A Travis County marriage license costs $80, requires both applicants to appear together at the County Clerk’s office in downtown Austin with valid photo ID, and takes effect after a 72-hour waiting period. Once issued, the license stays valid for 90 days. The application starts online and finishes with an in-person visit to the Civil Family Courthouse.
Who Qualifies to Apply
Both applicants must be at least 18 and unmarried. Texas sets a hard floor at 18: anyone younger can marry only if a court has formally removed their disabilities of minority, and parental consent by itself does not clear that bar.1State of Texas. Texas Family Code Chapter 2 – The Marriage Relationship Marrying while already legally married to someone else is bigamy, a felony under the Texas Penal Code.2State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 25.01 – Bigamy
Certain family relationships also make a marriage void: parent and child, siblings (including half-siblings and adoptive siblings), aunt or uncle with niece or nephew, and any ancestor-descendant pair.3State of Texas. Texas Family Code Section 6.201 – Consanguinity First cousins are not on that list; Texas does not prohibit first-cousin marriages.
If You Were Recently Divorced
If either applicant’s divorce from a previous spouse was finalized within the last 30 days, the clerk cannot issue a new license. The clock runs from the date the divorce was decreed.1State of Texas. Texas Family Code Chapter 2 – The Marriage Relationship Two exceptions: the waiting period does not apply when you are remarrying each other, and the court that granted the divorce can specifically waive it.4State of Texas. Texas Family Code FAM 6.801 – Remarriage
What to Bring
You need at least one valid photo ID that also shows your date of birth. Any of the following works:
- A driver’s license or state ID from Texas, another state, or a Canadian province, either current or expired no more than two years.
- A current U.S. passport or an unexpired foreign passport.
- An original or certified copy of a birth certificate.
- Immigration documents with a photo, such as a Certificate of Naturalization, Permanent Resident Card, or Employment Authorization Card.
- An unexpired military ID for active-duty, reserve, or retired personnel.
- A certified court order for a name or sex change, a consular document from your home country, or an FAA pilot’s license.
You do not need to bring your Social Security card, but you will need to provide your Social Security number on the application.1State of Texas. Texas Family Code Chapter 2 – The Marriage Relationship If any of your documents are in a language other than English, bring a certified translation signed by the translator with their contact information.
How to Apply
Step 1: Complete the Online Application
Fill out the application through the Travis County Clerk’s online portal before your visit.5Travis County Clerk. Marriage License You will enter full legal names, dates and places of birth, and parents’ full names for both applicants. Enter every field exactly as it appears on the ID you plan to present. Mismatches cause delays when the clerk verifies your paperwork.
Step 2: Appear Together at the Clerk’s Office
Both applicants must appear in person at the Travis County Clerk’s office in the Civil Family Courthouse, 1700 Guadalupe Street, 4th Floor, Suite 4.300, in Austin.5Travis County Clerk. Marriage License The clerk verifies your identities against the online submission and collects the fee. You leave with the physical license, which you take to your officiant. No wedding happens at the clerk’s counter.
Fees and the $60 Discount
The standard fee is $80. Couples who complete the state’s Twogether in Texas premarital education course pay $20 instead. To get the discount, present the completion certificate at the time the license is issued.5Travis County Clerk. Marriage License
The course runs at least eight hours and covers conflict management, communication, and skills for a lasting marriage. It is taught by licensed mental health professionals, clergy, marriage educators, and approved community organizations.6State of Texas. Texas Family Code Section 2.013 – Premarital Education Completing it also waives the 72-hour waiting period, so you can hold the ceremony the same day you pick up the license. Your certificate must show the course name, the provider, and the completion date, and the course must have been finished within one year before you file the application.
Credit card payments at the clerk’s office may carry a small processing surcharge. Cash or a check avoids it.
The 72-Hour Waiting Period
After the clerk issues the license, you cannot marry for 72 hours. Four groups can skip the wait:7State of Texas. Texas Family Code 2.204 – 72-Hour Waiting Period
- Active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces.
- Civilian employees or contractors of the Department of Defense who hold a DoD security clearance.
- Couples who obtain a written waiver for good cause from a judge with family-law jurisdiction, a justice of the peace, or certain appellate judges.
- Couples who completed the Twogether in Texas course.
If none of those apply, plan the timing. A license picked up Friday means the earliest legal ceremony is Monday.
How Long the License Is Valid
A Travis County marriage license expires 90 days after issuance. Miss that window and you start over with a fresh application and a fresh fee.1State of Texas. Texas Family Code Chapter 2 – The Marriage Relationship After the 72-hour wait, roughly 87 days remain to hold the ceremony.
Who Can Perform the Ceremony
Texas authorizes licensed or ordained Christian ministers and priests, Jewish rabbis, officers of religious organizations who have been authorized by their organization to conduct marriages, current, former, or retired federal or state judges, and justices of the peace.8State of Texas. Texas Family Code FAM 2.202 – Persons Authorized to Conduct Ceremony A friend or family member who wants to officiate must first be ordained through a recognized religious organization.
Returning the Signed License
The officiant, not the couple, is legally responsible for returning the completed license. After the ceremony, the officiant records the date and county, signs the license, and returns it to the Travis County Clerk within 30 days. Missing that deadline is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $200 to $500.9State of Texas. Texas Family Code Section 2.206 – Return of License Penalty Mention this to your officiant ahead of time, especially one who does not do many weddings.
Once the clerk records the signed license, the marriage becomes part of the county’s public records and the original document is mailed back to the couple. Certified copies are available later from the clerk’s office for a small fee.
A Note on Common-Law Marriage
Texas recognizes informal, or common-law, marriage without any license or ceremony if three things are true: both parties agreed to be married, both lived together in Texas as spouses, and both represented to others that they were married.1State of Texas. Texas Family Code Chapter 2 – The Marriage Relationship The same age and single-status rules still apply. Couples who want a clear legal record, a certificate to hand to the Social Security Administration, or the certainty of a formal record use the license process described above.