Step By Step
How To Get A Marriage License In Georgia
Six steps, in the order they happen, from the first form to the certified copy in your mailbox.
Pick Your County
If at least one of you lives in Georgia, any county probate court can issue your license and it works anywhere in Georgia. If neither of you lives in Georgia, apply in the county where the ceremony will happen. Start on the county pages.
Decide On Premarital Education
A qualifying course of at least six hours, taken together within the 12 months before you apply, takes $40 off the fee in every county in this guide. Details on fees and premarital education.
Fill Out The Application
Most courts post an application online. Some want it submitted before you can book. Have each of your full legal names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and the surname you will use after marriage ready.
Book The Appointment
Chatham, DeKalb, Glynn and Effingham require appointments. Cobb encourages them, Liberty does not need them and Coweta is first come, first served.
Go Together With Your Documents
Proof of age, any divorce decree or death certificate, your premarital certificate and the fee. The documents checklist has every item.
Marry, Then Return The License
Hand the license to your officiant before the ceremony. Afterward they complete it and it goes back to the court, within 30 days says the state. Then order certified copies. See after the wedding.
Timing
When To Apply
A Georgia license does not expire according to Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Glynn County, so there is no reason to leave it to the last week. I tell my couples to get it as soon as the date and venue are set and the paperwork is easy to find. Appointment calendars fill up in spring and fall, which is also when most weddings happen.
Gwinnett County puts it bluntly. Do not wait until the day of the ceremony, because a missing document can push your date.
Changing Your Date
Glynn County says that if your wedding date moves, your license is still valid and the court updates the date when the completed license comes back.
At The Counter
What Happens At The Court
A clerk checks your IDs and documents, goes through the application with you, and has you both swear that what you wrote is true. You pay, and you leave with the license. In Chatham, Fulton and DeKalb the fee also covers one certified copy, mailed after the license is recorded.
Read your license carefully before you walk away. Names, birth dates and the surname you chose should all match your documents. Fixing a mistake later costs money. Glynn County, for example, lists a petition to amend a marriage license application at $89.
Last checked November 2026, from each court's own page.
County Differences
The Same Law, Different Front Desks
Georgia law is the same everywhere, but every probate court runs its own counter. Chatham wants your online application submitted before you book. DeKalb needs the order number from your online receipt to schedule. Camden asks for two IDs each. Liberty takes cash only and needs no appointment. Fulton has three locations and takes cash only downtown. Read your county page before you go, and the court's own page the week of your visit.
Questions
Questions Couples Ask
How long does it take to get a marriage license in Georgia?
Usually one visit. Most of the time goes into finding an appointment and gathering documents. Gwinnett County notes processing can take over an hour when an application is incomplete, so fill it out ahead.
Can we apply online?
You can start online in many counties. Chatham and DeKalb want the online application submitted before you book, and Cobb, Coweta, Camden, Effingham and Fulton offer an online form. Both of you still have to appear in person to finish.
Can one of us apply alone?
No. Georgia requires both applicants to be present.
Can we get married the same day we get the license?
Yes, in the courts we read. Cobb County asks couples with a same day weekday ceremony to reach the licensing office by 4:30 PM, and Fulton asks Forever Fridays couples to arrive 90 minutes early for license processing.
Where does the license go after the ceremony?
Your officiant completes it and it goes back to the probate court that issued it. The state says within 30 days of the ceremony. Your certificate is then mailed, typically within 30 days.
