To get married in Tennessee, two adults who are not closely related apply together at any county clerk’s office for a marriage license, hold a ceremony with a qualified officiant within 30 days, and have the completed license returned to the clerk. There is no residency requirement, no waiting period for adults, and no blood test. You can pick up your license and marry the same day.
Who Can Marry
Both applicants must be at least 18 to apply on their own.1Shelby County, TN – Official Website. Marriage Licenses A 17-year-old can marry only if the other person is no more than four years older,2Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-105 – Minimum Age of Applicant for License and a parent, guardian, or legal custodian must join the application in person or by sworn, notarized affidavit. Emancipated 17-year-olds are exempt from that consent.3Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-106 – Consent of Parent, Guardian, or Custodian When a minor is involved, a three-day waiting period applies after the license issues, though a judge can waive it. No one under 17 can marry in Tennessee.
Marriage is prohibited between close relatives, including ancestors and descendants, siblings, aunts or uncles and nieces or nephews, and certain step-relationships.4Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-101 – Prohibited Degrees of Relationship
Tennessee has no residency requirement, so out-of-state couples can marry here. It also has no blood test or medical exam requirement.
What to Bring to the Clerk
Both of you need to appear together, in person, at the clerk’s office. Come prepared with:
- A valid government-issued photo ID for each applicant: driver’s license, state ID, passport, or military ID.
- Your Social Security numbers. If you don’t have one, you can note a religious exemption under the Social Security Act or another legally recognized reason on the application.5Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-104 – Conditions Precedent to Issuance of License
- Full names, including mothers’ maiden names, and places of birth for both sets of parents.
- The exact end date of any prior marriage. If a divorce was finalized within the past 30 days, bring a certified copy of the decree. Bring it also if you took a new name in the divorce and haven’t updated your driver’s license.
Foreign-language documents generally need a certified English translation; some clerks accept a notarized translation, but requirements vary, so call ahead. Many clerks offer an online portal to pre-fill the application before you arrive.
Two narrow exceptions to appearing in person: an incarcerated applicant, or an applicant with a disability that prevents travel, can submit a notarized written statement instead.5Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-104 – Conditions Precedent to Issuance of License
Where to Apply and What It Costs
Any Tennessee county clerk will issue you a license, and that license is valid for a ceremony anywhere in the state.6Knox County Tennessee Government. Marriage License – County Clerk Fees vary by county but generally fall between $93 and $108. In Davidson County (Nashville), the fee is $99.50 in cash or $101.49 by card.7Nashville.gov. Marriage License
There is no waiting period between getting the license and holding the ceremony for adult applicants.6Knox County Tennessee Government. Marriage License – County Clerk Same-day marriage is possible.
Save $60 with a Premarital Course
Both partners can knock $60 off the license fee by completing at least four hours of premarital preparation with a qualified instructor within the year before applying. Bring a notarized certificate of completion when you apply. You can take the course together or separately.8Nashville.gov. Premarital Preparation Course
Qualified instructors include licensed psychologists, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, clinical social workers, clinical pastoral therapists, official representatives of a religious institution, and others approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts. Not every couples workshop or online seminar qualifies, so confirm credentials before you pay.
The Ceremony
Tennessee lets you marry almost anywhere: a courthouse, a church, a park, your living room. No witnesses are required.9Nashville.gov. General Sessions Court Wedding Services What matters is who officiates.
Who Can Officiate
Qualifying officiants include ordained ministers, pastors, priests, rabbis, and other religious leaders who are at least 18 and have the care of souls in their organization. On the civil side: current and former judges (including federal judges who are Tennessee citizens), county mayors, county clerks, members of county legislative bodies, district attorneys general, notaries public, the governor, and current or former members of the General Assembly who have filed the required notice.10Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-301 – Persons Who May Solemnize Marriages
One rule catches many couples off guard. Tennessee explicitly bars anyone whose ordination came from an online source from solemnizing a marriage.10Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-301 – Persons Who May Solemnize Marriages A friend ordained through an online ministry to officiate your wedding may not produce a legally valid marriage. Verify credentials well before the ceremony.
After the Ceremony
The officiant signs the license, records the date and location of the wedding, and returns it to the issuing county clerk within three days. Nothing is officially recorded until that happens, so if the deadline passes without action, follow up with your officiant right away.
The license expires 30 days after issue. If you don’t hold the ceremony within that window, you’ll need to reapply and pay again.1Shelby County, TN – Official Website. Marriage Licenses
Once the clerk records the marriage, order several certified copies of the marriage certificate. Banks, insurers, employers, and government agencies routinely ask for originals. Knox County charges $5.50 in person or roughly $9 online; other counties are in a similar range.6Knox County Tennessee Government. Marriage License – County Clerk
Changing Your Name
Marriage in Tennessee doesn’t automatically change your name. If you want your spouse’s surname or a hyphenated version, update your records in this order.
Start with the Social Security Administration. You can request a replacement card online, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at a local SSA office; the new card typically arrives within 5 to 10 business days.11Social Security Administration. Change Name with Social Security
Next, visit a Tennessee Driver Services Center in person with your current license and your original or certified marriage certificate. Note that this is the recorded certificate, not the license that authorized the wedding. Photocopies and faxes are not accepted. The duplicate license fee runs from $8 to $16 depending on license type.12Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Name Change
From there, update your employer, bank, health insurer, the U.S. Postal Service, and any professional licensing boards. Most will accept a certified marriage certificate as proof.
A Note on Common Law Marriage
Tennessee does not recognize common law marriage. Living together, no matter how long or how thoroughly you share finances, does not make you married under Tennessee law.13UT County Technical Assistance Service. Common Law Marriages Tennessee will, however, honor a valid common law marriage formed in a state that permits them, such as Colorado or Kansas.
What Changes Once You’re Married
Marriage reshapes your legal footing in two areas worth knowing about now, before you sign.
Property acquired by either spouse during the marriage is marital property, and Tennessee is an equitable distribution state: at divorce, a court divides it in whatever proportions it considers fair, which is not necessarily equal. The same logic applies to debts taken on during the marriage. Property owned before the marriage, or received as a gift or inheritance, generally stays separate as long as it isn’t commingled.14Justia. Tennessee Code 36-4-121 – Division, Distribution, or Assignment of Marital Property
Your spouse also gains automatic inheritance rights. If you die without a will and have no descendants, your spouse inherits the entire probate estate. If you have descendants, your spouse receives either one-third of the estate or a share equal to a child’s, whichever is larger.15Justia. Tennessee Code 31-2-104 – Share of Surviving Spouse and Children These rules apply only to probate assets. Retirement accounts, life insurance, and jointly held property pass to whoever is named on the beneficiary designation or title.