MarriageLicenseCheck

Duval County marriage license

Issued by the Duval County Clerk of Courts, Marriage License Department

To marry in Duval County, you apply to the Duval County Clerk of Courts, Marriage License Department. There, both applicants must appear together, there is no residency requirement and the license is valid throughout the state.

Fee
$86$61 after completing a premarital preparation course with a registered provider and presenting a certificate of completion at the time of application
Waiting period
3 daysFlorida residents only · Waiver available
License valid
60 daysFrom issuance
Both must appear
YesTogether, at the same time

Reviewed July 26, 20263 official sourcesSee sources

Where to apply

Duval County Clerk of Courts, Marriage License Department

Apply online
Yes

The eMarriage Pre-Application only starts the process and is also how a Beaches Branch appointment is booked. Both applicants must still come in together to apply.

Official requirement

After completing the online application, both parties must come together to apply with proper identification and form of payment.

Apply in person
Yes

The Duval County Courthouse at 501 W. Adams Street takes walk-in applications only, joining the line via the lobby QR code. The Beaches Branch at 1543 Atlantic Blvd takes both walk-ins and appointments booked through the eMarriage Pre-Application.

Official requirement

Both parties (spouse 1 and spouse 2) must apply in person at the same time.

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
Official requirement

Both parties (spouse 1 and spouse 2) must apply in person at the same time.

Residency
No residency requirement applies — you need not live in Duval County or in Florida. Residency does, however, decide the waiting period: Florida residents face a three-day wait and non-residents do not.
Official requirement

You do not need to be a resident of this county or of Florida to obtain a marriage license.

Identification and personal information

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

Identification
  • A valid photo identification issued by the federal or state government showing the correct legal name, date of birth and signature of the applicant
  • Driver's license (U.S. state or government)
  • Passport
  • U.S. military identification
  • State identification card (U.S. state or government)
  • Alien registration card

Couples must also read the Family Law Handbook supplied by the Clerk and sign a statement acknowledging that they have done so before applying. Couples with children born in Florida must complete the Affirmation of Children Born in Florida form (DH743A).

Official requirement

The first form of identification required is a valid photo identification issued by the federal or state government. The photo identification must have the correct legal name, date of birth and signature of the applicant.

Social Security number
An applicant who has been issued a Social Security number must provide the number. The card itself does not need to be brought in. An applicant who is not a U.S. citizen may provide either a Social Security number or an alien registration number if one has been issued; if neither has been issued, another form of identification may be required.
Official requirement

If an applicant has been issued a Social Security number, they will need to provide that number as part of the application process. Please note you do NOT need to bring a copy of the social security card, but just need to provide the number.

Age
Any person aged 18 or older may apply. A person aged 17 may apply with parental or guardian consent.
Official requirement

Any person age 18 or older

Applicants under 18
A 17-year-old applicant needs parental or guardian consent. Both parents must consent unless the parents are divorced and custody and control is placed with one parent, in which case that parent must present a certified copy of the divorce papers. If one parent has died, the surviving parent must provide a certified copy of the death certificate. All written consents must be notarised, which the Clerk's Office can do for a $7.00 fee. A minor whose parents are deceased and who has no appointed guardian may apply, as may a previously married minor. A minor who swears under oath to being a parent or expectant parent, with pregnancy confirmed by a licensed physician, may petition a judge to issue a license.
Applies in some cases

Please Note: If any person is a minor, both parents must give consent unless the parents are divorced and the custody and control of the child is placed with one parent. All written consents must be notarized, a task that can be performed at the Clerk's Office for a fee of $7.00.

Prior-marriage documents

If a marriage ended
An applicant who has been previously married must provide the exact date the last marriage ended by divorce, death or annulment. The Clerk states explicitly that the underlying document does not need to be provided.
Applies in some cases

If either applicant has been previously married, the exact date of the last divorce, death or annulment must be provided. The actual document DOES NOT need to be provided.

Fee and payment

Fee
$86$61 after completing a premarital preparation course with a registered provider and presenting a certificate of completion at the time of application. Both parties must attend, and the course must be completed no more than one year before the application date. The Clerk's page contradicts itself on whether non-residents qualify for this reduction — see the source conflict note.

The premarital course both reduces the fee by $25.00 and waives the three-day waiting period for Florida residents.

Official requirement

Marriage license and application: $86.00 Discounted marriage license and application (available after completion of a premarital preparation course by a registered counselor, with proof that the course was taken): $61.00

Payment methods
  • Cash
  • Money order payable to the Duval County Clerk of Courts
  • Cashier's check payable to the Duval County Clerk of Courts
  • MasterCard, VISA, Discover or American Express, with a 3.5% surcharge added

The Clerk's Office does not accept personal checks.

Official requirement

Cash, money order or cashier's check (payable to the Duval County Clerk of Courts) MasterCard, VISA, Discover or American Express (with a 3.5% surcharge added)

Waiting period and expiration

Waiting period
3 days (Florida residents only)

The clock starts only when the couple collects the license at the Clerk's Office, not when the online pre-application is submitted. The wait is waived by a registered premarital course, and non-Florida residents are exempt entirely.

Applies in some cases

There is a mandatory three-day waiting period for all Florida residents after obtaining your marriage license. This waiting period does not begin until you and your future spouse come to the Clerk's Office and receive your license.

Waiver
The three-day waiting period is waived for a Florida resident couple that attends a premarital preparation course from a registered provider and presents the certificate of completion when applying. Non-Florida residents have no waiting period to waive.

The Clerk maintains an online search of registered premarital course providers. The Marriage License Department does not itself offer the course.

Applies in some cases

The three-day waiting period will be waived if the couple attends a premarital course from a registered provider and presents a certificate of completion when applying for a license.

License expires
60 days

For a Florida resident couple without a course certificate, the ceremony must also fall after the three-day waiting period has run.

Official requirement

Marriage licenses are valid only for ceremonies taking place anywhere in the State of Florida within 60 days of the date of issue.

Where it is valid
Valid for a ceremony performed anywhere in Florida, whichever Florida county issued it. It cannot be used in another state or country.
Official requirement

A marriage license issued by any Florida county is valid for a marriage ceremony performed anywhere in the State of Florida.

Witness and ceremony notes

Witnesses

This office does not publish this. Confirm with them directly before relying on it.

The Clerk publishes no witness requirement or witness count for the ceremony.

Not published by this office
Officiant
The ceremony may be performed by ordained clergy, an elder in communion with a church, any Florida judge, or a Florida notary public. Ceremonies may also be performed among Quakers or Friends in the manner practised in their societies. A license must be properly issued before the ceremony is performed.
Official requirement

The following officials are authorized by Florida law to perform marriage ceremonies: Ordained clergy Elders in communion with a church All Florida judges Notaries public of the State of Florida

Returning and recording the license

After the ceremony
The completed license should be returned to the Clerk's Office within 10 days of the ceremony. The person who performed the ceremony is ultimately responsible for returning it, but anyone may deliver it. The marriage is not officially recorded until the license is returned.
Official requirement

A marriage cannot be officially recorded until the license is returned to the Clerk's Office. The completed license should be returned within 10 days of the wedding.

Processing
Allow about 30 minutes to complete the application in person. Applicants must arrive at the Marriage License Department no later than 4:30 p.m., although the office is open until 5:00 p.m.

The Beaches Branch closes at 4:30 p.m.

Official requirement

Note: Because of processing times, couples wishing to apply for a marriage license must arrive at the Marriage License Department no later than 4:30 p.m. (Please allow 30 minutes to complete the application process.)

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

Access and language

Published notes
  • The Clerk states a commitment to the ADA, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
  • Access keys 0-9 are published for keyboard navigation, and JAWS screen reader keystrokes are documented
  • Pages use structured semantic markup and alternate text on content images
  • Site translation offered into Spanish, French, German, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese
  • The Marriage License Handbook is published in both English and Spanish
Official requirement

We are committed to meeting the guidelines set forth by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG2).

Common questions

How much does a marriage license cost in Duval County?
The fee is $86, set by the Duval County Clerk of Courts, Marriage License Department. $61 after completing a premarital preparation course with a registered provider and presenting a certificate of completion at the time of application.
Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Duval County?
Yes. A waiting period of 3 days (Florida residents only) applies between issuance and the ceremony. A waiver is available in some circumstances.
How long is a Duval County marriage license valid?
The license is valid for 60 days from issuance. A ceremony after that date requires a new license.
Do both partners have to appear in person in Duval County?
Yes. Both applicants must appear together to complete the application.
Do we have to be residents to marry in Duval County?
No residency requirement applies — you need not live in Duval County or in Florida. Residency does, however, decide the waiting period: Florida residents face a three-day wait and non-residents do not.

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 LicenseDuval County Clerk of Courts · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  2. Accessibility Statement and Access Key LegendDuval County Clerk of Courts · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  3. Florida Statutes 741.01 — County court judge or clerk of the circuit court to issue marriage license; feeFlorida Legislature · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26

Recorded conflicts

  • The Clerk's marriage-license page contradicts itself on who qualifies for the $25.00 premarital-course discount. Its 'Discounted License' section states that 'Both residents and non-residents of Florida may receive a $25.00 discount on their marriage license by completing a premarital course', while its FAQ answer on the same page states of the same reduction that 'This provision applies to Florida residents only.' The fee is recorded without resolving this. Florida Statutes 741.01(4) grants the reduction to 'all couples' who present a valid certificate, with no residency condition, which points to the FAQ line being the incorrect one — but a non-resident couple relying on the reduced fee should confirm with the Marriage License Department before applying. The residency distinction is genuine for the waiting period, where both the Clerk and the statute agree it applies to Florida residents only; the FAQ appears to have carried it across to the fee.
  • The eMarriage Pre-Application portal and the premarital course provider list are served from duvalclerk.com rather than the Clerk's duvalclerk.gov site. Both are linked directly from the official .gov marriage-license page and the portal identifies itself as the Duval County Marriage License Application, so they are treated as official Clerk systems.

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