Marriage License Information

MARRIAGE LICENSE Q&A

Q: Where can I apply for a marriage license?
A: A marriage license can be obtained from any Texas County, regardless of the County or State you
currently reside. A marriage license is issued out of every County Clerk’s office in every Texas County.
Hutchinson County Clerk’s office is located in the Hutchinson County Courthouse, 500 Main Street, Room
211, Stinnett, TX .

Q: How do I apply for a marriage license?
A: Both the bride and the groom must appear to apply for a marriage license and both will sign the
application at that time. There are a few exceptions as noted in the Texas Statutes.

Q: What is the fee for the marriage license?
A: There is a $21.00 fee if a marriage education certificate (described below) is presented; otherwise,
there is a $81.00 fee without the certificate that is payable only in cash or current debit/credit card. There
is a convenience fee that will be charged for all debit/credit card transactions. Only certificates from
Twogether In Texas qualify for discount.

Q: How and where do I obtain the marriage education certificate and what is the cost?
A: Texas now encourages free marriage education classes around the state for premarital couples. After
completing the class, you will get a certificate that you can take to your County Clerk when applying for a
marriage license. When applying for a marriage license using the marriage education certificate, you not
only will receive a $60.00 discount on the fee for the license, but also the 72 hour waiting period will be
waived. To find a class in your area, log onto http://www.twogetherintexas.com.

Q: How long must I wait between the time I get my marriage license and the actual marriage ceremony?
A: There must be at least 72 hours between the time of issuance of a marriage license and the time the
ceremony occurs unless one applicant is on active duty in the armed forces; or, completion of a marriage
education class; or, a waiver is granted. A waiver may only be granted by a District Judge or County Judge.

Q: How long do I have to use the purchased marriage license before it expires?
A: 90 days. If the marriage license is not used within 90 days, it will expire and another one will need to
be purchased before a marriage ceremony is held.

Q: What are the requirements to obtain a license?
A: The requirements are as follows:

• Proof of identity and age (current Drivers’ License or State Identification Card or other
  document issued by the State of another State, a U.S. passport, or a certified copy of
  applicant’s Birth Certificate – if in Spanish, the Birth Certificate must be translated into
  English by a certified translator)
• If required, the documents establishing parental consent, should the applicant be under
  the age of 18 (16-17 years need parental consent; 15 years need court order; NO license
  is issued to anyone under the age of 15)
• Must have or know social security number, birth place (city, county, state)
• A divorce by either party must be final 30 days prior to the marriage license application
• There is no law requiring a blood test

Q: Who is authorized to conduct ceremony?
A: Licensed or ordained Christian Ministers and Priests, Jewish Rabbis, or person who are officers of
religious organization; and who are duly authorized by the organization to conduct marriage ceremonies,
Justices of the Supreme Court, Judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, Justice of the Courts of Civil
Appeals, Judges of the District, County and Probate Courts, Judge of the County Courts at Law, Judge of
the Juvenile Courts, Justice of the Peace, retired Justice or Judge of those courts, etc. A retired Judge or
Justice is a former Judge or Justice who is vested in the Judicial Retirement System of Texas or who has an
aggregate of at least 12 years of service as Judge or Justice of any type listed.

If you are interested in having a Justice of the Peace conduct your wedding ceremony, contact the Justice
of the Peace for more information.

Q: After the wedding, what do I need to do with the marriage license?
A: The license will need to be mailed or brought back to the County Clerk’s office which issued the
marriage license. The license will be recorded and returned to you within 7-10 days of receiving it in the
County Clerk’s office.

DECLARATION OF INFORMAL MARRIAGE Q&A

Q: Where can I apply for a Declaration of Informal Marriage?
A: A Declaration of Informal Marriage Certificate can be obtained from any Texas County, regardless of
the County or State you currently reside. A Declaration of Informal Marriage Certificate is issued out of
every County Clerk’s office in every Texas County.

Q: How do I apply for a Declaration of Informal Marriage?
A: Both parties must appear to apply and both will sign the certificate at that time.

Q: What is the fee for a Declaration of Informal Marriage?
A: There is a $46.00 fee payable only in cash or current debit/credit card. A convenience fee will be
charged for all debit/credit card transactions.

Q: How is a Declaration of Informal Marriage different than a Marriage License?
A: Couples in an informal marriage may wish to make it a matter of record without formal ceremony. To
accomplish this, the couple must sign a declaration and file it with the County Clerk. The declaration and
oath states: “I solemnly swear (or affirm) that we, the undersigned, are married to each other by virtue of
the following facts: on or about (date) we agreed to be married, and after that date we lived together as
husband and wife and in this state we represented to others that we were married.”
A person under the age of 18 may not be a party to an informal marriage, and may not execute a
declaration of informal marriage.

EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2017:
 SB 17:05: TX FAMILY CODE 2:003

**NO ONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 MAY APPLY FOR A MARRIAGE LICENSE
WITHOUT A COURT ORDER AUTHORIZING THE MARRIAGE.**

Marriage License without the certificate - $81.00
Marriage License with the certificate - $21.00
Informal Marriage License - $46.00