Marriage License

A Miami-Dade County marriage license allows a couple to marry legally anywhere in Florida. This article explains who may apply, where the application is completed, which identification and personal details are required, how the waiting period works, what fees may apply, how to arrange a civil ceremony, and how to search for or obtain copies of a marriage record.

Marriage License Authority

The Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller operates the Marriage License Bureau. The Clerk accepts marriage license applications, reviews identification and eligibility information, issues licenses, schedules ceremonies performed by deputy clerks, maintains marriage license records, and provides certified copies of licenses issued in Miami-Dade County.

Couples must apply for the license in person. Completing information online does not by itself create or issue a marriage license. The online form is a pre-application that reduces the amount of information that must be entered during the office visit.

A marriage license purchased in Miami-Dade County may be used for a marriage ceremony anywhere in Florida. There is no Florida residency or United States citizenship requirement. Couples planning to marry outside Florida must obtain the license required by the state or country where the ceremony will take place.

Basic Applicant Eligibility

Applicants who are 18 or older may apply under the standard marriage license requirements. Both spouses must be present when the application is completed with the Clerk.

The application process requires the Clerk to verify each applicant’s identity, age, legal name, and other information. Applicants should make sure that names and dates entered in the online system match the identification they intend to present. Differences involving a maiden surname, middle name, suffix, birth date, or identification number can delay completion of the application.

Residency and Citizenship

Applicants do not have to live in Miami-Dade County or elsewhere in Florida. Nonresidents may obtain a license from the Miami-Dade County Clerk and use it for a ceremony anywhere within the state.

Citizenship is also not an eligibility condition. However, the identification and number provided during the application will depend on whether the applicant has a United States Social Security number and which government-issued identification is available.

Online Pre-Application

Applicants should begin with the Clerk’s online marriage license pre-application. The Clerk requires customers to complete this form before visiting an office. The form should be completed using information exactly as it appears on each applicant’s legal identification.

The pre-application collects separate information for both spouses. Each applicant should be prepared to provide:

First, middle, and last name
Any applicable suffix
Maiden surname
Date of birth
State or country of birth
Whether the applicant has a United States Social Security number
City, county, and state or country of residence
Identification type and identification number
The number of the applicant’s current marriage
How the applicant’s last marriage ended
The date the last marriage ended
Whether the applicant completed a premarital course
Gender

The form also requests general contact information, including a mailing address, telephone number, and email address. Applicants should review all entries before submitting the form, particularly identification numbers, legal names, prior-marriage dates, and email information.

After submission, the system provides an application confirmation number. That confirmation number is required when scheduling an application appointment. Applicants should save or print the confirmation information so it is available when making the appointment and visiting the Clerk’s office.

Application Appointments

After completing the pre-application, applicants may use the Clerk’s marriage license appointment system to schedule, change, or cancel an application appointment. The appointment system asks for the confirmation number generated by the pre-application.

Marriage license application and ceremony appointments are available through the Central Marriage License Bureau and district locations. Walk-ins are accepted, but the Clerk advises that customers without an appointment may experience a longer wait.

Marriage license offices generally serve customers Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Applicants can review the official district court locations to identify a full-service location that handles marriage licenses. The Clerk operates six full-service district court locations in addition to the Central Marriage License Bureau.

Applicants who need their license by a particular date should allow for the required in-person visit and any waiting period that applies. An appointment reserves an application time, but it does not remove identification requirements, prior-marriage disclosure requirements, or the waiting period for Florida residents.

Identification Requirements

Each applicant must present valid federal or state government photo identification showing the correct legal name, date of birth, and signature. The Clerk identifies the following accepted forms:

A driver license issued by any state in the United States
A passport
A United States military identification card
An alien registration card
A state identification card issued by any state in the United States
An original naturalization certificate

The name entered on the pre-application should correspond to the legal name shown on the identification. Applicants should not substitute a nickname, shortened name, or informal spelling.

Social Security Information

United States citizens and residents must provide their Social Security number. The reference materials do not state that applicants must present the physical Social Security card, but the number must be supplied as part of the application.

A non-United States citizen who has not been issued a Social Security number may provide an alien registration card number, a driver license number from a United States state, or a passport number.

Previous Marriages

An applicant who was previously married must provide the exact date on which the most recent marriage ended through divorce, death, or annulment. The pre-application asks both how the marriage ended and the date it ended.

If a divorce occurred in Miami-Dade County, the applicant may use the Family Online Case Search referenced by the Clerk and review the docket for the final judgment date. The date of separation, filing date, or hearing date should not be substituted for the date of the final divorce judgment.

Family Law Handbook

Applicants must read the Family Law Handbook before obtaining the marriage license. The handbook is also available for review at the Central Marriage License Bureau and the six district court locations.

Reading the handbook is a separate requirement from taking a premarital preparation course. The premarital course may affect the waiting period and license fee for Florida residents, while the Family Law Handbook must be read as part of the marriage license process.

Waiting Period Rules

Florida residents are subject to a mandatory three-day waiting period before the marriage license becomes effective. A couple should consider this delay when selecting the application date and ceremony date. A ceremony cannot be performed before the effective date printed on the license.

Non-Florida residents are exempt from the three-day waiting period. Residency information entered on the application should accurately reflect where each applicant lives.

Premarital Course Option

Florida residents may have the waiting period waived by completing a four-hour premarital preparation course from a registered provider. The couple must present the original certificate of completion when applying for the marriage license.

The certificate must identify the participant or participants, completion date, minimum four-hour course length, registered provider, provider address, instructor, and the method used to deliver the course. The course may be delivered through personal instruction, video instruction, electronic instruction, or a combination of approved methods.

Applicants may use the Clerk’s premarital course provider search to locate registered providers by ZIP Code or city. A course from a provider that is not registered with the Clerk may not qualify for the waiting-period waiver or reduced application fee.

Applicants relying on the course should bring the original completion certificate to the appointment. Merely indicating “Yes” to the premarital class question on the online pre-application does not replace the certificate requirement.

Marriage License Fees

The standard marriage license fee is $86. The application fee is reduced to $61 when the qualifying premarital preparation course requirements are met and the original completion certificate is provided at the time of application.

Other marriage-related charges listed by the Clerk include:

Duplicate, corrected, or amended license: $30
Civil ceremony: $30
Marriage status search and certificate: $9
Deluxe marriage certificate: $10
Affirmation of Common Children: $2
Provider fee: $4
Certified copy: $7
Search fee: $2
Search fee for each year before 1972: $2

The Clerk accepts cash, cashier’s checks, money orders, Visa, Discover, Mastercard, and American Express for marriage license services. The payment rules for certified copy requests vary by ordering method, and personal checks are not accepted for those requests.

Applicants Who Are 17

Additional requirements apply when one or both applicants are 17 years old. All underage applications are processed at the Central Marriage License Bureau rather than a district location.

For an applicant who is 17, the following requirements apply in addition to the standard marriage license requirements:

Both parents or the legal guardian must appear with valid photo identification.

The minor must present an original birth certificate showing the parents’ names.

Required parental consent forms must be completed.

The other person entering the marriage may be no more than two years older than the 17-year-old applicant.

If the parents are divorced and one parent has full custody, a certified copy of the custody court order must be presented, and only the custodial parent’s consent is required. If a parent is deceased, the applicable death certificate must be provided.

Florida law prohibits the Clerk from issuing a marriage license to anyone under 17 years old.

Civil Marriage Ceremonies

Marriage ceremonies may be performed by a deputy clerk. Walk-ins are accepted, although couples may have a longer wait without an appointment. A couple seeking a ceremony appointment must already have a valid marriage license.

The Clerk’s ceremony appointment system allows couples to schedule, change, or cancel an appointment. The system requires the marriage license number, which appears near the top of the issued license. A pre-application confirmation number is not a substitute for the license number.

The marriage ceremony must occur on or after the license’s effective date and within 60 days after the license is issued. Couples should check both dates before arranging the ceremony. A license that has passed its 60-day period cannot be used for a later ceremony.

Authorized Ceremony Officials

A Florida marriage ceremony may be performed by:

An ordained minister, priest, rabbi, or other ordained clergy member
A Florida judicial officer or judge
A Florida Clerk of the Circuit Court or deputy clerk acting within official duties
A Florida notary public

The $30 ceremony fee applies to the Clerk’s marriage ceremony service. Couples using another authorized officiant should arrange the ceremony directly with that person and make sure the completed license is handled according to the return requirement.

Returning the Signed License

After the ceremony, the completed marriage license must be returned to the Miami-Dade County Marriage License Bureau within 10 days. Couples should confirm with the officiant who will return the document and how the return will be made.

The ceremony date must fall within the valid period of the license. Returning the document does not correct a ceremony that occurred before the effective date or after the 60-day license period.

Names, dates, signatures, and other entries on the completed document should be reviewed before it is submitted. The Clerk lists separate fees for duplicate, corrected, or amended licenses, and certain corrections may require specific affidavits, petitions, or court orders.

Common Children Form

The Affirmation of Common Children Born in Florida form allows both parties to state under oath whether they are the parents of a child born in Florida. The form identifies each common child by name, date of birth, place of birth, and birth certificate number when available.

One form is required for each child. The Clerk lists a $2 fee for the affirmation. Applicants should provide accurate identifying information for each child covered by the form.

Searching Marriage License Records

The Clerk provides an online marriage license search for locating application and license information. A name search requires the full name used at the time of application for at least one spouse.

Search fields may include the spouse’s first, middle, and last name, birth date, and a marriage date range. The system also offers a license number search. Users should search with the names that appeared on the original application, including the appropriate maiden surname when applicable.

The online information is provided for direct public access, but electronic access is not the Clerk’s official record. Anyone who needs confirmation of official record information should consult the Clerk’s office or request a certified copy.

Certified Marriage Copies

Certified copies are available for marriage licenses issued in Miami-Dade County. The Clerk’s certified marriage copy service accepts requests online, by mail, or in person, subject to the age of the record.

Licenses issued from 1971 to the present may be ordered online. Records issued before 1971 are not available through online ordering and must be requested by mail or obtained in person.

The first certified copy costs $9, and each additional copy ordered with the same request costs $7. If the year of marriage is unknown, a $2 search fee applies for each year that must be researched.

Information for Mail Requests

A mailed request should provide enough information for the Marriage License Bureau to locate the record. The Clerk requests:

The groom or spouse’s name
The bride or spouse’s maiden name
The date of marriage or the years to be researched
The number of certified copies requested
A daytime telephone number and email address
A mailing address
A self-addressed, prepaid envelope when using first-class mail

Payment by mail must be made with a cashier’s check or money order payable to the Clerk of Courts. Personal and business checks are not accepted. International mail requests must include payment in United States dollars.

Mailing Options

The certified copy request form lists first-class mail as taking approximately seven to 10 business days when the requester supplies a self-addressed prepaid envelope. Priority Mail is listed at four to five business days with an additional $13 charge, and Express Mail is listed at two to three business days with an additional $36 charge. International Registered Mail carries an additional $26 charge.

These mailing periods relate to the mailing method shown on the request form. Requesters should provide complete names and a marriage date whenever possible to reduce the need for additional record research.

Corrections and Affidavits

The Clerk publishes several forms related to marriage record corrections, including affidavits for a couple, performer, or witness, as well as a petition and proposed order for correction of a marriage record or certificate.

The Clerk directs users to contact the Marriage License Bureau before completing these forms to confirm which document is required. Forms are provided for reference and are not a substitute for legal advice. The Clerk cannot provide legal counsel or assist users in selecting a form for a particular legal purpose.

Confidentiality and Accessibility

An applicant who qualifies for an exemption under Florida Statute 119.071 should advise the clerk and complete the Request for Confidentiality form. Applicants should raise the issue during the application process so the Clerk can provide the applicable form and instructions.

People who need an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act may contact the Clerk’s ADA Coordinator regarding access to marriage license and ceremony services.

Application Mistakes to Avoid

Many delays can be avoided by checking the application and documents before the office visit. Applicants should pay particular attention to the following issues:

Entering a name that does not match the government-issued identification

Arriving without both applicants present

Using an expired or unsupported form of identification

Providing an approximate date instead of the exact date a prior marriage ended

Scheduling an application appointment without saving the pre-application confirmation number

Trying to schedule a ceremony before the marriage license has been issued

Using the application confirmation number in place of the marriage license number

Planning a ceremony before the license’s effective date

Planning a ceremony more than 60 days after issuance

Failing to provide the original premarital course certificate when requesting the waiver and reduced fee

Assuming an online pre-application eliminates the required in-person application

Requesting an online certified copy for a license issued before 1971

Sending a personal check with a certified copy request

Failing to arrange for the completed license to be returned within 10 days after the ceremony

Marriage License Offices

Marriage License Bureau
601 NW 1st Court, Room 1900
Miami, Florida 33136
786-756-9047

Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller
20 NW 1st Avenue
Miami, Florida 33128
305-275-1155

Marriage License FAQs

Can I request a certified copy without an application number?

Yes. The application number is helpful but is not required when the Clerk can identify the record using other details. Provide the full names of both spouses as they appeared on the marriage license, including the applicable maiden surname, along with the marriage date. When the exact date is unknown, specify the years that should be researched. A search charge may apply for each year reviewed, so providing an accurate date range can reduce unnecessary fees and delays. The official marriage license certified copies page explains the available ordering methods.

Where do I obtain a record issued outside Miami-Dade County?

The Miami-Dade County Clerk provides certified copies only for marriage licenses issued in Miami-Dade County. A ceremony held in Miami-Dade does not necessarily mean the license was issued there. Check the issuing county printed on the original license before submitting a request. For a license obtained in another Florida county or another state, follow the ordering instructions of the issuing jurisdiction or the appropriate state vital records agency. Submitting the request to Miami-Dade when another office holds the record may delay the process.

Are email addresses sent to the Clerk confidential?

Not automatically. The Clerk advises that email addresses may be public records under Florida law and could be released in response to a public records request. Applicants and record requesters should avoid including unnecessary personal details in an email. Use the Clerk’s designated online systems for marriage applications, appointments, searches, and copy orders whenever those services are available, and provide only the information required to complete the transaction.

Can an online record be used as an official certified document?

No. Information displayed through the official marriage license search is intended to help users locate records, but electronic search results are not the Clerk’s official record. A person who needs documentation for a name change, benefits application, immigration matter, court filing, or another formal purpose should obtain a certified copy rather than printing the online search page.