Every state's fee, plus the courthouse wedding, in one total
A marriage license costs $18–$169 depending on the state, with most couples paying $40–$90: Indiana and Michigan sit at the bottom ($18–$30), while Washington ($169 after its July 2025 increase), Minnesota ($125), and Los Angeles County (held at $91 with an approved jump to $176 still pending) sit at the top. A courthouse wedding adds $25–$100 for the ceremony, and certified copies for your name change run $5–$25 each. The counseling discount is real money in six big states: Oklahoma's fee drops from $50 to $5, Texas from $82 to $22. A typical Texas courthouse wedding totals $117–$232 all-in.
| State | Typical License Fee | Counseling Discount |
|---|
Typical base fees as of 2026. Most states let each county set the exact amount, and 2025 saw increases in Washington (to $169) and Los Angeles County (public license to $176), so call the county clerk where you'll apply before you go. Counseling-discount states shown where the reduced fee is verified.
| State | Standard Fee | With Counseling | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $50 | $5 | $45 |
| Texas | $82 | $22 | $60 |
| Georgia | $50 – $60 | $16 | $34 – $44 |
| Florida | $93.50 | $61 | $32.50 |
| Tennessee | $95 | $60 | $35 |
| Minnesota | $125 | $50 | $75 |
Requirements vary: Texas wants an 8-hour approved course, Florida 4 hours, and the others a certificate from a recognized provider. Courses typically cost $20–$50, so the certificate pays for itself in most of these states. Fifteen-plus states offer some version of the discount, ask your clerk.
The license is the cheapest line on a wedding budget and the only one you can't skip. This calculator prices the license, the courthouse ceremony, and the certified copies most couples forget to plan.
Total = license fee + ceremony fee + (copies × per-copy fee). The license fee comes from the state table, and drops to the counseling rate in states that offer one. The courthouse ceremony runs $25–$100 depending on the county, some run them free, Las Vegas officiants start around $50–$75. Certified copies are $5–$25 each, and you'll want 2–4 for a name change.
Pick the state where you'll apply, that's the state whose clerk issues the license, usually the county where the ceremony happens or where either of you lives depending on the state. Choose whether the ceremony is at the courthouse or elsewhere, set your copy count, and check the counseling box if you've done a course in a discount state. The low and high ends bracket what the clerk will actually charge.
A Texas couple marrying at the courthouse. License: $82. Civil ceremony: $25–$100. Two certified copies at $5–$25: $10–$50. Total $117–$232. Now the smarter version: they take an 8-hour premarital course first, the license drops to $22, and the same wedding totals $57–$172. The course costs less than the $60 it saves, which is the rare coupon that improves the marriage too.
A Minnesota couple doing license-only with one copy: $125 + $5–$25 = $130–$150. Minnesota's fee is the highest flat state fee in the country, and its counseling discount ($125 → $50) is the largest dollar discount anywhere.
Between $18 and $169 depending on the state, with most couples paying $40-$90. Cheapest tier: Indiana at $18-$30 in-state and Michigan at $20-$30. Most expensive: Washington at $169 after its July 2025 fee increase, Minnesota at $125, and Los Angeles County at $91 with an approved-but-delayed increase to $176 at the top of California's county range. Most states let counties set the exact fee, so confirm with your county clerk before you go.
Indiana ($18-$30 in-state), Michigan ($20-$30), Mississippi ($20-$25), Nebraska ($25), New Mexico ($25), Rhode Island ($24), and Colorado ($30). Fees change and vary by county, so treat these as the floor and verify with the issuing office, especially if you're crossing state lines to marry.
In several states, yes, with a premarital education certificate. The biggest verified discounts: Oklahoma drops from $50 to $5, Georgia from $56 to $16, Texas from $82 to $22, Florida from $93.50 to $61, Tennessee from $95 to $35, and Minnesota from $125 to $50. Courses typically cost $20-$50, so the certificate usually pays for itself, and 15+ states offer some version of the discount.
Budget $25-$100 for the civil ceremony itself, charged by the judge, justice of the peace, or clerk's office on top of the license. Some counties run ceremonies for free or near it; Las Vegas officiants start around $50-$75. A realistic all-in courthouse wedding in Texas: $82 license + $25-$100 ceremony + two certified copies at $5-$25 each = $117-$232.
Yes. Licenses are valid 30-90 days depending on the state, and an unused one expires worthless, you reapply and repay the full fee. Fees are generally non-refundable even if the wedding is cancelled. Check your state's waiting period too (24 hours in New York, 3 days in Washington) so the ceremony date doesn't collide with the paperwork.
Plan on 2-4 at $5-$25 each. Every name change, passport update, insurance change, and employer record wants its own certified copy, and institutions rarely return them. Ordering extras later means a wait of 2-4 weeks by mail. Two copies covers most couples; four is the safe number if you're doing a full name change.