To get a marriage certificate in Las Vegas, you buy a $102 marriage license from the Clark County Clerk’s Office, have an authorized officiant perform your ceremony, and let that officiant file the signed certificate with the county within 10 days. Once the filing is recorded, you can order certified copies for $20 each. Nevada has no waiting period and no residency requirement, so the whole thing can happen in a single day if you plan it.
Who Can Marry in Nevada
Any two people can marry in Nevada if both are at least 18, neither is currently married, and they are not more closely related than second cousins.1Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122.020 – Persons Capable of Marriage If a prior marriage ended in divorce, the decree must be final before you apply; if a prior spouse died, that marriage is considered dissolved.
A 17-year-old can marry only with parental or guardian consent plus district court authorization after an evidentiary hearing.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122.025 – Marriage of Minor Who Is 17 Years of Age: Consent of Parent or Guardian; Authorization by Court No one under 17 can legally marry in Nevada.
Step 1: Get the Marriage License
Both applicants must appear together in person at the Clark County Marriage License Bureau in downtown Las Vegas. The bureau is open every day of the year, including holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to midnight. There are no appointments; it’s walk-in only, first come, first served.3Clark County, NV. Frequently Asked Questions
Bring original, physical, government-issued photo ID. A driver’s license or passport works, as do military IDs, permanent resident cards, certificates of citizenship or naturalization, consular cards, and official ID cards from U.S. states or foreign governments. Photocopies and digital images are not accepted, and the photo must be a clear, current likeness.4Clark County, NV. Marriage License Requirements
The application asks for each person’s full legal name as it appears on the ID, date of birth, birthplace, Social Security number, both parents’ full legal names and birthplaces, and information about any prior marriages. If you don’t have a Social Security number or don’t know a piece of information, you say so on the form and the clerk still processes it.5Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 122 – Marriage
Clark County offers a pre-application form online that lets you enter all the information in advance.6Clark County Clerk’s Office. Marriage License Application You get a reference number to bring to the bureau, and the pre-application stays active for a year. Check every spelling and date carefully, because errors on the recorded certificate cause real problems later with name changes and insurance.
The license fee is $102, paid by credit or debit card (a small processing surcharge applies). Checks and money orders are not accepted.7Clark County, NV. Fees After payment, the clerk verifies your IDs, both of you take a verbal oath that the application is true, and the license is printed and handed to you.
Your license is valid for one year from the issue date.8Clark County, NV. How to Get Married in Las Vegas If you don’t have a ceremony within that window, it expires and you’d have to apply and pay again.
Step 2: Have the Ceremony
You hand the license to your officiant before the ceremony begins. Without it, the ceremony has no legal effect. Nevada authorizes licensed, ordained, or appointed ministers and other religious officials, notaries public registered with the county clerk, and registered marriage officiants. On the government side, Supreme Court justices, appellate judges, district judges, justices of the peace, municipal judges, commissioners and deputy commissioners of civil marriages, and mayors can all perform the ceremony.9Justia. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 122 – Marriage
Nevada law also requires at least one witness besides the officiant.5Nevada Legislature. Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 122 – Marriage Most chapels and venues handle this automatically with staff. For a small private ceremony, make sure at least one other person is present or the marriage may not be properly solemnized.
Civil Ceremony at the Clerk’s Office
If you want something simple, Clark County performs civil ceremonies with a commissioner of civil marriages right at the Clerk’s Office. The ceremony costs $75 plus a $2.75 credit card processing fee, card only. Unlike the license bureau, civil ceremonies require an online appointment, and slots fill quickly; only dates and times with openings appear in the booking system.10Clark County, NV. Civil Marriage This fee is on top of the $102 license, so expect roughly $180 total.
Step 3: The Officiant Files the Certificate Within 10 Days
This is the step that actually creates your legal record, and it’s on your officiant, not you. After the ceremony, the person who performed the marriage must deliver the completed certificate to the Clark County Clerk or County Recorder within 10 days.11Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122.130 – Certificate of Marriage: Recording Until that filing happens, your marriage isn’t in the public record.
Established Las Vegas chapels and the county civil ceremony office handle this filing quickly and reliably. If your officiant is an independent minister or a friend ordained online, confirm they understand the 10-day deadline. A late or missed filing delays your ability to get certified copies and can raise questions about whether the marriage was properly recorded.
Step 4: Order Certified Copies of the Certificate
The license and the certificate are two different documents. The license authorizes the marriage. The certificate proves it happened. Agencies, insurers, banks, and employers that ask for proof of marriage want certified copies of the certificate, not the license.
Once the filing is processed, you can order certified copies from the Clark County Clerk’s Office for $20 each.7Clark County, NV. Fees Order online through the Clerk’s records system or go in person.12Clark County Clerk’s Office. Records Search and Order System Buy at least two or three. You’ll often need them at the same time for different agencies, and certified originals are required almost everywhere; photocopies won’t be accepted.
Some chapels hand out a decorative “keepsake” or “souvenir” certificate after the ceremony. These are commemorative and have no legal weight. No bank or government office will accept one as proof of marriage.
Using the Certificate Afterward
If either spouse is changing names, start with the Social Security Administration before anything else. Most other agencies verify names against SSA records, and updating Social Security first prevents mismatches downstream. You can begin online or at a local office, and a new card typically arrives in 5 to 10 business days.13Social Security Administration. Change Name with Social Security From there, work through your passport, driver’s license at the DMV, bank accounts, employer payroll, and insurance. Each process starts with a certified copy of your certificate.
For a passport issued less than a year ago where the name change also happened within that year, Form DS-5504 updates it for free (expedited processing is $60). Older passports require a full renewal.14U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport If you have travel booked under your current name, wait until after the trip; the new passport will have a different number and expiration.
A Nevada marriage is legally valid throughout the United States. For international recognition, most countries require an apostille, which the Nevada Secretary of State issues from offices in Carson City or Las Vegas; standard processing is about four weeks.15Nevada Secretary of State. Apostille Countries outside the Hague Convention require additional federal authentication and embassy legalization, so contact the destination country’s consulate early to confirm what they need.