Requirements

To become legally married in Washington State, you must:

  1. Be eighteen (18) years old or older.
  2. Apply and pay for a marriage license through Clark County at least 3 day before your ceremony
  3. Participate in a civil or religious ceremony in Washington State
  4. Complete and Return the Certificate of Marriage

Note: Washington state law requires a three-day (3) waiting period before you can get married. Marriage licenses are valid for sixty (60) days after the three-day waiting period. The three-day waiting period cannot be waived under any circumstances, including a court order.

What is needed when applying:

  • Both applicants must be at least 18 years old and have current government-issued photo ID as proof of age and current legal name.  The name on your ID must match the name on the application and certificate.
  • Blood tests and physical exams are not required to obtain a marriage license.
  • Applicants do not have to be residents of the state of Washington to obtain a marriage license. The license is only valid for weddings that are performed within the state of Washington.
  • Proof of divorce from a previous spouse, or death of a spouse, is not required to obtain a marriage license. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the final decree of divorce is filed before applying for a new marriage license.
  • You will need to know your Social Security number (if applicable). You will also need to know your birth state/country and your parents' birth names and state/country.

Witnesses

Witnesses are not necessary to apply for a license, but state law requires that at least two witnesses be present at the ceremony. Witnesses should be at least 14 years of age.

Application Fee  

There is a $72.00 fee that can be paid with cash, debit/credit cards (convenience fee applies), or cashier's check/money order. Personal checks are not accepted. This fee is non-refundable and is due at completion of application processing.