Couples planning to marry in Madison County can apply for a marriage license at the Madison County Clerk’s Office.

Couples must appear together in person to apply for a marriage license. Couples must present valid identification with proof of age and pay a fee. The marriage license will be issued while you wait.

Download the Marriage License Brochure in PDF format.

A marriage license costs $35.00 cash or credit card, if using credit a $2.50 fee will be added, no checks.

Each applicant must provide the following ID(s) when applying for a marriage license.

One of the following forms of ID:

• State driver’s license
• State identification
• U.S. passport
• U.S. Armed Forces identification card
  
  - OR -
  
  Any combination of these two forms of ID:
  
  
• Certified copy of Birth Certificate (English translations required for foreign certificates must be notarized)
• U.S. naturalization certificate
• U.S. resident alien card
• Foreign passport
• Consulate identification card (matricula)

Applicants who have divorced from a marriage or civil union must provide the date the divorce was finalized upon applying for a marriage license. Applicants who have divorced within the last six months must also provide a certified copy of their divorce decree.

Civil unions will continue to be offered to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples in Illinois. You can either keep your civil union or convert it to a marriage. Civil unions will not automatically dissolve because of the new law nor do you need to take any action prior to applying for a marriage license, if you choose to do so.

Couples who wish to convert their civil unions to marriages have two options:

1. Apply for a marriage license and have a marriage ceremony within 60 days of application. The $35 marriage license fee will be waived.
2. From June 2, 2014 to June 1, 2015, a couple can convert their civil union into a marriage. That marriage will be effective from the date of their original civil union. Simply apply for a marriage license and request to use the date of your civil union as your date of marriage. In this instance, the couple will immediately sign the license, without needing a ceremony. There is no fee within the first year of the new law.

Same-sex or opposite-sex couples in a civil union will NOT be required to convert it to a marriage.

YES. The fee will be waived. Please bring the documentation of your civil union license.

If you get a marriage license in Madison County, the marriage ceremony must occur in Madison County within 60 days. If you live outside Illinois at the time of your marriage and intend to continue living outside Illinois following your marriage, we advise that you speak with an attorney -- prior to getting a
marriage license -- about whether your marriage will be valid.

NO. Out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples will now be recognized as a marriage in Illinois.

Marriage certificates are not automatically sent to couples. If you have a marriage ceremony, your officiant completes and signs the marriage license and returns it to the Clerk’s office. The Clerk's office then records your
marriage and can issue a certified copy of your marriage certificate. The turnaround typically takes about a week.

If you convert your civil union to a marriage, marriage certificates should be available immediately. A standard marriage certificate costs $20 for the first copy and $8 for each additional copy.

An officiant can be a judge, a religious leader, or an individual who is ordained by a non-denominational organization.

If you wish to be married by a judge, arrangements must be made with the Chief Judge's Office by calling 296-4580. Marriages are performed at the courthouse on Friday. After paying the required $10.00 judges' fee in the Circuit Clerk's Office, Room 120 in the courthouse, you will be directed to the court room where ceremonies are performed.

According to the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Law, places of worship and any facility operated by a religious group or denomination have the discretion on whether or not to solemnize same-sex marriages.

Newlyweds are entitled to a one-time change of their last name after they are married. You will need copies of your marriage certificate when seeking a name change with Social Security, the Illinois Secretary of State (for driver’s licenses), your employer, banks, credit cards, etc.