To get an Ohio marriage license, both of you go in person to the probate court in the Ohio county where at least one of you lives, show proof of age, give your Social Security numbers, pay the county’s fee, and walk out with a license the same day. There is no waiting period and no blood test. The license is good for 60 days, and the ceremony has to happen within that window.
Who Can Apply
Both applicants must be at least 18, cannot be closer than second cousins, and cannot already be married to someone else.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.01 – Persons Who May Be Joined in Marriage If either of you was married before, that marriage must be ended by divorce or by the other spouse’s death before Ohio will issue a new license.
A 17-year-old can marry only with juvenile court approval, and the probate court has to wait 14 days after that consent is filed before issuing the license.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.02 – Minors3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101 – Marriage If only one of you is 17, the other cannot be more than four years older. No one under 17 can legally marry in Ohio.
Which County to Apply In
If either of you lives in Ohio, apply at the probate court in the county where one of you resides. If neither of you is an Ohio resident, you apply in the county where the ceremony will be held, and the wedding has to take place in that same county.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.05 – Application for Marriage License For a destination wedding, book the venue first, then file with that county’s probate court.
What to Bring
Each applicant needs one document proving date of birth. Ohio’s list is broader than most people assume:
- Birth record or birth certificate from a state health department, local vital statistics office, or equivalent authority
- Baptismal record showing your date of birth
- Passport
- Driver’s license or state-issued ID
- Government- or school-issued ID card showing your date of birth
- Immigration or naturalization record showing your date of birth
- Court record or other government document showing your date of birth
One of these is enough, not all of them.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.05 – Application for Marriage License
Both applicants also give their Social Security numbers. The court may store them in a separate confidential record and put a reference number on the application itself instead.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.05 – Application for Marriage License
If either of you was married before, the application asks for the names of the parties to that earlier marriage, the names of any minor children, and (if the marriage ended in divorce) the jurisdiction, date, and case number of the decree.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.05 – Application for Marriage License Pull the case number before you go. Chasing down an old divorce file at the courthouse counter is the most common reason applications stall.
What Happens at the Courthouse
Both applicants appear in person and give their information under oath: name, age, residence, place of birth, occupation, parents’ names, and the name of the person you expect to officiate.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.05 – Application for Marriage License Some counties let you complete the form online first, but both of you still have to show up to finish it.
Fees are set by each county. Most Ohio probate courts charge somewhere between $50 and $75. Payment methods vary too, so call your county’s probate court or check its website before you go.
Once the probate judge is satisfied there is no legal impediment, the license is issued the same day. It expires 60 days after issuance.5Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.07 – Expiration Date of License If the ceremony doesn’t happen inside that window, the license is dead and you start over with a new application and a new fee.
Who Can Perform the Ceremony
Ohio limits who can solemnize a marriage to a specific list:
- Ordained or licensed ministers of a religious society or congregation in Ohio who hold a state license to solemnize marriages
- Judges of county courts, municipal courts, and probate courts
- The governor or a former governor of Ohio
- Mayors of any Ohio municipality
- The superintendent of Ohio Deaf and Blind Education Services
- Religious societies acting in conformity with their own rules
This is where couples get caught. Ministers need a separate license from the Ohio Secretary of State to perform marriages in Ohio. If a friend or family member is going to officiate, online ordination alone is not enough. They need to be ordained through a religious organization and then obtain the state license before your wedding day. Confirm the credential well in advance.
After the Ceremony
Your officiant is legally responsible for returning the signed marriage certificate to the probate court that issued the license, and it has to be done within 30 days of the ceremony.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.13 – Marriage Record The certificate has to show the date and place of the wedding.
An officiant who misses the 30-day deadline commits a minor misdemeanor and can be fined up to $50.8Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.99 – Penalty The penalty warning is required to appear on every Ohio marriage license.9Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 3101.14 – Notice on License of Penalty for Failure to Return Certificate of Solemnized Marriage Still, check in with your officiant a week or two after the wedding to make sure it went in. A late filing does not invalidate your marriage, but it will hold up any certified copies you need.
Once the court records the certificate, you can order certified copies. Fees vary by county, sometimes as low as $2 per copy. Order several at once. You’ll use them for Social Security, the BMV, insurance, and other post-wedding paperwork.