Texas Marriage License Available Online

By Claire Dowell


Texas is a great place to get married as the State allows non-resident couples to marry. Although same-sex and cousin marriages are not allowed, the State does allow proxy marriages and informal marriages. For certified true copies of marriage, one can check the Texas marriage records or visit the County Clerk. One can also obtain a copy of certificate of marriage from the Texas Department of Health - Vital Statistics.

For couples who are interested in getting married in Texas, the first thing to do is to secure a marriage license. One can get it by visiting the county clerk of the place one intends to get married in. Present a government issued identification card such as a passport or a driver's license to verify your identity. Proxy marriage is available in Texas and can be done by any adult in behalf of the person absent. The proxy will have to submit an affidavit, which they can download from the official website. The proxy should also submit a valid id of the person getting married and in case that the person is under age, they should also present a parental consent. Once the county clerk releases the marriage license, the couple needs to wait a minimum of 72-hours before they can go through the marriage ceremony. The waiting period is waived if the person being wed is in active duty or they are residents and have completed the pre-marriage workshop that the state provides for free.

The fee for the marriage license costs about $60 and other fees may also apply depending on the county one is set to marry at. However, this fee is waived if the couple attends a pre-marital education seminar. The seminar discusses what is important in marriage including handling conflict and improving communication between the couple. The workshop lasts about eight hours and is completed one year before one applies for a marriage license. Once the couple finishes the workshop, the $60 fee is waived and the seventy-two hour waiting period is waived as well.

Underage couples can also get married in Texas. The first thing that they have to do is to get a parental consent. The state provides a parental consent form that couples can download and have their parents sign. If one of the couple is divorced, he/she should present a certificate of divorce. Another way is for them to gain a court order allowing them to marry.

Informal marriages or common marriages can also be declared by the State. Couples who are in an informal marriage and want it to be declared should sign a declaration form under oath and should meet the following conditions: (1) they agree and live as husband and wife and (2) they present themselves as a couple to other people.

The marriage license is valid for only thirty days upon the issuance of the county clerk. Marriages anywhere in Texas are allowed so one can have a ceremony after the waiting period anywhere they want. For a request of marriage license, couples can request a certified true copy of their license from the county clerk or from one of the many online providers. Requesting for a marriage license through the internet is one of the fastest ways to do so as well as the most convenient.




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