relating to Marriage and Civil Union Officiants
10
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 750 ILCS 5/212 – Prohibited Marriages
11
Peoria County, IL. Marriage Licenses