To get married in Tennessee, you need a marriage license from any county clerk’s office, a ceremony performed by a legally authorized officiant, and the signed license returned to the clerk within three days. There is no waiting period and no residency requirement, which means you can apply for the license and hold the ceremony on the same day, in any county, whether or not you live in the state.
Who Can Marry in Tennessee
You must be at least 18 to marry on your own. A 17-year-old can marry only if the other person is no more than four years older, and a parent, guardian, or person with legal custody must join in the application under oath to give consent.1Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-105 – Minimum Age of Applicant for License2Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-106 – Consent of Parent, Guardian That consent can be given in person at the clerk’s office or through a sworn, notarized affidavit. No one under 17 can marry under any circumstances.
Tennessee also prohibits marriage between close relatives, including parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, siblings, aunts or uncles and nieces or nephews, and stepchildren or stepparents.3Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-101 – Prohibited Degrees of Relationship
Residency is not a factor. You can live in another state or another country and still get a license from any Tennessee county clerk, and you can get licensed in one county and hold the ceremony in another. Tennessee does not allow new common law marriages to form inside the state, though a valid common law marriage formed in a state that recognizes them will generally be treated as valid here.
Applying for the Marriage License
Both of you must appear at the county clerk’s office together, complete the written application, and swear under oath that the information is accurate.4Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-104 – Conditions Precedent to Issuance of License Many clerks offer a pre-application form online that saves time at the counter, but you still have to sign in person.
Bring with you:
- A valid government-issued photo ID for each applicant: driver’s license, state ID, or passport.5Nashville.gov. Marriage License
- Your Social Security number. If it is not printed on your driver’s license, bring your Social Security card, a W-2, or another tax document showing the full number.
- If you have no Social Security number, proof of foreign citizenship such as a valid passport or immigration documents. The clerk may also ask for a sworn affidavit that you have never been issued one.
- If you were previously married, the month and year the prior marriage ended. Some counties want a certified divorce decree if you changed your name in the divorce and your current ID still shows the old name.
- A certified birth certificate if you are under 21, since some clerks require it to verify age.
Fees and the Premarital Course Discount
The base fee varies by county, running roughly $97 to $108. Knox County charges $97.50; Montgomery County charges $107.50.6Knox County Tennessee Government. Marriage License – County Clerk Every county knocks $60 off the fee if you complete a qualifying premarital preparation course, which brings the total down to roughly $37 to $48.
The course runs four hours and must be taught by a qualified professional: a licensed psychologist, marital and family therapist, professional counselor, clinical social worker, clinical pastoral therapist, psychological examiner, an official representative of a religious institution, or another instructor approved by the court.7Nashville.gov. Premarital Preparation Course Complete it within the year before you apply, and bring the notarized certificate to the clerk.
No Waiting Period, 30-Day Expiration
You can hold the ceremony the same day you pick up the license.6Knox County Tennessee Government. Marriage License – County Clerk The license expires 30 days from the date it is issued. Miss that window and the license is void; you have to apply again and pay the fee again.8Nashville.gov. Thirty Day Marriage License Validity
Choosing an Officiant
Tennessee authorizes a broad list of people to perform marriages, including ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other religious leaders at least 18 years old; current and former state, county, and municipal judges; the governor; county and municipal mayors; county and municipal legislators; current and qualifying former county clerks; notaries public; district attorneys general; and law enforcement chaplains.9Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-301 – Persons Who May Solemnize Marriages
There is one detail that catches couples off guard: ministers ordained online cannot legally perform marriages in Tennessee. The statute requires that an officiating minister be ordained or designated through a “considered, deliberate, and responsible act” by their religious organization, and the legislature has specifically excluded online ordinations from meeting that standard. A marriage performed by a friend who got ordained through a website may not be legally valid. A narrow grandfathering exception covers online-ordained ministers who officiated before July 1, 2019, but it does not help ceremonies after that date.
If you want a friend or family member to officiate and they are not a religious leader, the cleanest route is to have them become a Tennessee notary public, since notaries are on the authorized list. The ceremony itself requires both parties to declare, in the presence of the officiant, that they accept each other as spouses. No additional witnesses are required.
After the Ceremony
The officiant must sign the license, record the date and time of the ceremony, and return the signed license to the county clerk’s office within three days.10Justia. Tennessee Code 36-3-303 – Return of License to Clerk Missing that deadline is a Class C misdemeanor, so make sure your officiant knows the rule. If a friend is officiating, follow up to confirm the license was actually filed.
Once the clerk processes the returned license, you can request a certified copy of your marriage certificate. Some counties provide certificate forms when the license is issued; others require you to request a copy after recording. That certified certificate is the document you will need for everything after the wedding: name changes, insurance, tax filings, and adding a spouse to financial accounts.
Changing Your Name After the Wedding
A marriage certificate does not change your name automatically anywhere. You have to update each record on your own, and the order matters.
Start with the Social Security Administration. Complete Form SS-5 and bring it to a local Social Security office with your certified marriage certificate and a current photo ID.11Social Security Administration. Application for Social Security Card The certificate must show both your former and new names. A new card typically arrives within a few weeks.
Once Social Security is updated, take your current driver’s license and the certified marriage certificate to a Tennessee Driver Service Center. The state specifically requires the registered marriage certificate issued after the ceremony, not the license that authorized the wedding, and only originals or certified copies are accepted.12Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Name Change The center verifies documents with the issuing agencies, which can add a short delay.
With your Social Security card and driver’s license updated, work through your bank, employer, insurance providers, the post office, and any professional licensing boards. Each has its own process, and almost all will ask to see the certified marriage certificate.