Getting a Marriage License in Michigan

Couples get a license from the county clerk of the county where either party lives; if both live outside Michigan, from the clerk of the county where the wedding will take place. The applicant files a sworn application (affidavit) with the clerk, including each applicant's Social Security number unless exempt, and must show a birth certificate or other proof of age if the clerk asks. The license may not be delivered until 3 days after application (counting the application day), though the clerk may release it immediately for good cause for an extra county-set fee. The license is void unless the marriage takes place within 33 days after the application. The statutory fee is $20 (plus $10 if both parties are nonresidents); a probate court may order the fee waived for undue hardship, and a charter county over 1.5 million people may set a different fee.

An individual under 18 may not marry in Michigan, and a marriage entered into in Michigan by someone under 18 is void. The statute has no parental-consent or court-approval exception.