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Texas Marriage License Fee & Waiting Period

License fee
varies by county (~$70-$85; free/$0 license fee with a Twogether-in-Texas premarital course)
Fee set by
County
Waiting period
72 hours (waived by: premarital course, military member, judge waiver, or remarrying same spouse)
Validity
90 days (ceremony must be ≥72 hrs after issuance unless waived)

In Texas, marriage license fees are set by individual counties and typically range from $70 to $85, though the exact amount should be confirmed with the county clerk's office where the license will be issued. Applicants who complete the Twogether-in-Texas premarital education course can obtain a license for free and bypass the standard waiting period.

Texas imposes a 72-hour waiting period between license issuance and ceremony, though this requirement can be waived in certain circumstances. Military members, applicants granted a judge's waiver, and those remarrying the same spouse may proceed without the waiting period. Alternatively, completion of an approved premarital course eliminates the wait. Once issued, a marriage license remains valid for 90 days, meaning the ceremony must take place within that window.

The fee is representative. Marriage-license fees here are county-set and vary; confirm the exact, current amount on the issuing county clerk's own fee schedule. Informational only — not legal advice.

Where the fee is actually set

In most states the marriage-license fee is set by the county, not the legislature, so a single statewide number can be wrong for you. The license document itself is issued by the county clerk — that office’s own fee schedule is the authoritative source for the current amount and any waiting period.

An official U.S. Certificate of Witness to Marriage document with a red seal
Photo: U.S. Department of State / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
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