Obtaining Your Florida Marriage License

A Florida Marriage License can be obtained from any county courthouse in the State of Florida. Once issued, the license is valid for 60 days and can be used anywhere in the State. The fee for a Florida Marriage License is $93.50 as of this writing. Most counties in Florida maintain a website with marriage license information and frequently asked questions, and some details vary from county to county. For weddings in the Tampa Bay Area, see:

Pinellas County Marriage License Info (for St Petersburg, Clearwater, and the Pinellas Beaches)

Hillsborough County Marriage License Info (for Tampa and vicinity)

Manatee County Clerk (for Bradenton, Palmetto, and Anna Maria) allows couples to file online via their Emarriage application. https://www.manateeclerk.com/Services/EmarriageApp.aspx

If you choose to apply in person, there are a few locations to choose from depending on where you live or are staying:

ST. PETERSBURG BRANCH 
(For St. Petersburg, Treasure Island, or St. Pete Beach)

545 First Avenue North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
Telephone: (727) 582-7771
CLEARWATER COURTHOUSE
 (For Clearwater, Dunedin, Indian Rocks Beach or Palm Harbor)
 
RECORDING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
 315 Court Street, Room 150
 Clearwater, Florida 33756
 Telephone: (727) 464-4876 
MANATEE COUNTY COURTHOUSE
(For Bradenton, Palmetto or Anna Maria Island)

 1115 Manatee Avenue West
 Bradenton, Florida 34205
 Telephone: (941) 749-1800

A few other important notes:

  • If either party is a Florida resident, there is a three-day waiting period before the Florida Marriage License becomes valid, unless you have completed a State-approved marriage preparation course. Completion of this course also gets you a discount on the Florida Marriage License in most cases. There are several online courses as well as licensed pastors offering this service – if you use one, make sure they are approved by the State and/or the County in which you intend to apply.
  • If neither party is a Florida resident, you can get your Florida Marriage License the same day as your wedding.   However, it’s always a good idea to allow some extra time and get it earlier if possible.   Your best bet is to plan your trip so that you can stop by the county courthouse a few days before your ceremony.
  • If either party has been divorced or widowed, or changed his/her name, bring legal proof of this (i.e., a divorce decree, court order, or death certificate) with you when you apply for your Florida Marriage License. At a minimum, you will need the exact date your previous marriage ended. We recommend you call the courthouse ahead of time to confirm their requirements, especially for unusual cases (be sure to keep a record of who you spoke to and when).
  • For our destination wedding clients or those arriving on a holiday or weekend, we suggest services like Married by Mail (www.marriedbymail.com) which can process a Florida Marriage License prior to your arrival for non-Florida residents.

Note: You must present a valid Florida Marriage License to your wedding minister or officiant. He/she will sign and/or notarize the license after your ceremony, along with witnesses (if applicable) and will retain and file the original with the county court from which it was issued.  It must be filed within 10 days of the ceremony. You will receive a certified copy from the court after it is recorded.  If you are obtaining your license in person, you may pay for additional copies in advance or request copies from the court clerk for a small fee at any time in the future.  We recommend 2 certified copies for the Social Security Administration and DMV for parties changing their names.