To get married at the courthouse in Georgia, both partners go together to a county probate court, present ID and any required prior-marriage records, pay the license fee (or waive it with a premarital education certificate), and have a judge or magistrate perform a brief ceremony witnessed by two adults. Georgia has no waiting period, so many couples finish the whole process — license and ceremony — in a single visit.
Who Can Marry in Georgia
Georgia law sets four conditions for a marriage license. You must be of sound mind, at least 18 years old, free of any living undissolved prior marriage, and not related to your partner within the prohibited degrees of kinship.1Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-2 – Who May Contract Marriage; Emancipation Requirement; Minimum Age for Marriage
If either of you was married before, the court will not simply take your word that the marriage ended. You have to prove it with a certified copy of the divorce decree or the former spouse’s death certificate.1Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-2 – Who May Contract Marriage; Emancipation Requirement; Minimum Age for Marriage
A 17-year-old can marry only after being legally emancipated, and only once at least 15 days have passed since the emancipation took effect. The 17-year-old must also complete a premarital education program. No one under 17 can marry in Georgia, and parental consent by itself is not a substitute for emancipation.1Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-2 – Who May Contract Marriage; Emancipation Requirement; Minimum Age for Marriage
Certain family relationships are barred outright, whether by blood or by marriage: parent and child (including stepchildren), siblings of the whole or half blood, grandparent and grandchild, aunt and nephew, and uncle and niece. A marriage in any of these categories is void from the start.2Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-3 – Degrees of Relationship Within Which Intermarriage Is Prohibited
Which County Probate Court to Use
You do not both have to live in Georgia. If at least one partner is a Georgia resident, you can apply at any county probate court in the state. If neither of you lives in Georgia, you must apply in the county where the ceremony will happen.3Georgia.gov. Apply for a Marriage License
Georgia residents can pick whichever probate court is most convenient. Out-of-state couples should nail down the ceremony location first, then apply in that county.
What to Bring
Both of you need proof of age. Probate courts accept a valid state-issued driver’s license or ID card, an original or certified birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport, or a valid military ID. Some counties want two documents — a photo ID plus a second item from that list.3Georgia.gov. Apply for a Marriage License
If either partner was previously married, bring a certified copy of the final divorce decree or the death certificate for the former spouse.4Fulton County Probate Court. Fulton County Probate Court – Marriage Licenses
The application also asks for the full names and birthplaces of both sets of parents, including mothers’ maiden names. Any document in another language should come with a notarized English translation. Gathering all of this before the visit is what keeps a courthouse wedding to a single trip.
Fees and the Free-License Waiver
Marriage license fees are set by each county. As a benchmark, Chatham County charges $76 for a standard license, which includes one certified copy of the marriage certificate. Most Georgia counties are in a similar range.
Georgia law gives couples a real reason to take a premarital class: if both applicants are at least 18 and certify completion of a qualifying program, no license fee is charged.5Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30.1 – Premarital Education; Fees; Special Requirements if Marriage Applicant Is 17 Years Old In practice, some counties still charge a smaller administrative amount even with a certificate. Chatham County, for example, drops its fee to $36 with the certificate rather than eliminating it, so the savings are real but not always total.
A qualifying course runs at least six hours and covers topics like conflict management, communication, and financial responsibilities. You and your partner have to take it together within the 12 months before you apply for the license. Eligible instructors include licensed counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, and active clergy or their trained designees.5Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30.1 – Premarital Education; Fees; Special Requirements if Marriage Applicant Is 17 Years Old
Applying for the License
Only the county probate court issues marriage licenses, and both partners have to appear together in person. Licenses are issued Monday through Saturday between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.6Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License Some counties take walk-ins during those hours; others require an appointment. Call the specific probate court or check its website before you go.
Many counties post the application form online so you can fill it out ahead of time and bring it in. Even with a pre-filled form, both partners still have to appear at the counter, swear an oath, and sign in front of the clerk.4Fulton County Probate Court. Fulton County Probate Court – Marriage Licenses Payment methods differ by county but usually include cash and credit cards.
The clerk hands you the license the same day. Georgia imposes no waiting period, so the ceremony can happen right away or whenever you like — the license does not expire.3Georgia.gov. Apply for a Marriage License
The Courthouse Ceremony
Not every probate court performs weddings, and the ones that do handle scheduling in their own way. Gwinnett County, for instance, holds free ceremonies most Friday afternoons and only by reservation. Other counties may perform a ceremony the same day you get the license. Ask the probate court where you plan to apply what its practice is and whether a slot needs to be booked.
For a courthouse wedding, the ceremony is usually performed by the probate court judge or a magistrate. Georgia law also authorizes other officiants — including any judge, city recorder, minister, or a person authorized by their religious organization to perform marriages — so if you’d rather use your own officiant, the license is valid for anyone qualified.6Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License
Plan on two witnesses. Some courts can supply staff witnesses, but that is not guaranteed, so bring two adults who can sign the license. The ceremony itself is short: a brief exchange of vows, then signatures from both partners, the officiant, and the witnesses.
Recording the Marriage and Getting Certified Copies
The signed license has to be returned to the probate court within 30 days of the ceremony for official recording. That is the officiant’s responsibility, not the couple’s, but it is worth confirming it happened. An unrecorded license causes problems later when you need proof of the marriage.6Justia. Georgia Code 19-3-30 – Issuance, Return, and Recording of License
Once the marriage is recorded, you can order certified copies of the marriage certificate from the probate court. Fees are modest and vary by county. Order several at once; you will need them for name changes, insurance, bank accounts, and any other record that asks for proof of marriage.
If You Are Changing Your Name
If you indicated a name change on the marriage license application, the marriage certificate itself is your legal name-change document. You do not need a separate petition in Superior Court.7Georgia.gov. Apply for a Name Change Start with the Social Security Administration, then the Georgia Department of Driver Services, then your passport and everything else — most agencies verify the new name through Social Security, so updating that first prevents wasted trips.