FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


MARRIAGE LICENSE

We lost our marriage license before we got married.  Can we get another one?
Yes, you may receive a duplicate of your marriage license.  The cost will be $10.00.  But it must be purchased within the 30 days before it would expire.

What if we both can’t come in together to get the marriage license? 

If one of the applicants is unable to appear when obtaining the marriage license, you will need to obtain an Affidavit of Absent Applicant Form.  This form is to be filled out by the applicant who cannot appear and his or her signature must be notarized.  You must present both this form and the absent applicants original ID when obtaining the marriage license. If the applicant is currently incarcerated in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice Unit, use the form titled Declaration in Support of Proxy Form.

Who can perform our ceremony?

A licensed or ordained minister or priest, Jewish rabbi or person authorized by a religious organization to conduct a marriage ceremony.  Any Judge or Justice of the Peace.  See other county web pages for Judge and Justice of the Peace listings.  

I’m under 18; can I apply for a Marriage License?   

You may apply for a marriage license as young as 16 years old.  If you are under 18, you must have your parent or guardian present with you when you apply.  You will need to bring a certified copy of the birth record for ID and some form of state or federal issued ID as well.  If your parent or guardian is conservator over you as a result of a divorce, they will need to bring a certified copy of their divorce decree with them.

What if we want to get married, but 30 days haven’t passed since my divorce was final?       
   
If your divorce decree doesn’t already waive the 30-day waiting period, you will need to get a judge to order the waiver.  You do not have to wait 30 days if you are re-marrying the same person or if your divorce was obtained in a state other than Texas.  If the waiting period was waived in your divorce decree, please provide a certified copy of your divorce decree for proof.

What if we don’t want to wait 72 hours before we get married? 

You can get the 72 hour waiting period waived by a judge’s order. If you’ve obtained an order from a judge to waive the waiting period, please bring the order with you.
If you are “active military” or work for the U.S. Department of Defense, the waiting period is automatically waived. You must provide us proof of your active military status or employment with the U.S. Department of Defense when applying for your marriage license. 

How do we obtain a Common Law Marriage Certificate?

A Common Law Marriage Certificate is also known as an Informal Marriage License.   The application for this certificate is similar to the Marriage License. However, you cannot use an Absent Applicant form; both applicants must come in together when applying.  You will need to bring state or federal issued identification that shows your date of birth (drivers license, state ID, military ID, etc.) We will ask you for your social security number and place of birth.  You must be 18 years old.  The cost is $37.00 cash or money order only. You will also need to provide a date that you begin living together as a married couple.

How do I get a copy of a Marriage License?

A written request with your fee is required for a copy of your Marriage License.  We need the groom and bride names and the date of marriage.  Please send check or money order.  The fee for a certified copy is $7.00 when requested by mail.  

Why don’t you have the marriage record I’m looking for?  They were married in Brown County.

A marriage license issued in Texas can be used in any other county in Texas, so if a person is married in Brown County, this doesn’t necessarily mean their marriage license will be on record in Brown County.  You will need to go to the County they purchased the license from.