To get a Kent County marriage license, apply through the County Clerk’s Office in Grand Rapids either online or in person, bring photo ID, a certified birth certificate, and your Social Security number, pay $20 if at least one of you lives in Kent County (or $30 if both of you live out of state and are marrying here), then wait three days before picking up the license. The license is valid for 33 days from the date you applied, so the wedding has to happen inside that window.
Who Can Apply
Both applicants must be at least 18. If the ceremony will be in English, both of you need to understand English.
You can apply in Kent County if at least one of you lives there. If neither of you is a resident, you can still apply here as long as the wedding will take place in Kent County.
If either of you was previously married and the divorce was finalized within the past year, Michigan law requires a copy of the divorce judgment. A death certificate works if a prior spouse has died. You must be legally single when you apply; false information about marital status can void the marriage and expose you to perjury charges.
One boundary worth knowing: Michigan does not recognize common law marriage, so living together as a couple does not substitute for a license no matter how long you have been together.
What to Bring
Each applicant needs three things:
- A government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or state ID. Photocopies are accepted.
- A government-issued certified copy of your birth certificate. Hospital records do not count.
- Your Social Security number. You do not need the physical card; knowing the number is enough.
Michigan requires the Social Security number on the application to comply with federal enforcement rules, but it will not appear on the printed license. If you have a religious objection or are otherwise legally exempt from having one, the clerk is required to tell you about the exemption.
How to Apply
Online
Kent County accepts marriage license applications entirely online through the Clerk’s digital portal. Applications submitted after 4:45 p.m. are held until the next business day, which matters if your three-day clock is tight.
In Person
You can also apply at the Kent County Clerk’s Office, 300 Monroe Avenue NW, Floor 1, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and stops processing in-person applications at 4:30 p.m.
Fees
- $20 if at least one applicant lives in Kent County and the wedding will be in Michigan.
- $30 if both applicants live out of state and the wedding will be in Kent County.
The Three-Day Wait and the 33-Day Window
After you apply, you must wait three days before picking up the license. That window includes the day you applied, and you cannot hold the ceremony during it.
Michigan law lets the county clerk waive the waiting period for “good and sufficient cause.” The waiver fee is set by the county board of commissioners. If you have an urgent reason, contact the Clerk’s Office directly to ask whether a waiver is available and what it will cost.
Once the three days pass, your clock is already running. The license is valid for 33 days from the date of application, not from the date you pick it up. If the wedding does not happen inside that window, the license is void and you have to apply and pay again. Schedule the ceremony before you apply, not after.
Who Can Officiate and Who Can Witness
Michigan law authorizes several categories of officiants:
- District court judges, probate judges, municipal judges, and federal judges.
- District court magistrates.
- Mayors, within the county where their city is located.
- County clerks, within their own county, or in another county with written authorization from that county’s clerk.
- Ordained clergy and religious practitioners authorized to perform marriages according to their denomination’s practices, anywhere in Michigan.
Online ordinations are legal in Michigan, and officiants do not have to register with the county clerk before performing a ceremony. The officiant still needs to be genuinely ordained or authorized under their organization’s practices; if credentials are questionable, the validity of the marriage can be challenged later.
Every ceremony must have at least two witnesses present besides the officiant, and each witness must be 18 or older. Witnesses do not need to be related to either spouse or hold any special qualification.
After the Ceremony
The signed license must be returned to the Kent County Clerk’s Office within 10 days of the wedding. This is the step that puts the marriage on the public record. The officiant usually handles the return, but confirm that it gets done. A ceremony that was performed but never recorded can create real problems later when you need proof for insurance, taxes, or property matters.
Once the signed license is recorded, you can order certified copies of your marriage certificate from the Clerk’s Office. The cost is $10 for the first copy and $3 for each additional copy of the same record. You can order in person, online through Tyler Technologies, or by mail using a request form available in English and Spanish on the county website. Order two or three copies at once, because the Social Security Administration, your bank, and the Secretary of State’s office will each want their own.