Horry County Marriage License: Requirements, Fees, and Waiting Period

A Horry County marriage license is issued by the Horry County Probate Court, with offices in Conway, Myrtle Beach, and Little River. Both applicants apply together, present photo ID and Social Security documentation, and pay a fee that ranges from $55 for county residents to $120 for out-of-state applicants. South Carolina then requires a 24-hour wait between filing the application and picking up the license. No blood test is needed, and once issued the license does not expire.¹

What It Costs

The Probate Court charges three different fees depending on where you live:

Horry County residents: $55
Other South Carolina residents: $80
Out-of-state applicants: $120

Each fee includes one certified copy of the marriage certificate. Additional certified copies are $5 each.² In person, the court takes cash. By mail, pay with a money order made out to “Horry County Probate Court.” Credit cards and personal checks are not accepted.¹

What to Bring

Both applicants need to show up with:

A valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.
A Social Security card or another official document listing the Social Security number. Applicants without a U.S. Social Security number provide an alien identification number instead.

If either applicant was married before, you need the date the prior marriage ended, whether by divorce or death of a spouse. A recently finalized divorce may require a stamped copy of the divorce decree.¹ The application asks for full legal names, addresses, and birthplaces for both parties. Make sure the information you give matches your ID exactly, because mismatches cause delays.

How to Apply

Horry County accepts applications two ways: in person or by mail. There is no online application.

In Person

Walk-in applications are accepted Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Probate Court in the Horry County Judicial Complex, 1301 Second Avenue in Conway. Satellite offices in Myrtle Beach and Little River also process applications. Both applicants must appear together to sign the application and present their documents.¹

By Mail

A mailed application must reach the Probate Court at least 30 days before the ceremony date. If your wedding is less than 30 days away, apply in person. The mail option is not available to applicants under 18.¹

The 24-Hour Waiting Period

South Carolina requires 24 hours between filing the application and issuing the license. Court staff cannot waive that wait. After the 24 hours pass, one of the two applicants has to return in person to pick up the license; the court does not mail issued licenses.³ Couples arriving in Horry County for a destination wedding should plan for that extra day.

Once issued, the license does not expire and is valid for a ceremony anywhere in South Carolina.

Age Rules

A marriage involving a person under 16 is void under South Carolina law.⁴ A 16- or 17-year-old can be licensed only if a parent, guardian, or other relative with custody signs a sworn affidavit of consent at the court office. Minors cannot use the mail-in process. Anyone 18 or older applies on their own.³

Who Can Perform the Ceremony

South Carolina limits who can legally officiate. The authorized list includes ministers, Jewish rabbis, any officer authorized to administer oaths in the state (which covers notaries public), and the chief or spiritual leader of a Native American Indian entity recognized by the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs.³ Online-ordained ministers qualify under the “ministers” category. The state does not require officiants to register in advance, but keeping ordination credentials on hand is sensible.

Both parties must be physically present at the ceremony. Marriage by proxy or by telephone is not allowed.

Filing the License After the Wedding

Marriage licenses are issued in triplicate. After the ceremony, the officiant completes all three copies, gives one to the couple, and returns the remaining two to the Probate Court within 15 days.³ If the officiant misses that step, the marriage will not be recorded with the state. Follow up a few days after the wedding to confirm the paperwork was filed.

The Probate Court keeps marriage records permanently, and you can order additional certified copies at any time for $5 each.²

Common Law Marriage Does Not Apply

If you were planning to skip the license and rely on common law marriage, that path is closed in South Carolina. The South Carolina Supreme Court ended it in Stone v. Thompson on July 24, 2019, holding that no valid marriage can be created in the state after that date without a license. Common law marriages that existed before that date remain valid.⁵

1
Horry County SC.Gov. Marriage License
2
Horry County Government. Horry County Probate Court Fees
3
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code of Laws Title 20 Chapter 1 – Marriage
4
South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 20 Chapter 1 Section 20-1-100 – Minimum Age for Valid Marriage
5
Justia. Stone v Thompson – South Carolina Supreme Court 2019