A wedding license in Las Vegas costs $102, has no waiting period, and both partners can apply and marry on the same day. The Clark County Marriage License Bureau at 201 E. Clark Avenue issues every license for the Las Vegas area, and it’s open from 8 a.m. to midnight every day of the year, including weekends and holidays.1Clark County, NV. Marriage Services Nevada has no residency requirement, so you can fly in, get the license, and hold the ceremony the same afternoon.
Who Can Get Married in Nevada
Two people, regardless of gender, can marry in Nevada as long as both are at least 18, neither is currently married to someone else, and they are not more closely related than second cousins.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122 – Marriage No parental or judicial consent is needed when both applicants are 18 or older. Nevada also skips the hoops that slow things down elsewhere: no blood test, no premarital counseling, no waiting period between the license and the ceremony.3Clark County, NV. Marriage License Requirements
What to Bring to the Bureau
Both applicants must appear together with valid government-issued photo ID. Clark County accepts a driver’s license or state ID from any U.S. state or territory, a passport from any country, an active-duty or dependent military ID, or immigration documents such as a Certificate of Citizenship or Permanent Resident Card.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122 – Marriage All identification must be an original document; digital images and photocopies are not accepted.3Clark County, NV. Marriage License Requirements
U.S. citizens have to provide a Social Security number on the application under oath, but the clerk will not ask to see the card or verify the number. If you don’t have one, which applies to most non-U.S. citizens, you simply state that fact and the clerk cannot deny the license on that basis.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122 – Marriage
If either of you was married before, know the date your divorce or annulment was finalized and the city and state (or country) where it happened. You generally don’t need to bring the actual decree, but you’ll be answering under oath, so memorize the details.
International Applicants
Non-U.S. citizens can use a passport, a foreign government-issued ID card showing date of birth, or a Matricula Consular card. If none of those is available, call the Clerk’s office and ask a supervisor for guidance before you visit. When a birth certificate is used as backup identification and it’s in a language other than English, Clark County requires a notarized English translation stating that it is true and correct, with the translator’s printed name, signature, and a statement that they are qualified to translate.3Clark County, NV. Marriage License Requirements
Save Time With the Online Pre-Application
You can complete a pre-application on the Clark County Clerk’s website before arriving. It generates a reference number the clerk pulls up at the counter, which cuts your time at the window and reduces the chance of typos on the license itself. The pre-application is optional. Skip it and you’ll fill everything out from scratch at the bureau.
Cost
The license fee is $102. Cash and money orders avoid extra charges. Credit and debit cards are accepted, but the county’s payment processor adds 2% plus $1.25 per transaction, which comes out to roughly $3.29 on a $102 license.4Clark County, NV. Fees
Plan on ordering certified copies of the marriage certificate after the ceremony. Each one costs $20 from the Clerk’s office.4Clark County, NV. Fees Order at least two: one for the name change process and one for your records.
At the Bureau
Both applicants must appear in person at 201 E. Clark Avenue in downtown Las Vegas. Hand the clerk your reference number (if you pre-applied) and your photo IDs. The clerk verifies identities, confirms the legal requirements, and prints the license. Both partners sign at the counter. The whole thing usually takes under 30 minutes, less if you pre-applied and arrive off-peak. Being open every day until midnight makes it possible to get a license on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve, two of the busiest wedding days in town.1Clark County, NV. Marriage Services
How Long the License Lasts and What the Ceremony Requires
A Nevada marriage license is good for one year from the date it’s issued and is only valid for ceremonies performed within Nevada.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122 – Marriage You cannot take it to another state. The license alone doesn’t make you married; a ceremony has to happen.
Nevada requires at least one witness besides the officiant to be present. Most Las Vegas chapels can provide a witness if you’re eloping without guests. No particular script is required. The couple declares that they take each other as spouses in front of a licensed officiant and the witness.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122 – Marriage
Authorized officiants include judges, justices of the peace, licensed ministers and religious officials, notaries public, commissioners and deputy commissioners of civil marriages, and anyone holding a marriage officiant certificate from the county clerk.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122 – Marriage If you’re hiring a private officiant, confirm they hold a valid certificate. Performing a ceremony without authorization from the county clerk carries a civil penalty of up to $1,500.5Clark County, NV. Marriage Officiants
After the ceremony, the officiant has 10 days to deliver the original marriage certificate to the county clerk.2Nevada Legislature. Nevada Code 122 – Marriage That filing creates the permanent record of your marriage. Established chapels do this routinely. If your officiant is less experienced, follow up after a week or two to confirm the certificate was filed. A missed filing causes real problems later when you need proof of marriage.
The Cheapest Full Package: A Civil Ceremony
If you want to keep it simple, book a civil ceremony directly through the Clark County Clerk’s office. A Commissioner of Civil Marriages performs the ceremony for $75 plus a $2.75 credit card processing fee, totaling $77.75, payable by credit or debit card only.6Clark County, NV. Civil Marriage Combined with the $102 license fee, the entire legal cost of getting married in Las Vegas comes in under $180.
After the Wedding
Once the certificate is filed, order certified copies from the Clark County Clerk at $20 each.4Clark County, NV. Fees Government agencies will not accept photocopies.
If you’re changing your last name, start with the Social Security Administration. U.S. citizens bring the certified certificate and a driver’s license or passport to a local SSA office. Non-citizens also need to show proof of immigration status and work eligibility.7Clark County, NV. Changing Your Name Update Social Security first, then move on to the DMV, your bank, and your employer. Doing it in the wrong order usually means getting sent back to start over.
If one partner is a citizen of another country, the foreign government may require an apostille to recognize the marriage. Nevada apostilles are issued by the Secretary of State’s office, not the county clerk, and cost $20 per document.8Nevada Secretary of State. Apostille9Nevada Secretary of State. Fees Order a certified copy from Clark County, then submit it with the Secretary of State’s order form and the name of the country where the apostille will be presented. Handling this before you fly home avoids mailing documents across borders later.