The Marriage License

Here's what you need to know to make the marriage legal in Michigan.

In order to get married, you need to apply and receive a marriage license. The rules for acquiring your marriage license varies from state to state, so you should check with your city's marriage bureau at your clerk of court's office to find out what your local rules are.

You'll typically need to apply for your marriage license at least one month before your wedding ceremony. You'll traditionally need to send in your birth certificates, tax information, and other official documents. You don't, however, want to apply for your marriage license too early. In some states, the licenses do expire, if you don't get married within a few months.

Below you will find some specific Marriage requirements for Michigan.

ID Requirement: Picture ID such as a driver's license. You should know your Social Security numbers.

Residency Requirement: You do not have to be a resident of Michigan, but the fee is $10 more for non-residents. Residents need to apply for their marriage license in the county in which one of them lives. Non-residents need to apply for their marriage license in the county where they plan on getting married.

Application Requirement: Applicants intending to marry must obtain a marriage license from the county clerk in the county in which one of the parties lives (or, if both parties are non-residents, in the county where the marriage is to be performed), and deliver it to the person who is to solemnize the marriage, before the marriage can be performed. Both applicants are not required to appear in person at the time of applying. However, he or she will be required to complete all information about both applicants:

• A photocopy of the front and back of the other person's driver's license.
• Full names;
• addresses, dates and places of birth;
• Bride's name after marriage

Identification requirements vary in each county. A valid drivers license or certified copy of birth certificate may be requested.

Waiting Period: 3 days. The county clerk can waive the 3 day waiting period for "good and sufficient cause shown."

Fees: $20 for residents, and $30 for non-residents. $15.00 of it is allocated for family counseling services. Wayne County is authorized to charge more. A probate court may waive the marriage license fee in cases of undue hardship.

Blood Tests: No tests

Under 18:  If you are 16 or 17 years old, you can get married with parental consent. Your parents must appear with their own identification and if a custodial parent, proof of their custody. If you are 15 or younger, you will need both parental consent and the approval of the probate court.

Marriage of a Minor: The legal marriage of a minor "shall release such minor from parental control."

Common Law Marriage: No. However, the State does recognize common law marriages that are valid in other states, or unless parties entered into the relationship prior to January 1, 1957. .

Solemnization Authority: Marriages may be solemnized by any of the following:
• Federal, probate, district, and municipal judges, and district court magistrates, in their court area;
• Mayors, in their city;
• Wayne County clerks;
• Ministers of the gospel, anywhere in the state, "if the minister is ordained or authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usages of the denomination, and is a pastor of a church in this state, or continues to preach the gospel in this state";
• Non-resident ministers of the gospel, anywhere in the state, if the minister is authorized to solemnize marriages by his or her state's laws.

Solemnization Form: No particular form or oath is required. The parties merely solemnly declare that they take each other as husband and wife before at least two witnesses and the person officiating. A special law allows "the people called Friends or Quakers" and "people of any other particular denomination, having, as such, any peculiar mode of solemnizing marriages" to solemnize their marriages in their own manner.

Solemnization Fee: Mayors and Wayne County clerks are specifically authorized to collect a fee (set by their city, or county commissioners) for solemnizing marriages. The money is to be turned in to the government. There are no specific provisions concerning fees charged by others.

Certificate: After the wedding ceremony the person who solemnizes the marriage fills in (typed or legibly printed) the certificate with the time and place of the marriage and the names and residences of the two witnesses, and signs it. The part marked "duplicate" is given to the newlyweds, and the original must be mailed to the county clerk that issued it within 10 days. The clerk records the information in a registration book, and mails it on to the the state registrar. The person who performs the marriage must also keep a record ''in a book used expressly for that purpose. The license, when fully filled out, thus serves a "double purpose" and becomes the certificate.

Officiants: A minister of the gospel who is ordained or authorized by his or her church to perform marriages and who is a pastor of a church in this state, or continues to preach the gospel in this state may perform marriages. Ministers must complete a marriage certificate and give one to the couple. Another marriage certificate must be returned to the county clerk who issued the license within 10 days after the marriage.

Valid: License is valid for 33 days.
The license can only be used within the State of Michigan.

Second Marriage: You need to know the date (mm/dd/yy) and how the last marriage ended. If it was within the last 6 months, you will need to bring proof of the divorce that can be left with the Clerk.

Same Sex Marriages:  No. In November, 2004, voters passed a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage.

Michigan County Clerk's Office

Alcona County Clerk Harrisville, MI 989.724.6807	Alger County Clerk Munising, MI 906.387.2076	Allegan County Clerk Allegan, MI 616.673.0450
Alpena County Clerk Alpena, MI 517.356.0115	Antrim County Clerk Bellaire, MI 231.533.6353	Arenac County Clerk Standish, MI 989.846.4626
Baraga County Clerk L'Anse, MI 906.524.6183	Barry County Clerk Hastings, MI 616.945.1285	Bay County Clerk Bay City, MI 989.895.4280
Benzie County Clerk Beulah, MI 231.882.9671	Berrien County Clerk St. Joseph, MI 616.983.7111	Branch County Clerk Coldwater, MI 517.279.4306
Calhoun County Clerk Marshall, MI 616.781.0730	Cass County Clerk Cassopolis, MI 616.445.8621	Charlevoix County Clerk Charlevoix, MI 231.547.7200
Cheboygan County Clerk Cheboygan, MI 231.627.8808	Chippewa County Clerk Sault Ste. Marie, MI 906.635.6300	Clare County Clerk Harrison, MI 989.539.7131
Clinton County Clerk St. Johns, MI 989.224.5140	Crawford County Clerk Grayling, MI 989.344.3200	Delta County Clerk Escanaba, MI 906.789.5105
Dickinson County Clerk Iron Mountain, MI 906.774.0988	Eaton County Clerk Charlotte, MI 517.543.7500	Emmet County Clerk Petoskey, MI 231.348.1744
Genesee County Clerk Flint, MI 810.257.3282	Gladwin County Clerk Gladwin, MI 517.426.7351	Gogebic County Clerk Bessemer, MI 906.663.4518
Grand Traverse County Clerk Traverse City, MI 231.922.4760	Gratiot County Clerk Ithaca, MI 517.875.5215	Hillsdale County Clerk Hillsdale, MI 517.437.3391
Houghton County Clerk Houghton, MI 906.482.1150	Huron County Clerk Bad Axe, MI 989.269.9942	Ingham County Clerk Mason, MI 517.676.7201
Ionia County Clerk Ionia, MI 616.527.5322	Iosco County Clerk Tawas City, MI 989.362.3497	Isabella County Clerk Mt. Pleasant, MI 517.772.0911
Jackson County Clerk Jackson, MI 517.788.4265	Durham Town Clerk Durham, CT 860.349.3452	Kalamazoo County Clerk Kalamazoo, MI 616.383.8840
Kalkaska County Clerk Kalkaska, MI 231.258.3300	Kent County Clerk Grand Rapids, MI 616.336.3550	Keweenaw County Clerk Eagle River, MI 906.337.2229
Lake County Clerk Baldwin, MI 231.745.4641	Lapeer County Clerk Lapeer, MI 810.667.0356	Leelanau County Clerk Leland, MI 231.256.9824
Lenawee County Clerk Adrian, MI 517.264.4606	Livingston County Clerk Howell, MI 517.546.0500	Luce County Clerk Newberry, MI 906.293.5521
Mackinac County Clerk St. Ignace, MI 906.643.7300	Macomb County Clerk Mt. Clemens, MI 586.469.5120	Manistee County Clerk Manistee, MI 231.723.3331
Marquette County Clerk Marquette, MI 906.225.8330	Mason County Clerk Ludington, MI 231.843.8202	Mecosta County Clerk Big Rapids, MI 231.592.0783
Menominee County Clerk Menominee, MI 906.863.9968	Midland County Clerk Midland, MI 517.832.6739	Missaukee County Clerk Lake City, MI 231.839.4967
Monroe County Clerk Monroe, MI 734.240.7020	Montcalm County Clerk Stanton, MI 989.831.7339	Montmorency County Clerk Atlanta, MI 517.785.8022
Muskegon County Clerk Muskegon, MI 231.724.6221	Newaygo County Clerk White Cloud, MI 231.689.7235	Oakland County Clerk Pontiac, MI 248.858.0572
Oceana County Clerk Hart, MI 231.873.4328	Ogemaw County Clerk West Branch, MI 517.345.0215	Ontonagon County Clerk Ontonagon, MI 906.884.4255
Osceola County Clerk Reed City, MI 231.832.6104	Oscoda County Clerk Mio, MI 989.826.1110	Otsego County Clerk Gaylord, MI 517.732.6484
Ottawa County Clerk Grand Haven, MI 616.846.8310	Presque Isle County Clerk Rogers City, MI 800.334.5698	Roscommon County Clerk Roscommon, MI 989.275.5923
Saginaw County Clerk Saginaw, MI 989.790.5251	St. Clair County Clerk Port Huron, MI 810.985.2200	St. Joseph County Clerk Centreville, MI 616.467.5602
Sanilac County Clerk Sandusky, MI 810.648.3212	Schoolcraft County Clerk Manistique, MI 906.341.3618	Shiawassee County Clerk Corunna, MI 517.743.2242
Tuscola County Clerk Caro, MI 517.672.3780	Van Buren County Clerk Paw Paw, MI 616.657.8218	Washtenaw County Clerk Ann Arbor, MI 734.994.2501
Wayne County Clerk Detroit, MI 313.224.6262	Wexford County Clerk Cadillac, MI 231.779.9450

View local wedding professional in Michigan **As with any other laws, marriage laws can change so we advise you to check with the county, city, or town clerk.**