MarriageLicenseCheck

Milwaukee County marriage license

Issued by the Office of the Milwaukee County Clerk

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

Fee
$120
Waiting period
4 daysWaiver available
License valid
60 daysFrom issuance
Both must appear
YesTogether, at the same time

Reviewed July 30, 20262 official sourcesSee sources

Where to apply

Office of the Milwaukee County Clerk

Apply online
No

There is no online application. A marriage license information form (also available in Spanish) may be completed ahead and brought to the appointment or emailed to the Clerk, but it only expedites the in-person application.

Official requirement

The couple must apply together in person.

Apply in person
Yes

By appointment only, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Courthouse Room 105, 901 North 9th Street. Appointments can be booked up to 30 days before the wedding date; if none is available at least four days before the wedding, call the office at (414) 278-4067.

Official requirement

The County Clerk's Office issues marriage licenses at the Courthouse, Room 105, by appointment only.

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

The couple must apply together in person.

Residency
No residency requirement. Anyone marrying in Wisconsin may apply before the county clerk of any county in the state, although each applicant must still show proof of where they currently live.

Wisconsin's older county-of-residence rule no longer applies: state law now has the license issued by the county clerk of any county in the state.

Official requirement

You do not have to be a Wisconsin resident to apply.

Identification and personal information

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

Identification
  • Photo ID for each applicant, such as a valid driver's license
  • A certified birth certificate for each applicant, issued by a government agency (a permanent resident card or naturalization paper is accepted in lieu of the birth record; photocopies and torn, taped, laminated or illegible documents are not accepted, nor are hospital 'certificates of birth' or 'birth registrations')
  • Proof of residency for each applicant (state-issued driver's license or ID, utility bill, bank statement or lease agreement)
  • Social Security number for each applicant who has one
  • If previously married: the filed copy of the final judgment of divorce, a certified divorce certificate, legal annulment or certified death certificate that ended the last marriage
  • Any document not in English must be attached to a certified and notarized translation

Both applicants must be able to speak and read English or bring their own translator; applicants may not translate for each other.

Official requirement

Each applicant must bring in a certified birth certificate. A certified birth certificate is one that has been issued by a government agency.

Social Security number
Each applicant must provide their Social Security number if they have one.
Official requirement

Each applicant must provide their Social Security number if they have one.

Age
The minimum age to marry is 18.

Wisconsin law also bars marriage between relatives nearer of kin than second cousins, with a narrow first-cousin exception defined in state law.

Official requirement

The minimum age to marry is 18.

Applicants under 18
Applicants who are 16 or 17 must have both parents' consent or the consent of their legal guardian. A consent form must be completed, signed and notarized; the form is available in the Office of the County Clerk.
Applies in some cases

Applicants who are 16 or 17 must have both parents' consent or the consent of their legal guardian. A consent form must be completed, signed and notarized.

Prior-marriage documents

If a marriage ended
A filed copy of the final judgment of divorce, a certified divorce certificate, legal annulment or certified death certificate that ended the last marriage must be shown at the time of application. Wisconsin law also makes it unlawful to marry until six months after the date a judgment of divorce was granted, wherever the divorce was granted.
Applies in some cases

In Wisconsin it is unlawful for any person to marry until six months after the date of the granting of a judgment of divorce, regardless of where the divorce was granted.

Fee and payment

Fee
$120

Non-refundable, payable when the application is filed. A separate $25.00 fee applies only if the waiting period is waived.

Official requirement

The marriage license fee is $120 payable at the time of filing an application and is non-refundable.

Payment methods
  • Cash
  • Credit or debit card (3% convenience fee)

Personal checks, American Express and Chase credit cards are not accepted.

Official requirement

We accept cash and credit/debit cards. There is a convenience fee of 3% for all credit/debit card transactions. Personal checks, American Express, and Chase credit cards are not accepted.

Waiting period and expiration

Waiting period
4 days

Counted from the application: the Clerk requires the application to be completed at least four days before the wedding date, and the license becomes valid after the 4-day waiting period. The statute itself bars issuance only within 3 days of application; see the conflict note.

Official requirement

By statute your license is valid for 60 days and there is a 4-day waiting period before it becomes valid.

Waiver
The waiting period can be waived for a $25.00 fee.
Official requirement

By statute we can waive the 4-day waiting period, however there is a $25.00 fee to do that.

License expires
60 days

A wedding date must be set before applying; the appointment calendar opens up to 30 days before the wedding date.

Official requirement

The license is valid for 60 days upon the issuance date.

Where it is valid
Valid for ceremonies performed in any county in the State of Wisconsin, and the license may be filed in any county in the state.
Official requirement

Applicants marrying in the State of Wisconsin can apply before the county clerk of any county in the state, and the license issued may be used and filed in any county in the State of Wisconsin.

Witness and ceremony notes

Witnesses
State law requires at least two competent adult witnesses besides the officiant. If one of the parties is serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces, a reserve unit or the national guard, one competent adult witness besides the officiant suffices.
Official requirement

in the presence of at least 2 competent adult witnesses other than the officiating person

Officiant
Applicants must provide the name, address and telephone number of the officiant when applying, so a wedding date and officiant must be arranged first. Civil ceremonies at the courthouse are cancelled until further notice; the Clerk's office keeps a list of officiants who perform ceremonies at other locations, available by phone at (414) 278-4067 or in Room 105.

A wedding date must be set prior to application.

Official requirement

You must provide the name, address and telephone number of the officiant performing the wedding ceremony.

Returning and recording the license

After the ceremony

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

The Clerk publishes no rule of its own on returning the completed license; it links the state's officiant publication for post-ceremony filing duties. Certified copies of the marriage certificate come from any county Register of Deeds office in Wisconsin.

Not published by this office
Processing
The license is not handed over at the application appointment: it can be picked up any time after the 4-day waiting period and before the ceremony.
Official requirement

Therefore, you can pick up your license any time after the 4-day waiting period, but prior to your ceremony.

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

Access and language

Published notes
  • A Spanish-language marriage license information form (Forma de Licencia de Matrimonio) is provided
  • The online appointment tool is English-only; Spanish-speaking applicants can schedule by phone at (414) 278-4067
  • Both applicants must be able to speak and read English or bring their own translator; applicants may not translate for each other
Official requirement

Both applicants must speak and be able to read English. Applicants may not translate for each other. The applicant must provide a translator.

Common questions

How much does a marriage license cost in Milwaukee County?
The fee is $120, set by the Office of the Milwaukee County Clerk.
Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Milwaukee County?
Yes. A waiting period of 4 days applies between issuance and the ceremony. A waiver is available in some circumstances.
How long is a Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee County?
Yes. Both applicants must appear together to complete the application.
Do we have to be residents to marry in Milwaukee County?
No residency requirement. Anyone marrying in Wisconsin may apply before the county clerk of any county in the state, although each applicant must still show proof of where they currently live.

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.

  1. Milwaukee County Marriage LicenseOffice of the Milwaukee County Clerk · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
  2. Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 765 - MarriageWisconsin State Legislature · state-level source · retrieved 2026-07-30

Recorded conflicts

  • The Clerk's page describes a 4-day waiting period 'by statute', but Wis. Stat. s. 765.08(1) as currently published bars issuance only within 3 days of application, waivable at the clerk's discretion for a fee of not more than $25. The Clerk's published 4-day period and $25.00 waiver fee are recorded as the operative Milwaukee County practice; the statutory 3-day text is noted here rather than silently substituted.
  • Older descriptions of Wisconsin practice (application in the applicant's county of residence, 6-day waiting period) are superseded: Wis. Stat. s. 765.05 now provides for issuance by the county clerk of any county in the state, and the Clerk's page confirms non-residents may apply. The current published rules are recorded.

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