Requirements
Georgia Marriage License Requirements
What Georgia asks of every couple before a probate court will issue a license, in plain words, with the source for each rule.
The Legal Basics
Who Can Marry In Georgia
The Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia sets out the basics. Both of you must be of sound mind, have no living spouse from a marriage that was never dissolved, and not be related in a degree the law prohibits. Both of you must be at least 18, with a narrow exception for a 17 year old who meets every one of several conditions. Council of Probate Court Judges.
Both Of You, In Person
Georgia requires both of you to be present at the probate court. The license is issued on a written application that you both swear to under oath, so neither of you can send the other alone. Georgia.gov.
The Checklist
What Every Court Asks For
- Proof of age for each of you, such as a valid driver's license, a passport, a certified birth certificate or a military ID
- If either of you was divorced, a final, certified divorce decree for the most recent divorce
- If either of you was widowed, proof of death of the former spouse, such as a death certificate
- A certified translation for any legal document not in English
- Your premarital education certificate, if you want the lower fee
- Payment in a form the court accepts
Counties add their own details. Camden wants two IDs each and will not take a Social Security card as one. Cobb asks for the decree if a divorce was within the past 90 days. See the documents checklist for the county by county version.
What Georgia Does Not Require
No Blood Test
Premarital blood tests ended in Georgia on July 1, 2003. The state still recommends a sickle cell test for each applicant. Council of Probate Court Judges.
No Witnesses
Glynn County says Georgia does not require witnesses and asks couples not to write a witness name on the application. Cobb County agrees witnesses are not required at the ceremony, while noting they can help if an officiant never returns the license. Glynn County.
No Residency Requirement
You do not have to live in Georgia to marry here. Residency only decides which county can issue your license. Read out of state and international couples.
Your Name
Choose Your Married Surname On The Application
The application asks each of you to name the surname you will use after the marriage. Georgia lets you keep your given surname, use a surname from a previous marriage, take your spouse's surname, or combine your spouse's surname with yours. Council of Probate Court Judges. The license itself always shows your names at the time you applied. The change happens afterward, which is covered in changing your name.
Get every name exactly right. Gwinnett County warns that wrong or incomplete names on the application can cause trouble later with immigration, Social Security or Driver Services, plus time and cost to correct.
Age Rules In Detail
The 17 Year Old Exception
Since July 1, 2019, no one under 17 can get a Georgia marriage license, and parental consent no longer counts. A 17 year old can only be issued a license if all of these are true. A juvenile court has granted emancipation and a certified copy of the order is presented. Fifteen days have passed since the order. The older party is no more than four years older. And premarital education is completed, separately for each person. Everyone else must be 18 or older.
Questions
Questions Couples Ask
How old do you have to be to get married in Georgia?
Both of you must be at least 18. The Council of Probate Court Judges describes a narrow exception for a 17 year old who has been emancipated by a juvenile court order at least 15 days earlier, has completed premarital education, and is marrying someone no more than four years older. No one under 17 can get a license, and parental consent is no longer allowed.
Do we need a blood test?
No. Georgia stopped requiring premarital blood tests on July 1, 2003. The state does recommend that each applicant get a sickle cell blood test.
Do we need a Social Security number?
The application forms we read ask each applicant for a Social Security number. If you do not have one, ask the court before your appointment what it accepts.
Does the license expire?
Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Glynn County each say on their pages that a Georgia marriage license does not have an expiration date.
Is there a waiting period?
The courts we read describe getting a license and marrying the same day. Cobb County, for example, tells couples with a same day weekday ceremony to reach the licensing office by 4:30 PM.
Can same sex couples marry in Georgia?
Yes. Georgia DDS notes that same sex marriage is recognized in Georgia following the 2015 Supreme Court ruling.
