Marriage License
How to obtain a South Carolina marriage license
We have collected the most commonly asked questions below. If your specific questions are not fully addressed, please use the contact form found at the bottom of this page, or call us.
Important: Please see the Charleston County Probate Court website for the latest information on obtaining a marriage license.
Please check your marriage license carefully for errors when you receive it. It's easier to correct before your ceremony than after.
Can I be wed on a Saturday
Remember, if you wish to get married on a Saturday, you will need to apply for your license on Thursday. You may also apply earlier, licenses don’t expire. Contact any South Carolina County Courthouse Marriage License Bureau for more information. You may obtain your license from any SC courthouse and use it in any other county.
Do we need birth certificates?
No. A birth certificate is not required to obtain a marriage license.
Do we need to be residents to obtain a license?
No. You do not need to be a resident of South Carolina nor the United States to marry in South Carolina, except in Myrtle Beach, which will not issue a marriage license to foreign nationals. For Myrtle Beach, you will instead need to go to Georgetown to obtain a license.
How do we obtain an SC marriage license?
Both the prospective bride and groom must apply at the same time at a South Carolina County Courthouse Marriage License Bureau. Courthouses are usually open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm weekdays only. County courthouses are closed on weekends and holidays. We are not county-specific, so you may obtain your license in any county in SC and get married in a different county.
There is a 24-hour waiting period before the license can be picked up (by either the bride or the groom). When applying for the license, a fee, which may vary according to location, is collected. The Courthouse will accept CASH or CREDIT CARDS only; no personal checks. The fee is $70 in Charleston County.
Marriage License Division | Probate Court Office
Since the pandemic, some courthouses will now issue licenses by email. Check the website for the county where you’ll be applying. Charleston County will now issue a marriage license by applying online. After 24 hours, the court will send you a link to print out the three pages of the license that you bring to your wedding. If you are going to be visiting here and won’t have access to a printer, you can forward the court email to Mobile Marriage and we will print your license and bring it to the wedding. There is no additional charge for this service.
Where is the Charleston county courthouse?
The Marriage License Bureau is located at 100 Broad Street, Suite 469, in the Judicial Center. Their phone number is 843-958-5183. For visitors to Charleston, this is near the intersection of Meeting and Broad streets, often called “The Four Corners of Law.” Take East Bay, Meeting Street or King Street south and you will intersect Broad Street.
If you are under 18 years of age, special rules apply. We recommend you call the courthouse for further information.
IMPORTANT!
IMPORTANT:
YOU MUST BRING YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE TO THE WEDDING AND GIVE IT TO YOUR OFFICIANT PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY. WE CANNOT PERFORM THE CEREMONY WITHOUT IT.
How much does an officiant cost?
For the most up-to-date information, please see our Prices page.