How to Get a Marriage License in Florida as a Non-Resident

To get a marriage license in Florida as a non-resident, both of you appear together at any Clerk of the Circuit Court office in the state with valid photo ID, pay the $86 fee, and take a short oath in front of the clerk. Because you’re both from out of state, Florida waives its three-day waiting period, so you can pick up the license and hold the ceremony the same day.¹ No residency requirement, no blood test, no witnesses required.

Who Qualifies

Both applicants must be at least 18. Both must be legally free to marry, meaning any earlier marriage has ended by divorce, annulment, or the death of a spouse. You need to know the exact date that prior marriage ended, but you don’t need to bring the decree or death certificate itself.² Florida does not require a blood test or any medical examination.

Documents to Bring

Each of you needs a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID: a U.S. driver’s license, a state ID card, or a passport. Birth certificates and green cards are not accepted as primary identification.³

U.S. residents provide a Social Security number. Non-citizens can provide either a Social Security number or an alien registration number from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. If a non-citizen has neither, the clerk can still issue the license; the statute is explicit that the absence of these numbers does not prevent issuance, and applicants typically give a passport number instead.⁴ Any document not in English must come with a notarized English translation.

The Same-Day Advantage

Florida residents who don’t take a state-approved premarital course must wait three days between applying and marrying. Non-residents are exempt from that waiting period entirely.¹ One catch: both parties must be non-residents for the waiver to apply. If one of you lives in Florida, the three-day delay applies.⁵

Where and How To Apply

Both of you must appear together at any Clerk of the Circuit Court office in Florida. You can apply in any county regardless of where the ceremony will happen.⁶ Many counties let you complete the application online before you arrive, which cuts down the in-person time. Some counties, including Hillsborough, run a full virtual process by video conference: the clerk verifies IDs, takes payment, and administers the signing electronically, and the completed license is delivered as a digital download. Check the specific county clerk’s website, because not every county offers this.

At the visit or video call, both of you sign a sworn affidavit confirming the accuracy of the information on the application. The clerk administers the oath, collects the fee, and issues the license on the spot.⁴ With documents in order, the whole thing typically takes well under an hour.

The Fee

The marriage license fee is $86 statewide.⁷ That covers issuance and later recording of the certificate. Florida residents who complete a state-approved premarital course can pay a reduced $61, but the course must be Florida-certified, so the discount is not realistically available to visiting couples.

The 60-Day Window and Florida-Only Rule

Once issued, the license is valid for 60 days. If you don’t hold the ceremony within that window, the license expires and you have to reapply and pay another $86.⁸ The expiration date is printed on the license itself.

Your ceremony must happen inside Florida. A Florida marriage license cannot be used in another state or country.⁹ Within Florida, though, you can get the license in one county and marry in a completely different one.⁶

Who Can Officiate

Florida authorizes the following people to solemnize a marriage:

Ordained ministers, elders, or other clergy in communion with any church or religious organization
Judicial officers, including retired judges
Clerks of the circuit court
Florida notaries public

Ceremonies conducted according to Quaker (Society of Friends) traditions are also legally valid.¹⁰ The Florida notary option is the easiest route to a simple civil ceremony without a judge or clergy, but the notary must be commissioned in Florida; a notary from another state cannot officiate a Florida wedding.⁹ Despite the popular myth, boat captains are not authorized to perform marriages in Florida unless they independently hold one of the qualifications above.

Florida law does not require witnesses. The license has spaces for two witness signatures, but those signatures are optional, and elopements with only an officiant present are fully valid.

After the Ceremony

Your officiant is legally required to complete the marriage certificate portion of the license and return the signed document to the issuing clerk’s office within 10 days of the ceremony.¹¹ A local officiant will usually handle that mailing. If a friend or family member is officiating, make sure they understand the deadline.

Once the clerk processes the returned license, a certified copy of your marriage certificate is generated and mailed to the address you listed on the application. Put your home address on the form, not a Florida hotel. If you need additional certified copies later, order them from the clerk’s office in the county that issued the license.

1
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 741.04 – Issuance of Marriage License
2
Office of Kelvin Soto, Esq., Osceola Clerk of the Circuit Court & County Comptroller. Marriage Frequently Asked Questions
3
Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Palm Beach County. Marriage License Requirements
4
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 741.04 – Issuance of Marriage License
5
Office of Kelvin Soto, Esq., Osceola Clerk of the Circuit Court & County Comptroller. Marriage License Forms and Fees
6
Walton County Clerk of Courts & Comptroller. Marriage License
7
Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers. How Do I Apply For A Marriage License?
8
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 741.041 – Marriage License Application Valid for 60 Days
9
Florida Department of State. Frequently Asked Questions – Marriage Ceremony
10
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 741.07 – Persons Authorized to Solemnize Matrimony
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The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 741.08 – Marriage Not to Be Solemnized Without a License