A marriage license in Laredo, TX costs $82 and is issued by the Webb County Clerk at 1110 Victoria Street, Suite 201. Both people must appear together in person, present valid photo ID, and sign the application under oath.1State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.001 – Marriage License A 72-hour waiting period follows before you can hold the ceremony, and the license stays valid for 90 days.
Who Can Apply
Both applicants must be at least 18 to apply on their own. A 16- or 17-year-old can marry only if a court has removed the disabilities of minority for general purposes, which functions as a legal emancipation.2State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.003 – Application for License by Minor No one under 16 can marry in Texas under any circumstances.
Certain family relationships also bar a marriage. A marriage is void between ancestors and descendants (parent-child, grandparent-grandchild, and so on, whether by blood or adoption), between siblings of the full or half blood or by adoption, and between an aunt or uncle and a niece or nephew of the full or half blood or by adoption.3State of Texas. Texas Family Code 6.201 – Consanguinity First cousins are not on the prohibited list.
If either of you was previously married, you cannot remarry a third party until at least 31 days after the divorce decree was signed. Former spouses can remarry each other without waiting.4State of Texas. Texas Family Code FAM 6.801
What to Bring
Each applicant needs a valid government-issued photo ID. A Texas driver’s license or U.S. passport works. You will also need to provide your Social Security number; if you don’t have one, the clerk will walk you through alternative documentation.
Come prepared to give:
- Your full legal name and date of birth
- Your current residential address and place of birth
- Whether you have been previously married, and if so, how and when that marriage ended
Every detail on the application carries over to the final license, and errors can require legal amendments later. Double-check spellings, especially with hyphenated or multi-part surnames.
Fee and the Twogether in Texas Discount
The license fee in Webb County is $82, payable by cash, check, or money order. Couples who complete a state-approved premarital education course can save up to $60, bringing the cost closer to $22.5Texas State Law Library. Marriage in Texas – Premarital Education
The program, Twogether in Texas, has a second benefit that often matters more than the discount: completing the course also waives the 72-hour waiting period.6State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.204 – 72-Hour Waiting Period You must finish the course within one year before filing your application and give the completion certificate to the clerk.
Applying in Person
Both applicants must appear at the Webb County Clerk’s office together. You cannot send one person with paperwork. The clerk administers an oath, both parties sign the application under oath, payment is processed, and the physical license is issued on the spot.
The office is at 1110 Victoria Street, Suite 201, in Laredo. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The phone number is (956) 523-4266. Arrive well before closing, since processing takes time and the office is closed on weekends and holidays.
The 72-Hour Waiting Period
After the clerk issues the license, you cannot hold the ceremony for 72 hours. The waiting period is waived if:
- You are a member of the U.S. armed forces on active duty
- You are a Department of Defense employee or contractor
- A judge with family law jurisdiction, a county judge, an appellate judge, or a justice of the peace signs a written waiver for good cause
- You completed the Twogether in Texas course within the past year and gave the certificate to the clerk
If none of those apply, count three full days from the date and time of issuance before scheduling your ceremony.6State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.204 – 72-Hour Waiting Period
How Long the License Is Good For
Your license expires 90 days after it is issued. If the ceremony doesn’t happen within that window, the license is void and you have to start over with a new application and another $82 fee.7State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.201 – Expiration of License
A license issued in Webb County is valid for a ceremony performed anywhere in Texas. You do not need to marry in Laredo just because you picked up the license there. A Hill Country ranch or a South Padre Island beach ceremony works with the same license.
Who Can Officiate
Texas limits who can legally perform a marriage ceremony to:
- A licensed or ordained Christian minister or priest
- A Jewish rabbi
- An officer of a religious organization who is authorized by that organization to conduct marriages
- A current, former, or retired federal or state judge
That last category is broad and includes justices of the peace, district judges, and appellate judges.8State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.202 – Persons Authorized to Conduct Ceremony If you want a friend ordained online to marry you, confirm they qualify under one of these categories. Texas has no catch-all provision for online-ordained officiants, and a ceremony performed by someone without legal authority can put your marriage’s validity in question.
Returning the License After the Ceremony
The wedding isn’t the last step. Your officiant must record the ceremony date and county on the license, sign it, and return it to the Webb County Clerk within 30 days of the ceremony.9State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.206 – Return of License; Penalty This is the officiant’s responsibility, but the marriage is yours. Follow up. Until the signed license is filed, there is no official record of your marriage.
Once the clerk records the returned license, you can request certified copies of your marriage certificate, which you’ll need for name changes, insurance updates, and other administrative steps.
Informal Marriage as an Alternative
Texas is one of the few states that still recognizes informal marriage, sometimes called common-law marriage. If you and your partner have agreed to be married, live together in Texas as spouses, and represent to others that you are married, you may already have a legal marriage without a license or ceremony.10State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.401 – Proof of Informal Marriage
Couples can formalize an informal marriage by filing a declaration at the county clerk’s office instead of using the standard license process. Both parties must be at least 18, and neither can be currently married to someone else. If an informal marriage ends and no legal proceeding is filed within two years of the couple separating, there is a rebuttable presumption that no marriage agreement existed. This matters most in property division or inheritance disputes.
Webb County Clerk Contact Information
Address: 1110 Victoria Street, Suite 201, Laredo, Texas 78040. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed weekends and holidays. Phone: (956) 523-4266.