Tarrant County marriage license
To marry in Tarrant County, you apply to the Tarrant County Clerk's Office, Vital Records Division. There, both applicants must appear together.
- Fee
- $76Reduced to $16 for couples who attend the State of Texas approved marriage education class and present a printed
- Waiting period
- 72 hoursWaiver available
- License valid
- 90 daysFrom issuance
- Both must appear
- YesTogether, at the same time
Reviewed July 30, 20267 official sourcesSee sources
Where to apply
- Apply online
- Yes
Two separate routes are published. The fill-and-save online application only starts the process — applicants must still appear in person to sign and purchase the license. Separately, formal-license applicants who cannot come in person may complete the whole process by video conference, which requires a notarized Affidavit of Age and Identity, the ability to upload required documentation, and a computer with reliable high-speed internet, microphone, speakers and webcam; the costs are the same.
Official requirementUnable to come in person to our office to apply for a formal marriage license application? Then join us via video conference.
- Apply in person
- Yes
The process can be completed at the downtown Plaza Building or at any of the Clerk's eight Vital Records locations, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding county holidays.
Official requirementThe process can be completed at the downtown location or at a Tarrant County subcourthouse location.
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
Appearance may be in person or together by video conference — the video option is published for formal-license applicants only. Published exceptions: one applicant may apply on the other's behalf with a completed, notarized absentee affidavit, and a license with both applicants absent may only be issued when both are members of the U.S. armed forces stationed in another country in support of combat or another military operation. Marriage by the appearance of a proxy is published only for such a service member who cannot attend the ceremony. An absentee affidavit cannot be used for an informal (common-law) marriage license.
Official requirementBoth parties must appear in person or together via video conference.
- Residency
- Texas residency is not required, but since January 1, 2019 a $100 out-of-state applicant fee is charged if neither applicant can prove Texas residency. Published proof includes a driver's license, state ID, handgun license, vehicle registration, property tax statement or homestead exemption, voter registration card, military orders showing Texas as home of record, income tax records, a paycheck stub or employment letter on company letterhead, receipt of benefits from a state agency, or 12 months of utility bills; PO Box addresses are not accepted.
The Clerk's FAQ confirms non-residents may obtain a license: the $100 fee is added on top of the $76 (or $16 discounted) license fee.
Official requirementEffective January 1, 2019, a $100 Out-of-State Applicant fee will be assessed if neither applicant is able to prove Texas residency.
Identification and personal information
We list what the office says it may ask for. We never collect any of it.
- Identification
- Valid, government-issued picture identification — names appear on the license exactly as they appear on the ID
- Driver's license or state ID from any state (current, or no more than two years expired)
- Passport, U.S. or foreign (current, unexpired)
- Military ID card with photo — active duty, Reserve, retired or dependent (current, unexpired)
- Visa
- Other documents on the Clerk's accepted-ID list, including an original or certified birth certificate with photo ID, a Certificate of Naturalization or of United States Citizenship with photo, a permanent or temporary resident card, an employment authorization card, or a Texas concealed handgun license with photo ID
The Clerk's office cannot change the name or the spelling of a name shown on the ID. The full accepted-ID list, with a per-document currency rule for each entry, is published as a PDF.
Official requirementMust have a valid, government-issued picture identification. Names will be reflected on the marriage license exactly as they appear on the IDs.
- Social Security number
- Each applicant must know their Social Security number; the fee schedule qualifies this with "if applicable". Nothing published requires presenting the card itself.Official requirement
Must know Social Security number.
- Age
- Both parties must be at least 18 years old. The same minimum applies to the formal license and to the declaration and registration of an informal (common-law) marriage, and a person under 18 may not obtain an informal marriage license at all.Official requirement
Both parties must be at least 18 years of age.
- Applicants under 18
- Since September 1, 2017 an applicant under 18 can be licensed only with a Texas court order under Texas Family Code Chapter 31 removing the disabilities of minority of the applicant for general purposes. Minor applicants must also show a certified copy of their birth certificate together with a current school ID, driver's license or state ID.Applies in some cases
Effective September 1, 2017, if either applicant is under 18 years of age, a court order granted by this state under Texas Family Code Chapter 31, removing the disabilities of minority of the applicant for general purpose is required.
Prior-marriage documents
- If a marriage ended
- If either applicant is divorced, there is a 30-day waiting period after the divorce is final before remarriage, unless waived. If the 30-day waiting period is waived, a certified copy must be presented at the time the license is purchased.
The page does not spell out which document the certified copy refers to, though it reads as the court's waiver. The Clerk's accepted-ID list separately names an original or certified divorce decree as an identity document. Divorce records themselves are held by the District Clerk, not the County Clerk.
Applies in some casesIf divorced, there is a 30-day waiting period after the divorce is final before remarriage--unless waived. If the 30-day waiting period is waived, a certified copy must be presented at the time the license is purchased.
Fee and payment
- Fee
- $76Reduced to $16 for couples who attend the State of Texas approved marriage education class and present a printed, valid Twogether in Texas certificate or similar premarital counseling course certificate — the certificate also waives the 72-hour waiting period.
Separate published fees: $41 for a declaration and registration of an informal (common-law) marriage, a $100 out-of-state applicant fee when neither applicant proves Texas residency, and a 1.73 percent processing fee on card payments.
Official requirementThe fee is $76 cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. (Credit card use adds a 1.73% fee.)
- Payment methods
- Cash
- Credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover)
Card use adds a 1.73 percent processing fee. The fee schedule states the license fee is payable by cash or card only; checks and money orders are published only for mailed certified-copy orders.
Official requirementThe fee is $76, payable by cash or credit/debit card payment types only. If using a credit/debit card an additional processing fee will be applied.
Waiting period and expiration
- Waiting period
- 72 hours
The 72 hours run from issuance of the license to the ceremony; the license itself is issued the same day. The wait can be waived only on the published criteria recorded under the waiver field.
Official requirementThere is a 72-hour waiting period after the license is issued before the marriage ceremony can take place.
- Waiver
- The Clerk publishes three ways around the 72-hour wait: an applicant who is a member of the U.S. armed forces on active duty, with military ID shown to the person performing the ceremony; a 72-hour waiver signed by a District Judge, which must be shown to and kept by the person performing the ceremony; or a valid Twogether in Texas certificate or a premarital counseling certificate from a known counselor, printed and shown both to the person issuing the license and to the person performing the ceremony. The Twogether in Texas route also cuts the license fee from $76 to $16.
Tarrant's published list has exactly three criteria; see the source conflict notes on how it compares with the statute other counties restate.
Applies in some casesThe 72-hour waiting period can be waived by meeting one of three criteria.
- License expires
- 90 days
The Clerk publishes this without exceptions.
Official requirementThe marriage must take place within 90 days from the date of issuance--no exceptions.
- Where it is valid
- A formal Texas marriage license can be obtained from any county in Texas and the marriage can be performed anywhere. For a ceremony outside Texas, the Clerk directs couples to the destination state office, consulate or embassy to learn that jurisdiction's requirements. The completed license is returned to and recorded by the Tarrant County Clerk, and certified copies are available only for licenses obtained and recorded in Tarrant County.Official requirement
A formal marriage license can be obtained from any county in Texas and the marriage can be performed anywhere. If the marriage takes place outside of Texas, contact the appropriate state office, consulate or embassy to learn the marriage requirements for that state or country.
Witness and ceremony notes
- Witnesses
This office does not publish this. Confirm with them directly before relying on it.
Neither the County Clerk's marriage pages nor the Justice of the Peace wedding pages publish a witness requirement or count.
Not published by this office- Officiant
- Authorized officiants are licensed or ordained Christian ministers and priests, Jewish rabbis, officers of religious organizations duly authorized to conduct marriage ceremonies, and the published list of serving and retired Texas justices, judges, justices of the peace and municipal judges, plus federal judges and magistrates of this state. Couples without an officiant can get a list of Tarrant County Justice of the Peace courts from any Vital Records location. Justice of the Peace Court 2 in Arlington, for example, performs weddings for a $200 fee in cash only, limits attendance to 25 guests, recommends appointments, and offers prepaid evening and weekend weddings for an additional fee.
Ceremony fees and procedures are set by each Justice of the Peace court and differ between precincts.
Official requirementLicensed or ordained Christian ministers and priests, Jewish rabbis, persons who are officers of religious organizations and who are duly authorized by the organization to conduct marriage ceremonies; Justices of the Supreme Court, Justices of the Court of Criminal Appeals, Justices of the District, County and Probate Courts, Judges of the County Courts at Law, Courts of Domestic Relations and Juvenile Courts, retired Justices and Judges of such courts, Justices of the Peace, retired Justices of the Peace, the Judge of a Municipal Court, the Judges and Magistrate of the Federal Courts of this state.
Returning and recording the license
- After the ceremony
- The person who performs the ceremony is responsible for returning the completed license to the Tarrant County Clerk within 30 days from the date of marriage, in the provided envelope or by mail to 200 Taylor Street, Suite 301, Fort Worth. Recording can be expedited by hand-delivering the completed license to any of the Clerk's eight locations: delivered by one of the persons on the license, it is recorded while you wait; otherwise the recorded license is mailed to the couple, which Justice of the Peace Court 2 tells couples to expect two to four weeks after the wedding.Official requirement
The person who performs a marriage ceremony is responsible for returning the marriage license to our office within 30 days from the date of marriage.
- Processing
This office does not publish this. Confirm with them directly before relying on it.
The Clerk does not publish how long license issuance takes once applicants reach the counter. Post-ceremony recording times are published instead: while-you-wait when the completed license is hand-delivered by one of the persons on it. A certified copy of the recorded license costs $21 for the first copy and $11 for each additional copy purchased at the same time.
Not published by this office
Ordering the certified record afterwards is a separate request: official certified copy page
Access and language
- Published notes
- Official requirement
- Tarrant County publishes ADA Title II accommodation-request and grievance procedures, submittable online or on a printable paper form, with stated review, determination and appeal time frames
- The county ADA Coordinator sits in Risk Management: 817-884-2640, ADARequests@tarrantcountytx.gov, 100 E Weatherford St. Suite 401, Fort Worth, Texas 76196
- The county states it will provide appropriate assistance to persons with disabilities or who may be limited in their ability to communicate in English, and a grievance may be made verbally or by other appropriate means when the online form cannot be completed
- County web pages carry a language-translation menu
Tarrant County will provide appropriate assistance to persons with disabilities or who may be limited in their ability to communicate in English.
Common questions
- How much does a marriage license cost in Tarrant County?
- The fee is $76, set by the Tarrant County Clerk's Office, Vital Records Division. Reduced to $16 for couples who attend the State of Texas approved marriage education class and present a printed.
- Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Tarrant County?
- Yes. A waiting period of 72 hours applies between issuance and the ceremony. A waiver is available in some circumstances.
- How long is a Tarrant County marriage license valid?
- The license is valid for 90 days from issuance. A ceremony after that date requires a new license.
- Do both partners have to appear in person in Tarrant County?
- Yes. Both applicants must appear together to complete the application.
- Do we have to be residents to marry in Tarrant County?
- Texas residency is not required, but since January 1, 2019 a $100 out-of-state applicant fee is charged if neither applicant can prove Texas residency. Published proof includes a driver's license, state ID, handgun license, vehicle registration, property tax statement or homestead exemption, voter registration card, military orders showing Texas as home of record, income tax records, a paycheck stub or employment letter on company letterhead, receipt of benefits from a state agency, or 12 months of utility bills; PO Box addresses are not accepted.
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 30, 2026.
- Marriage LicensesTarrant County Clerk's Office, Vital Records Division · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
- Vital Records FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)Tarrant County Clerk's Office, Vital Records Division · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
- Fee SchedulesTarrant County Clerk's Office, Vital Records Division · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
- Certified Copy of a Marriage LicenseTarrant County Clerk's Office, Vital Records Division · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
- Acceptable Identification for a Marriage LicenseTarrant County Clerk's Office · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
- WeddingTarrant County Justice of the Peace Court 2 · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
- Request ADA AccommodationTarrant County · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
Recorded conflicts
- Waiver criteria: Tarrant publishes exactly three ways around the 72-hour wait — active-duty armed forces, a District Judge's waiver, and a premarital education certificate. It does not restate the Texas Family Code exemption for civilian U.S. Department of Defense employees and contractors that some other Texas counties' pages list. Recorded as Tarrant publishes it; an applicant relying on the statutory DoD exemption should confirm with the Clerk.
- Payment wording: the marriage page names cash plus Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover with a 1.73% card fee, while the fee schedule says the fee is "payable by cash or credit/debit card payment types only" with an unspecified "additional processing fee". The two agree that checks are not accepted for the license fee; checks and money orders appear only for mailed certified-copy orders.
- Address: the Plaza Building return address is printed with ZIP 76196 on the marriage and certified-copy pages but 76102 on the fee schedule page. Recorded as the marriage page prints it (76196, the county's own ZIP).
- Vendor hosts: the fill-and-save online application runs at countyfusion.tarrantcounty.com on the county's legacy tarrantcounty.com domain, which redirects to tarrantcountytx.gov — allowlisted as navigation only. The remote video-conference application form runs on a third-party forms platform (tarrantcountytx.seamlessdocs.com), so it is not linked from this record and no fact is sourced from it. Online certified-copy mail orders run through VitalChek, the commercial vendor the Clerk names as its only approved internet business partner; also not used as a source.
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