MarriageLicenseCheck

Cook County marriage license

Issued by the Cook County Clerk's Office, Bureau of Vital Records

To marry in Cook County, you apply to the Cook County Clerk's Office, Bureau of Vital Records. There, both applicants must appear together and the license is valid only where it is issued.

Fee
$60
Waiting period
1 day
License valid
60 daysFrom issuance
Both must appear
YesTogether, at the same time

Reviewed July 26, 20263 official sourcesSee sources

Where to apply

Cook County Clerk's Office, Bureau of Vital Records

Apply online
Yes

The online form starts the application only. It does not replace the in-person appearance.

Official requirement

Couples who begin the application online must still appear at one of the Clerk's offices to finish filling out and sign the application.

Apply in person
Yes
Official requirement

Appear together at one of the Clerk's Vital Records 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
Official requirement

All couples must appear together at one of the Clerk's locations for marriage licenses

Residency

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

The Clerk publishes no residency requirement either way. The county-only ceremony restriction is a separate rule.

Not published by this office

Identification and personal information

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

Identification
  • One of: State-issued driver's license or State ID (U.S.-issued)
  • U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card
  • U.S. Military Identification Card
  • Foreign Passport
  • Driver's License or Non-Driver ID issued by a U.S. Territory
  • Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) Card
  • Global Entry Card
  • Or any two of: certified birth certificate, U.S. Naturalization Certificate, Resident Alien Card, baptismal record showing date of birth, consulate identification card, U.S. Employment Authorization Card, Native American tribal document, temporary visitor driver's license

All forms must be current and valid.

Official requirement

Special ID requirements for marriage and civil union licenses

Social Security number

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

No Social Security number requirement is stated for a marriage license.

Not published by this office
Age
Both applicants must be 18 or older.

First cousins over 50 may marry under state law.

Official requirement

Both partners must: be 18 years of age or older / not be blood relatives / not already be legally married to someone else or each other

Applicants under 18
Applicants aged 16 or 17 may obtain a license with parental consent. Both parents or legal guardians must appear in person, give sworn consent and show valid identification. The applicant must present a certified birth certificate and a second form of identification showing date of birth.
Applies in some cases

Under state law, applicants who are 16 and 17 years old may obtain a marriage license with parental consent

Prior-marriage documents

If a marriage ended
You must give the date the divorce was finalised. A certified copy of the divorce decree is required only if the divorce was finalised within the last six months.

This six-month threshold is specific to Cook County and differs from other jurisdictions.

Applies in some cases

Applicants who have divorced within the last six months must provide a certified copy of their divorce decree.

Fee and payment

Fee
$60
Official requirement

Pay the marriage license fee of $60.

Payment methods

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

The Clerk publishes payment methods for certificate orders, but not for the license fee itself.

Not published by this office

Waiting period and expiration

Waiting period
1 day

The license is issued immediately but does not take effect until the following day.

Official requirement

Effective 1 day after issuance.

Waiver

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

No waiver of the one-day effectiveness period is published.

Not published by this office
License expires
60 days

A ceremony held after the expiration date is not valid.

Official requirement

Valid for 60 days from the date of issuance.

Where it is valid
Valid only for ceremonies performed in Chicago and suburban Cook County.

Illinois restricts use to the issuing county. A Cook County license cannot be used elsewhere in Illinois.

Official requirement

Valid only for ceremonies performed in Chicago and suburban Cook County.

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 count.

Not published by this office
Officiant
Officiants are not required to register with any government office in Illinois. Couples without an officiant may be married by a Cook County judge at the Marriage and Civil Union Court, 119 W. Randolph St., six days a week.
Official requirement

Wedding officiants in Illinois are not required to register with any government office prior to performing a marriage.

Returning and recording the license

After the ceremony
The officiant must complete the lower portion of the license and return it to the Cook County Clerk within 10 days after the ceremony, by mail or in person.

The Clerk records the license on receipt; the 10-day window does not affect recording.

Official requirement

Must be returned to the Cook County Clerk's Office within 10 DAYS after the ceremony, by mail or in person.

Processing
The license is issued while you wait.

Certificates are printed on demand in person; mail orders average 20 working days.

Official requirement

Issued while you wait.

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

Access and language

Published notes
  • The Clerk states a commitment to WCAG 2.2 conformance
  • BrowseAloud read-aloud support is provided
  • Site available in Spanish, Polish, Chinese (Simplified), Arabic, Hindi, Gujarati, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, Ukrainian and Urdu
Official requirement

The Cook County Clerk is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible website experience for all users, including individuals with disabilities

Common questions

How much does a marriage license cost in Cook County?
The fee is $60, set by the Cook County Clerk's Office, Bureau of Vital Records.
Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Cook County?
Yes. A waiting period of 1 day applies between issuance and the ceremony.
How long is a Cook 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 Cook County?
Yes. Both applicants must appear together to complete the application.

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 LicensesCook County Clerk's Office · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  2. What ID Do I Need?Cook County Clerk's Office · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  3. Accessibility InformationCook County Clerk's Office · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26

Recorded conflicts

  • The Clerk's general FAQ still describes video-conference license issuance under a COVID-era executive order, but the dedicated virtual-issuance page is no longer accessible and the authoritative marriage-licenses page requires all couples to appear in person. Treated as discontinued; in-person appearance is published as required.

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

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