How to Get Married at a Courthouse in Wisconsin

To get married at a courthouse in Wisconsin, both partners apply together for a marriage license at any county clerk’s office, wait three days for it to be issued, and then have a judge or court commissioner perform a civil ceremony within 60 days, with at least two adult witnesses present. Since July 2022, the license you get in one county is valid for a ceremony anywhere in the state.¹ Start to finish, a courthouse wedding can be done in under a week.

Who Can Marry

Both parties must be at least 18. A 16- or 17-year-old can be licensed only with sworn or notarized written consent from both parents, a legal guardian, or a custodian; no one under 16 may marry in Wisconsin.²³

If either of you has been divorced, you have to wait six months from the date of the divorce judgment before remarrying, no matter where the divorce was granted. A marriage performed inside that six months is void.⁴

Wisconsin also prohibits marriages between close relatives; the line is drawn at second cousins. First cousins may marry only if the female partner is at least 55 or if a physician’s affidavit confirms permanent sterility.⁴

Proxy weddings and ceremonies by phone or video are not recognized. Both parties, the officiant, and the witnesses must all be physically together for the marriage to be legal.⁵

What to Bring to the County Clerk’s Office

You both have to appear in person, together, so one forgotten document sends you home. Each applicant should bring:

Valid, unexpired photo ID: driver’s license, state ID, passport, passport card, or permanent resident card.
Proof of your current address, such as a utility bill or lease.
A certified copy of your birth certificate issued by a state or county. Hospital souvenir certificates and photocopies are not accepted.
A certified copy of the divorce judgment, annulment, or death certificate for any prior spouse.
Your Social Security number, which goes on the application.⁶

If you can’t get a certified birth certificate, the clerk will accept a valid unexpired passport, a Real ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID, a permanent resident card, or naturalization papers. U.S. citizens born abroad can use a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.⁷

Any document not in English needs a certified English translation by an uninvolved third party (not your spouse or a relative), with the translator’s signature notarized. Bring both the original and the translation.⁸ Some counties, including Milwaukee, require both applicants to be able to read and speak English; if one applicant cannot, that person must bring an independent translator, since the other applicant is not allowed to translate.⁹

Applying for the License

You can apply at any Wisconsin county clerk’s office, and the resulting license is good for a ceremony anywhere in the state.¹ The application is filled out under oath and asks for full names, addresses, dates and places of birth, parents’ names and birthplaces, and the planned date, location, and officiant.

The fee is set by each county, not the state. Plan on somewhere between $75 and $125. Monroe County charges $100,¹⁰ Waukesha County charges $110,¹¹ and Marathon County charges $125 as of early 2026.¹² Call ahead to confirm the exact fee and how the office accepts payment.

The Three-Day Wait and Sixty-Day Window

By statute there is a three-day waiting period between application and issuance. The day you apply doesn’t count, so a Monday application means the license can be picked up Thursday at the earliest.⁷

The clerk has discretion to waive the wait for an extra fee of up to $25, but there’s no statutory definition of good cause, so approval depends on the individual office. Ask before you count on it. Applicants under 18 cannot get a waiver.¹¹¹⁰

Once issued, the license is valid for 60 days. Miss that window and you apply and pay again from scratch.¹³

Booking the Ceremony

At a courthouse, the officiant is a judge, a circuit court commissioner, a supplemental court commissioner, or a municipal judge.¹⁴ Call the Clerk of Courts or a specific judge’s chambers in the county where you want to marry to check availability. Some counties book up fast, so schedule well before your 60 days start running out.

Fees for the civil ceremony itself vary. Brown County performs them at no charge;¹⁵ where a fee applies, it tends to be modest. Ask when you book.

You need at least two competent adult witnesses (18 or older) in addition to the officiant. Only one witness is required if either party is on active duty in the U.S. armed forces, a reserve unit, or the National Guard.¹⁴ Bring your own; don’t assume courthouse staff will step in.

The ceremony is short. Each of you declares that you take the other as your spouse, the officiant pronounces you married, and that’s the legal act. No rings, no set vows, no particular script are required.

Signing and Filing the Marriage Document

Right after the ceremony, the officiant, both spouses, and the witnesses sign the marriage document in unfading black ink. Check every signature is legible before anyone walks out of the room.⁵

The officiant is responsible for delivering the signed document to a Register of Deeds within three days of the ceremony. The statute says three days, not three business days.¹⁶ A late filing does not undo the marriage, but it can complicate things later when you need proof. Follow up to confirm it was filed.

Getting Certified Copies

Once recorded, you can order certified copies of your marriage certificate from any Register of Deeds office in Wisconsin.¹⁷ The standard fee is $20 for the search and first copy, and $3 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.¹⁸ Order two or three at once. You’ll need originals for name changes, insurance updates, and other agencies that won’t take photocopies.

Changing Your Name

Marriage in Wisconsin does not automatically change anyone’s name. If you plan to take your spouse’s surname or hyphenate, work through the agencies in this order.

Start with the Social Security Administration. Complete Form SS-5 and bring it to any SSA office with your certified marriage certificate and photo ID. The new card is free and doesn’t count against replacement limits.¹⁹ Do this first, because the Wisconsin DMV checks its records against SSA.

Wait about 48 hours for SSA to process, then go to a DMV customer service center with your marriage certificate, proof of identity, and current license or ID (which you’ll surrender). Fill out Form MV3001 for a driver’s license or MV3004 for an ID card and pay the replacement fee. A paper receipt serves as valid ID until the new card arrives in roughly 7 to 10 business days.²⁰

To update a passport, mail Form DS-82 with a certified copy of your marriage certificate. As of early 2026, a passport book is $130, a card is $30, or both together are $160. Expedited service adds $60 and overnight return delivery adds $22.05.²¹

1
Wisconsin State Legislature. 2021 Wisconsin Act 84 – Marriage Requirements
2
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 765.02 – Marriageable Age; Who May Contract
3
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 765.01 – A Civil Contract
4
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 765.03 – Who Shall Not Marry; Divorced Persons
5
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Information for Marriage Applicants and Officiants
6
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 765.09 – Marriage License Application
7
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Wisconsin County Clerk Vital Records Marriage Handbook
8
Kenosha County, WI. Marriage License Application Requirements
9
County of Milwaukee. Marriage License
10
Monroe County, WI. Marriage License
11
Waukesha County. Marriage Licenses
12
Marathon County, WI. Marriage Licenses
13
Wisconsin State Legislature. 2021 Wisconsin Act 84
14
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 765.16 – Marriage Contract, How Made; Officiating Person
15
Brown County. Courthouse Weddings
16
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 765.19 – Delivery and Filing of Marriage Document
17
Register of Deeds. Vital Records
18
Register of Deeds. Vital Record Fees
19
Social Security Administration. Application for Social Security Card (Form SS-5)
20
Wisconsin DMV Official Government Site. Name Change
21
U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail