How to Get Married in Memphis, TN: License, Costs, and Ceremony

To get married in Memphis, TN, both people go together to a Shelby County Clerk office, apply for a marriage license with photo ID and Social Security numbers, pay the fee, have an authorized officiant perform the ceremony within 30 days, and make sure the signed license is returned to the clerk within three days. Tennessee has no waiting period and no blood test, so you can apply and marry the same day.

Who Can Marry

Tennessee sets a hard floor at age 17. No county clerk can issue a license if either applicant is under 17, and a 17-year-old can marry only if the other person is less than four years older. Once both are 18, no age-gap rule applies.¹ A 17-year-old must also provide the name and address of a parent or guardian.

Tennessee does not recognize common law marriage established in Tennessee. Living together, however long, does not make you married here; a license and ceremony are required.²

What to Bring to the Clerk

Both applicants must appear together and swear to a written application listing full names, ages, current addresses, and Social Security numbers.³ Bring a valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport.⁴

No Social Security number? You can still apply. Tennessee lets you state on the application that you belong to a religious group exempt from the Social Security system or have another legally recognized reason. Non-citizens typically satisfy this with a foreign passport or immigration documents.⁵

If either person was married before, bring the date the divorce was finalized or the date of the former spouse’s death so the clerk can confirm there is no existing marriage on record.

You can also fill out a pre-application online through the Tennessee County Clerk portal before your visit. It saves time at the counter but is not a filing; both of you still have to appear in person to sign.⁶

Where to Apply and What It Costs

Both people must go together. No mail applications, no sending one person alone. The Shelby County Clerk has three offices, and any of them can issue the license:

Downtown, 150 Washington Avenue, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:15 PM
Shelby East Complex, 1075 Mullins Station Road, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:15 PM
Millington, 4836 Navy Road, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:15 PM

The standard license fee is $97.50. Couples who complete a four-hour premarital preparation course pay $37.50, saving $60. To qualify, both people must submit a Certificate of Completion showing they attended a qualifying four-hour course, together or separately, within one year of applying.⁷⁸

Tennessee has no waiting period, and blood tests haven’t been required since 1985. Once the clerk hands over the license, you can marry immediately. The license itself is valid for 30 days; if the ceremony doesn’t happen within that window, the license expires and you’ll pay for a new one.⁷

Who Can Legally Perform the Ceremony

Tennessee authorizes a long list of officiants: ministers, pastors, priests, rabbis, and other religious leaders who are at least 18 and have the care of a congregation; current and former judges; county mayors; county clerks; notaries public; municipal mayors; members of county and municipal legislative bodies; the governor; and several other current and former state officials.⁹

One detail catches couples off guard. Tennessee law, since 2019, explicitly prohibits anyone ordained online from solemnizing a marriage. A friend ordained through the Universal Life Church, American Marriage Ministries, or a similar website cannot legally marry you here, and a ceremony performed by an internet-ordained officiant can leave the marriage on shaky legal ground.⁹ If you want a friend or family member to officiate, the most reliable path is having them become a Tennessee notary public, since notaries are authorized by the same statute.

The ceremony can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like, and it can take place anywhere; the license doesn’t restrict you to Shelby County or even to Tennessee. State law requires only that an authorized officiant solemnize the marriage. There is no requirement for witnesses, specific vows, or a particular setting.

Returning the Signed License

After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the Shelby County Clerk within three days. Failing to return it on time is a misdemeanor.¹⁰ Two documents go back to the clerk: the Tennessee Department of Health Certificate of Marriage form and the tear-off portion of the license itself, called the Rites of Matrimony form. Your marriage is not recognized by the state until both are received and entered into the system.⁷ Make sure your officiant knows this before the wedding day. It’s where things quietly go wrong more often than couples expect.

Certified Copies and Name Changes

Once the marriage is recorded, you can request certified copies of your marriage license. You’ll need them for name changes, insurance, and other legal purposes. In Shelby County, certified copies are $10 each and available in person at any clerk location or by mail. To request by mail, send a check or money order for $10 with the exact date of marriage and both spouses’ full names to: Shelby County Clerk, Att: Marriage Department, Suite 201, 150 Washington Ave., Memphis, TN 38103.⁷

If you’re changing your last name, start with the Social Security Administration. Complete Form SS-5 with the new name and bring it to a local SSA office with your certified marriage certificate and a valid photo ID. Documents must be originals or certified copies; photocopies are not accepted. A new card typically arrives within 10 to 14 business days. Wait at least 48 hours after the SSA visit before heading to the DMV so records have time to update. After Social Security reflects the new name, you can update your driver’s license, bank accounts, passport, and everything else.

Special Situations

If one applicant is incarcerated, that person does not have to appear at the clerk’s office. Instead, they submit a notarized statement with name, age, address, and Social Security number. If one applicant is an active-duty service member deployed overseas, Tennessee allows the deployed person to submit a notarized statement along with certified deployment orders and a commander’s affidavit, and to participate in the ceremony by video conference.³

1
Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-105 – Minimum Age of Applicant for License
2
University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service. Common Law Marriages
3
Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-104 – Conditions Precedent to Issuance of License
4
Shelby County, TN – Official Website. Frequently Asked Questions
5
University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service. The Requirement of Social Security Numbers on Marriage License Applications
6
Tennessee County Clerk. Marriage Application Form
7
Shelby County, TN – Official Website. Marriage Licenses
8
University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service. Additional Fee, Premarital Preparation Course
9
Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-301 – Persons Who May Solemnize Marriages
10
University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service. Certification and Return of the License