Marriage license · Free to use

Florida marriage license: fee, waiting period and how to apply

What Florida's official pages say about getting married there: the fee, the waiting period, how long the license lasts, witnesses, officiants, ID and where to apply. Each rule links its source.

By Wedding RemedyPublished October 30, 2026

Editorial standards

Florida marriage license at a glance

Fee: $86 for a marriage license at the Miami-Dade Clerk. Other Florida counties may charge a different total. Waiting period: 3 days for Florida residents. Waived if the couple completes a premarital course and presents the certificate. Non-Florida residents have no waiting period. How long it is valid: Valid for 60 days after issuance.

Florida counties set their own fee. The fee shown is from Miami-Dade County, the largest county; ask your county clerk for its fee.

Florida marriage license rules

The rules below restate official pages, linked with the date they were read. Last checked October 30, 2026. Rules and fees change, and this is not legal advice: confirm with the clerk where you apply before you rely on a rule.

Fee: $86 for a marriage license at the Miami-Dade Clerk. Other Florida counties may charge a different total. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Premarital education discount: $61 with a registered premarital preparation course of at least 4 hours, completed no more than one year before applying. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Waiting period: 3 days for Florida residents. Waived if the couple completes a premarital course and presents the certificate. Non-Florida residents have no waiting period. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
How long the license is valid: Valid for 60 days after issuance. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Where the license can be used: Valid anywhere in Florida, regardless of the issuing county. Not valid outside Florida. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Witnesses: Check with your county clerk. Official page
Who may officiate: Ordained ministers, elders and other ordained clergy, judicial officers including retired ones, clerks of the circuit courts, and notaries public. (Source: leg.state.fl.us, checked October 30, 2026)
Officiants ordained online: Not stated here. Ask the county clerk before you rely on an online ordination. Official page
Age: Must be 18. A 17-year-old needs both parents or a guardian, and the other party can be at most 2 years older. No license under 17. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
ID and documents to bring: Each applicant: one original valid ID, such as a US driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID or naturalization certificate. US citizens must also give a Social Security number. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Where to apply: In person at the Miami-Dade Clerk's Central Marriage License Bureau, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. No residency requirement. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Online application: Yes. The couple must complete an online pre-application before visiting the office; the license itself is issued in person. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)
Certified copy of the marriage certificate: Request certified copies online or by mail from the Miami-Dade Clerk. (Source: miamidadeclerk.gov, checked October 30, 2026)

Common questions

How much is a marriage license in Florida?

$86 for a marriage license at the Miami-Dade Clerk. Other Florida counties may charge a different total. $61 with a registered premarital preparation course of at least 4 hours, completed no more than one year before applying. Florida counties set their own fee. The fee shown is from Miami-Dade County, the largest county; ask your county clerk for its fee.

Is there a waiting period to get married in Florida?

3 days for Florida residents. Waived if the couple completes a premarital course and presents the certificate. Non-Florida residents have no waiting period.

How long is a Florida marriage license valid?

Valid for 60 days after issuance.

Who can officiate a wedding in Florida?

Ordained ministers, elders and other ordained clergy, judicial officers including retired ones, clerks of the circuit courts, and notaries public.

How do you get a certified copy of a Florida marriage certificate?

Request certified copies online or by mail from the Miami-Dade Clerk.

Get new planning guides and checklists by email

Once a week, the planning guides that went live that week, and the printable wedding vendor contract checklist when you confirm. Unsubscribe from any email. Start with the printable wedding vendor contract checklist.