MarriageLicenseCheck

Multnomah County marriage license

Issued by the Multnomah County Marriage Licenses — Division of Assessment, Recording and Taxation (County Clerk)

To marry in Multnomah County, you apply to the Multnomah County Marriage Licenses — Division of Assessment, Recording and Taxation (County Clerk). There, both applicants must appear together, there is no residency requirement and the license is valid throughout the state.

Fee
$60
Waiting period
3 daysWaiver available
License valid
60 daysFrom issuance
Both must appear
YesTogether, at the same time

Reviewed July 26, 20265 official sourcesSee sources

Where to apply

Multnomah County Marriage Licenses — Division of Assessment, Recording and Taxation (County Clerk)

Apply online
Yes

The online system completes the application only. Both parties must still come to the office to buy and collect the license.

Official requirement

Marriage license applications can be completed online at www.multcomarriage.org

Apply in person
Yes — Walk-in service only; no appointment is offered or needed.
Official requirement

Walk-in service is available Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:00pm.

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

The office publishes one exception route: "If you cannot appear together, please contact our office for assistance." It does not describe what that assistance is.

Official requirement

Both parties must appear in person to issue a license.

Residency
A license may be obtained in any county in Oregon. The office publishes no residency requirement for either applicant.

A license obtained here must be returned to Multnomah County after the ceremony.

Official requirement

Licenses may be obtained in any county in Oregon, must be returned to the County from which they were issued, and can only be used in the State of Oregon.

Identification and personal information

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

Identification
  • Photo identification for both parties — for example a driver's license, state ID card or passport
  • The name on the application must match the identification presented

Blood tests and medical exams are not required.

Official requirement

Bring photo identification for both parties (driver's license, state id card, passport, etc.). The name on the application should match the identification provided.

Social Security number

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

Neither the license page nor the online application system states a Social Security number requirement.

Not published by this office
Age
Both applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants cannot be first cousins or any nearer of kin, and neither may already be married.
Official requirement

Legal age for marriage in the State of Oregon for both applicants is 18 years-of-age.

Applicants under 18
No license may be issued to an applicant under 18. There is no parental-consent path in Oregon.

ORS 106.060, which formerly let a 17-year-old marry with parental consent, was repealed by 2025 c.224 §9.

Official requirement

Legal age for marriage in the State of Oregon for both applicants is 18 years-of-age.

Prior-marriage documents

If a marriage ended
A license can be issued one day after a divorce is final. If the license is issued within one month of the final divorce date, the exact date of the divorce must be provided.

Only the date is asked for — the office does not publish a requirement to produce a certified copy of the divorce decree.

Applies in some cases

A license can be issued one day after the final date of a divorce. For any license issued within one month of a final divorce, the exact date of divorce must be provided.

Fee and payment

Fee
$60

Bring $65 instead if you are also requesting a waiver of the three-day waiting period, which costs an extra $5. The fee is non-refundable.

Official requirement

Marriage licenses cost $60.00 and is non-refundable.

Payment methods
  • Cash
  • Credit or debit card (a processing fee is charged)
  • Cashier's check or money order made out to "Multnomah County Marriage Licenses"
Official requirement

Bring $60 (cash, credit/debit card, or cashier's check or money order made out to "Multnomah County Marriage Licenses").

Waiting period and expiration

Waiting period
3 days

The license is issued the same day but cannot be used until the waiting period clears. The office describes the three days as running from the day the license is purchased; ORS 106.077 sets the effective date three days after the date the application was signed. Check the effective date printed on the license.

Official requirement

There is a three-day waiting period from the day the license is purchased until it can be used.

Waiver
Yes. The three-day waiting period can be waived for an extra $5, bringing the total to $65. Waiver request forms are available at the Multnomah County Clerk's office, and you must intend to hold the ceremony within three days of the license being issued.

ORS 106.077(2) lets the county clerk sign the waiver order directly, so no separate court trip is needed.

Official requirement

We will waive the three day waiting period for an extra $5.00. You must intend to have a ceremony within three days of the issue of your license, before we can issue the waiver.

License expires
60 days

The 60 days runs from the license's effective date — that is, after the three-day waiting period — not from the day it is bought. Expired licenses cannot be extended and the fee is not refunded.

Official requirement

Once the marriage license is effective, it is only valid for a 60-day period in which to have your marriage ceremony held in the State of Oregon.

Where it is valid
Valid for a ceremony held anywhere in the State of Oregon. The license cannot be used outside Oregon, and it must be returned to Multnomah County.

Oregon does not restrict use to the issuing county, unlike some states.

Official requirement

The ceremony must take place somewhere in the state of Oregon. The marriage license cannot be used out of state.

Witness and ceremony notes

Witnesses
Two witnesses aged 18 or older are required. Neither the officiant nor either partner may act as a witness. Witnesses print their names on the license as verification of their presence.
Official requirement

You need two witnesses who are 18 years or older to make a ceremony valid in Oregon. Neither the minister or partners involved can act as a witness.

Officiant
Ceremonies may be performed by anyone authorised by an active religious congregation or secular organization, an active federal judge, an active United States Magistrate judge, or an Oregon judicial officer. Multnomah County Circuit Court judges may perform ceremonies, but availability varies by judge and must be arranged with the judge directly. Ceremonies are not allowed at the Multnomah Building without prior approval.
Official requirement

As long as the online ordination meets the requirements from the State of Oregon, it is just as official as a traditional religious ordination.

Returning and recording the license

After the ceremony
The officiant fills in the required information, signs the license, and must return it to Multnomah County within five days of the ceremony.

A license issued here must go back to Multnomah County, not to another Oregon county.

Official requirement

Once complete, the officiant is responsible for returning the license to Multnomah County within five days of the ceremony.

Processing
Licenses are issued the same day. Both parties must be in the office with a completed application by 4:00 pm to buy a license that day.

Mailed requests for certified copies are processed within 1-2 business days after receipt.

Official requirement

Licenses are issued the same day.

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

Access and language

Published notes
  • Multnomah County's stated conformance standard is WCAG 2.2 Level AA, and it describes the site as partially conformant
  • The county site and the online marriage application are both published in English and Spanish
  • Free interpretation and translation services are provided on request through Passport to Language, Linguava and IRCO
Official requirement

Our conformance standard is WCAG 2.2 Level AA. This website is partially conformant with WCAG 2.2 Level AA.

Common questions

How much does a marriage license cost in Multnomah County?
The fee is $60, set by the Multnomah County Marriage Licenses — Division of Assessment, Recording and Taxation (County Clerk).
Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Multnomah County?
Yes. A waiting period of 3 days applies between issuance and the ceremony. A waiver is available in some circumstances.
How long is a Multnomah 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 Multnomah County?
Yes. Both applicants must appear together to complete the application.
Do we have to be residents to marry in Multnomah County?
A license may be obtained in any county in Oregon. The office publishes no residency requirement for either applicant.

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 LicensesMultnomah County Division of Assessment, Recording and Taxation — Recording and Customer Service · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  2. Multnomah County Online Marriage Application SystemMultnomah County Marriage License Office · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  3. ORS Chapter 106 — Marriage; Domestic PartnershipOregon State Legislature · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-26
  4. Web AccessibilityMultnomah County · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
  5. Language AccessMultnomah County Office of Diversity and Equity · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26

Recorded conflicts

  • The waiting-period clock is described two ways. The county's online application system says the three days run "from the day the license is purchased", while ORS 106.077(1) makes the license effective three days after the date the application was signed by the applicants. Recorded as three days; the license itself carries the effective date, which is the controlling one.
  • The marriage-licenses page still carries a COVID-era "COVID-19 Protocols" heading ("Masks are welcome, but not required, for in-person service"). It is not contradicted elsewhere on the site and does not bear on any procedural fact recorded here.
  • Certified-copy fees differ by product and are not in conflict: the marriage page prices a certified copy of a marriage record at $7.75 for the first copy and $4.00 for each additional, while the recorded-documents page prices certified copies of recorded documents generally at $3.75 for mailed requests.

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