Miami-Dade County marriage license
To marry in Miami-Dade County, you apply to the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, Marriage License Bureau. There, both applicants must appear together, there is no residency requirement and the license is valid throughout the state.
- Fee
- $86$61 with an original four-hour premarital preparation course certificate of completion from a registered provider
- Waiting period
- 3 daysFlorida residents only · Waiver available
- License valid
- 60 daysFrom issuance
- Both must appear
- YesTogether, at the same time
Reviewed July 26, 20262 official sourcesSee sources
Where to apply
- Apply online
- Yes
The online pre-application only starts the process. Both applicants must still appear in person to obtain the license.
Official requirementCustomers must complete the online marriage license pre-application before visiting our office, Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Apply in person
- Yes
Applications are taken at the Central Marriage License Bureau and at six District Court locations. Appointments can be booked, and walk-ins are accepted with a longer wait.
Official requirementCouples wishing to become legally married in the state of Florida must apply for a marriage license in person
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
- YesOfficial requirement
When applying for a marriage license both spouses must be present.
- Residency
- No residency or citizenship requirement applies. Residency does, however, decide the waiting period: Florida residents face a three-day wait and non-residents do not.
If the ceremony will take place outside Florida, the license must be obtained from that state or country instead.
Official requirementThere is no residency or citizenship requirement to apply for a Florida 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 federal or state government photo identification showing the correct legal name, date of birth and signature
- Driver license issued by any state in the U.S.
- Passport
- U.S. military ID
- Alien registration card
- State identification card issued by any state in the U.S.
- Naturalization certificate (original)
The Family Law Handbook must be read before the license is obtained. It can be read online or at the Central Marriage License Bureau and the six District Court locations.
Official requirementAll applicants must present a valid federal or state government photo identification with the correct legal name, date of birth and signature.
- Social Security number
- All U.S. citizens and residents must provide their Social Security number. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens may instead provide an alien registration card, a U.S. state-issued driver license, or a passport number if no Social Security number has been issued.Official requirement
All U.S. citizens and residents must provide their Social Security number.
- Age
- Applicants must be 18 or older. Applicants who are 17 may apply only under the additional minor requirements; the Clerk cannot issue a license to anyone under 17.Official requirement
Couples wishing to become legally married in the state of Florida must apply for a marriage license in person and be of 18 years old and over
- Applicants under 18
- An applicant who is 17 must apply at the Central Marriage License Bureau with both parents or a legal guardian present with valid photo identification, the minor's original birth certificate showing the parents' names, and signed parental consent forms. Where the parents are divorced and one parent has full custody, or a parent has died, a certified copy of the custody order or death certificate is required and only the custodial parent's consent is needed. An applicant who is at least 17 may only marry if the other party is no more than two years older.Applies in some cases
Per Florida Statute 741.04, we are prohibited from issuing a marriage license to any person under 17 years of age.
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. For a divorce granted in Miami-Dade County, the date can be found on the docket through the Clerk's Family Online Case Search.
The Clerk asks for the date and does not list a decree, death certificate or annulment order among the documents to bring. It does not state either way whether the document itself is needed, so bring it if you have it.
Applies in some casesIf either applicant has been previously married, they must provide the exact date of the last divorce, death or annulment.
Fee and payment
- Fee
- $86$61 with an original four-hour premarital preparation course certificate of completion from a registered provider, presented at the time of application. A civil ceremony performed by the Clerk costs a further $30.
The premarital course both reduces the fee and waives the three-day waiting period.
Official requirementMarriage license - $86 Marriage application with completion of premarital preparation course - $61
- Payment methods
- Official requirement
- Cash
- Cashier's check
- Money order
- Visa
- Discover
- MasterCard
- American Express
Methods of Payments Accepted: Cash, cashier's check, money orders, Visa, Discover, MasterCard or American Express
Waiting period and expiration
- Waiting period
- 3 days (Florida residents only)
The three-day wait applies only to Florida residents. It is waived for residents who complete an approved four-hour premarital course, and non-Florida residents are exempt from it entirely.
Applies in some casesAll Florida residents have a mandatory three-day waiting period before the marriage license becomes effective or have the option of attending a four-hour premarital course from a registered provider.
- Waiver
- A Florida resident couple can waive the three-day waiting period by presenting an original four-hour premarital course certificate of completion from a registered provider at the time of application. The same certificate reduces the fee to $61. Non-Florida residents have no waiting period to waive.
The Clerk publishes an online directory of registered premarital course providers.
Applies in some casesThe waiting period will be waived and the license will be discounted to $61 upon providing an original four-hour certificate of completion at the time application.
- License expires
- 60 days
The ceremony must also fall on or after the license's effective date, which for Florida residents without a course certificate is three days after issuance.
Official requirementThe marriage ceremony must be performed on or after the effective date and within 60 days of the issuance of the license.
- Where it is valid
- Valid for a ceremony performed anywhere in Florida, regardless of which county issued it. It cannot be used outside Florida.
A couple marrying outside Florida must obtain a license from the state or country where the ceremony will take place.
Official requirementA Florida marriage license allows a couple to get married anywhere in Florida, regardless of the county the license was purchased from.
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 must be performed by an ordained minister, priest, rabbi or other ordained clergy; a Florida judicial officer; a Florida Clerk of the Circuit Court or deputy acting in that role; or a Florida notary public. The Clerk performs civil ceremonies for a $30 fee, by appointment or walk-in.Official requirement
A marriage ceremony must be performed by any of the following: Any ordained minister, priest, rabbi or other ordained clergy All judicial officers (judges) of the state of Florida Clerks of the Circuit Court and their deputies of the state of Florida, while performing their duties Public notaries of the state of Florida
Returning and recording the license
- After the ceremony
- After the ceremony the completed license must be returned to the Miami-Dade County Marriage License Bureau within 10 days.Official requirement
After the marriage ceremony, the marriage license must be returned to the Miami-Dade County Marriage License Bureau within 10 days.
- Processing
This office does not publish this. Confirm with them directly before relying on it.
The Clerk publishes application hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, and warns that walk-ins may wait longer, but does not publish how long issuing a license takes.
Not published by this office
Ordering the certified record afterwards is a separate request: official certified copy page
Access and language
- Published notes
- The Clerk states it is implementing WCAG 2.0 Level AA as its website standard
- A Clerk ADA Coordinator handles website access barriers and requests for accommodation
- For a court proceeding, the Eleventh Judicial Circuit ADA Coordinator should be contacted at least seven days before the scheduled appearance
- Hearing or voice impaired callers can use the Florida Relay Service on 711 or 1-800-955-8771
- The Clerk's site is offered in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole
The marriage-license page separately directs anyone needing special accommodation to the ADA Coordinator.
Official requirementThe Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller is committed to ensuring that its digital service delivery channels, including miamidadeclerk.gov, provide equal access to all users, regardless of ability.
Common questions
- How much does a marriage license cost in Miami-Dade County?
- The fee is $86, set by the Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, Marriage License Bureau. $61 with an original four-hour premarital preparation course certificate of completion from a registered provider.
- Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Miami-Dade 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 Miami-Dade 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 Miami-Dade County?
- Yes. Both applicants must appear together to complete the application.
- Do we have to be residents to marry in Miami-Dade County?
- No residency or citizenship requirement applies. 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.
- Marriage LicensesMiami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
- ADA NoticeMiami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
Recorded conflicts
- The marriage-license page states that customers must complete the online pre-application before visiting the office, and then in the following sentence states that walk-ins are accepted. The pre-application is therefore recorded as a way to expedite the visit rather than a strict precondition, but a couple intending to walk in should confirm with the Marriage License Bureau first.
- The page still carries reopening-era phrasing — 'Marriage License appointments are now available' and 'Wedding ceremonies are now available' — alongside current operating details. Treated as leftover wording rather than a recent change in service; the surrounding hours, fees and appointment links are current.
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