MarriageLicenseCheck

Maricopa County marriage license

Issued by the Clerk of the Superior Court in Maricopa County

To marry in Maricopa County, you apply to the Clerk of the Superior Court in Maricopa County. There, both applicants must appear together, there is no residency requirement and the license is valid throughout the state.

Fee
$98
Waiting period
NoneMarry the same day
License valid
1 yearFrom issuance
Both must appear
YesTogether, at the same time

Reviewed July 26, 20268 official sourcesSee sources

Where to apply

Clerk of the Superior Court in Maricopa County

Apply online
Yes

The Online Marriage License Program genuinely removes the office visit — it is not merely an online form that starts an in-person application. At least one applicant must be a current Arizona resident and the uploaded identification must demonstrate Arizona residency. The ceremony date must be at least 30 days away when you apply. Both applicants sign one printed affidavit by hand, the Clerk reviews the application within 7-10 business days, then telephones to verify both identities and take payment before mailing the license.

Official requirement

No office visit or appointment required.

Apply in person
Yes

Available at the Downtown Customer Service Center in Phoenix and the Northeast, Northwest and Southeast Regional Courts, where appointments are recommended but walk-ins are accepted. Several deputised justice and municipal court facilities also issue licenses, but the Clerk's online reservation page cannot book appointments at those.

Official requirement

Marriage license appointments are available on a limited basis at the following Maricopa County Clerk of the Superior Court locations

When to apply

We will work out when you can apply. We never ask for names, dates of birth or any other personal detail.

Who must appear

Both applicants
Yes

Both parties must appear together when applying in person. The Online Marriage License Program removes the office visit entirely, but both applicants must still sign the single affidavit with their own original hand signatures matching the identification submitted, and the Clerk telephones to verify both applicants' identities, social security numbers and dates of birth before processing payment.

Applies in some cases

Both parties must be present to obtain a marriage license.

Residency
No residency requirement is published for applying in person. The Online Marriage License Program is restricted: at least one applicant must be a current Arizona resident, and the government photo identification uploaded must demonstrate Arizona residency.

Arizona law lets a couple obtain a license from the clerk of the superior court in any county of the state and does not condition the license on residency.

Applies in some cases

This service is provided for Arizona residents ONLY.

Identification and personal information

We list what the office says it may ask for. We never collect any of it.

Identification
  • Each applicant must provide a valid government-issued photo I.D. showing proof of age and confirming identity — for example a current driver's license, a state or military I.D. card, or a current passport
  • A Matricula Consular I.D. card is accepted, provided the issuing foreign government used biometric identity verification such as fingerprint identification or retina scans
  • Applying online: save an image of the front of each applicant's valid government photo I.D., which must demonstrate Arizona residency and exactly match the names entered on the application
  • Applying online: signatures on the printed affidavit must match the signatures on the identification submitted
  • Applicants aged 16 or 17 must also provide a copy of their birth certificate

A copy of a divorce decree is not required and no blood test is required.

Official requirement

Each individual is required to provide a valid government-issued photo I.D., such as a driver's license, passport, etc. to show proof of age and confirm identity.

Social Security number
Applicants must provide their social security number, if any. It is given to the Clerk separately from the affidavit. Except for child support enforcement purposes, the Clerk's Office may not release a social security number without the applicant's written request.

Applicants using the Online Marriage License Program are asked to confirm both applicants' social security numbers and dates of birth during the Clerk's verification telephone call.

Official requirement

Arizona Revised Statute 25-121(B) requires applicants to provide their social security number (SSN), if any. Except for child support purposes, the Clerk's Office may not release SSNs without the applicant's written request.

Age
Applicants aged 18 or over may marry on presenting valid government-issued photo identification. Applicants under 16 are prohibited from marrying. Applicants aged 16 or 17 may marry only on the conditions set out in the minor rule.

The under-16 prohibition took effect on 3 August 2018.

Official requirement

Effective August 3, 2018, if you are under 16 years of age, you are prohibited from marrying.

Applicants under 18
An applicant who is at least 16 and under 18 must provide either a certified copy of an Emancipation Order, or a notarised Clerk's Office parental consent form together with the front and back of the parent's or legal guardian's identification — alternatively the parent or legal guardian may attend, present proper identification and sign the parental consent form in front of the issuing clerk. The applicant must also provide a copy of their birth certificate and one government-issued picture I.D.: a current driver's license, a state or military I.D. card, a current passport, or other government-issued picture I.D. The older applicant cannot be more than three years older than the younger applicant.
Applies in some cases

The younger applicant's prospective spouse cannot be more than 3 years older than the younger applicant.

Prior-marriage documents

If a marriage ended
A copy of a divorce decree is not required.
Official requirement

A copy of a divorce decree is not required; blood tests are not required.

Fee and payment

Fee
$98

Applying online adds $8 for postage and handling. A certified copy of the recorded license is a separate $43.50, reduced to $35.50 if you supply a business-size self-addressed stamped envelope with the request; it can be prepaid at application or ordered later. Converting a traditional license to a covenant marriage is a further $35.

Official requirement

The fee for a marriage license is $98.00 payable by cash or money order, debit card or credit card.

Payment methods
  • Cash
  • Money order
  • Debit card
  • Credit card
  • At a Justice Court location, money orders only
  • Applying online: credit card only — Visa, MasterCard or American Express

Online payment is taken over the telephone by the Clerk during the identity verification call, not through a web checkout.

Official requirement

If you are purchasing a license at the Justice Courts, only money orders are accepted.

Waiting period and expiration

Waiting period
None

There is no waiting period. Applying in person, you receive the license the same day and may hold the ceremony that day if an officiant is arranged. This is separate from the delay built into the online route, where the Clerk reviews the application within 7-10 business days and then mails the license within three business days of payment — which is why the online programme requires the ceremony date to be at least 30 days away.

Official requirement

You will receive your marriage license on the same day you apply for the license, and can be married on the same day, if you have made arrangements with an officiator of your choice to perform the ceremony.

Waiver

This does not apply here.

There is no waiting period to waive.

Not applicable here
License expires
1 year

Arizona licenses do expire. The license itself carries the expiry statement, and a marriage contracted in Arizona is not valid unless it is solemnized before the license expires.

Official requirement

However, you have up to one (1) year from the date the marriage license was issued to get married, as the license expires one (1) year from the date of purchase.

Where it is valid
Valid statewide. Arizona law lets a couple obtain a license from the clerk of the superior court in any county of the state, and the license is sufficient authority for any authorised person to solemnize the marriage anywhere in Arizona. The license is not restricted to Maricopa County.

This is a statutory rule, not a Maricopa County policy — the Clerk's own pages do not restate it. Validity outside Arizona is governed by the law of the place where the ceremony happens, not by Arizona.

Official requirement

Persons shall not be joined in marriage in this state until a license has been obtained for that purpose from the clerk of the superior court in any county of this state.

Witness and ceremony notes

Witnesses
Two witnesses are required. At least two witnesses who are at least 18 years old must participate in the ceremony, and two of them must sign the marriage license along with both parties and the person who solemnized the marriage.

The Clerk's own pages do not restate the witness requirement; it comes from Arizona statute.

Official requirement

A marriage license shall be signed by both persons married, two of the witnesses to the marriage ceremony and the person who solemnized the marriage, who shall return the signed marriage license to the clerk of the superior court for recording.

Officiant
Arrange your own officiant; the Clerk does not perform ceremonies. Arizona authorises duly licensed or ordained clergy — including ministers, elders or others permitted to solemnize marriages by the customs, rules and regulations of a religious society or sect — judges of courts of record, municipal court judges, justices of the peace, justices of the United States Supreme Court, judges of courts of appeals, district courts and courts created by an act of Congress whose judges hold office during good behavior, bankruptcy and tax court judges, United States magistrate judges, and judges of the Arizona Court of Military Appeals.

Arizona also offers a covenant marriage license, which requires a notarised statement from the clergy or marriage counselor who gave the couple premarital counselling. An existing marriage can be converted to a covenant marriage for $35 without a further ceremony.

Official requirement

You will receive your marriage license on the same day you apply for the license, and can be married on the same day, if you have made arrangements with an officiator of your choice to perform the ceremony.

Returning and recording the license

After the ceremony
The license must be issued before the ceremony, signed at the end of the ceremony, and returned by the officiant to the Clerk not more than 30 days after the ceremony for the license to be recorded.

The signed license carries the signatures of both parties, two witnesses and the person who solemnized the marriage.

Official requirement

A marriage license must be issued prior to the ceremony taking place, signed at completion of the ceremony, and returned by the officiator not more than 30 days after the ceremony has taken place in order for the license to be recorded.

Processing
In person, the license is issued the same day you apply. Online, the Clerk reviews the application within 7-10 business days and, after the verification call and payment, mails the license within three business days by USPS First Class mail.

A certified copy of the recorded license can only be requested after the officiant has returned the signed license and it has been recorded.

Official requirement

Your application will be reviewed within 7-10 business days.

Ordering the certified record afterwards is a separate request: official certified copy page

Access and language

Published notes
  • Assistive technology users who cannot access material on the Clerk's website can call (602) 372-5375 or email COCCustomerRelations@maricopa.gov to request an alternative format
  • An ADA accommodation request form can be completed online or printed in PDF, and the Clerk has a named ADA Coordinator; alternative means of requesting an accommodation, such as a personal interview or tape recording, are available on request
  • A grievance procedure is published; grievances must be filed within 60 days of the alleged discrimination
  • Language services for limited-English-proficient customers include bilingual employees, 'I Speak' language identification cards, multilingual signage, Language Line telephonic interpreting, video remote interpreting where available, and automated translation of the Clerk's website
  • Spanish-language versions of court forms are used, and staff will help limited-English-proficient customers fill out forms
Official requirement

If you use assistive technology (such as a Braille reader, a screen reader, or TTY) and the format of any material on the Clerk's website interferes with your ability to access information, please call the Clerk's Office at (602) 37-CLERK, or (602) 372-5375 or email COCCustomerRelations@maricopa.gov .

Common questions

How much does a marriage license cost in Maricopa County?
The fee is $98, set by the Clerk of the Superior Court in Maricopa County.
Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Maricopa County?
No. There is no waiting period — the license can be used as soon as it is issued.
How long is a Maricopa County marriage license valid?
The license is valid for 1 year from issuance. A ceremony after that date requires a new license.
Do both partners have to appear in person in Maricopa County?
Yes. Both applicants must appear together to complete the application.
Do we have to be residents to marry in Maricopa County?
No residency requirement is published for applying in person. The Online Marriage License Program is restricted: at least one applicant must be a current Arizona resident, and the government photo identification uploaded must demonstrate Arizona residency.

Each answer restates the verified rule above; the official wording and sources are in the numbered sections.

Sources and reviewed date

Every fact above is quoted from one of these pages. Reviewed July 26, 2026.

  1. Marriage LicensesMaricopa County Clerk of Superior Court · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  2. Online Marriage License ProgramMaricopa County Clerk of Superior Court · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  3. AccessibilityMaricopa County Clerk of Superior Court · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  4. Language ServicesMaricopa County Clerk of Superior Court · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  5. A.R.S. 25-111 — Requirement of license and solemnization; covenant marriagesArizona State Legislature · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26
  6. A.R.S. 25-121 — Marriage license; application; affidavitArizona State Legislature · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26
  7. A.R.S. 25-124 — Persons authorized to perform marriage ceremony; definitionArizona State Legislature · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26
  8. A.R.S. 25-125 — Marriage ceremony; official; witnesses; marriage license; covenant marriagesArizona State Legislature · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26

Recorded conflicts

  • The Clerk words the expiry clock three different ways. The marriage license page says the license 'expires one (1) year from the date of purchase'; the online programme page says 'The marriage license expires one year from the date issued'; A.R.S. 25-121(B) requires the license to state that it 'expires one year from the date of issuance of the license'. Applying in person these are the same day. Applying online, payment is taken during the verification call and the license is mailed afterwards, so the two dates can differ — the statutory date of issuance is recorded as controlling and the printed expiry date on the license itself is the one to rely on.
  • The Clerk's 'Marriage License Copies' navigation item redirects off the main site to a request form on exhibitsonline.clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov by way of a link shortener. The stable Clerk URL is recorded here rather than the shortener target, which carries an opaque expiring query string.
  • A.R.S. 25-125(A) still describes a valid marriage as contracted by 'a male person and a female person'. That wording has been unenforceable since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) and is not applied by the Clerk, which issues licenses to any eligible couple. Only the witness requirement from that subsection is recorded here.

Something wrong or out of date? Send a correction or read how corrections work.

This page is formatted to print as a checklist you can take with you.