Marriage License Information

Whether you are planning a medium to large wedding or planning to just have a quick sign service, one of the most important things to add to your planning list is your marriage license. A license must be obtained through the courthouse prior to your ceremony. Below are some guidelines to help you get your license quickly and easily:

A marriage license can be obtained from any Circuit Courthouse in Virginia. Your license does NOT have to come from the same city or county where your wedding or elopement ceremony will take place.

Normal business hours for most city courts are 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Remember to keep in mind that courts are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and all state and federal holidays so be sure to plan ahead, especially for same day weddings.

You will have to go to the courthouse together and in person. It is not necessary to be a VA resident or have a blood test to get a marriage license in Virginia. All you need is a photo ID for each of you and $30 payable to the Circuit Court of Virginia.

Once you have the marriage license, you can get married immediately (no waiting period). You must have them signed within 60 days of obtaining the license (be sure your officiant is licensed by the State of VA to perform marriages - VA does NOT recognize online ordination). Following your ceremony, your officiant will complete and sign the license.

Once the licenses have been signed they must be returned to the courthouse within 5 business days (same courthouse you received them from). Depending on the individual courthouse’s specifications, you can either return them in person or have the officiant mail them back. You will then need to request certified copies of the licenses from that courthouse. This is the legal proof you will need for things like social security/name change, DMV, insurance, banks, etc.

While these details are helpful and pretty standard across the board, each courthouse can vary in their individual processes/scheduled so it is always a good idea to check with your local courthouse directly to see if there are any specific needs or requirements.