If you’re starting to think about that spring wedding, one of the least fun steps is getting an official Miami marriage license from the marriage licensing office. The license must be given to the person officiating the ceremony before starting, so make sure you have it in hand! These are the simple steps to obtain your Miami-Dade marriage license.
Note : If you are interested in obtaining these records for genealogical purposes, there are other methods available to you. For more information, see Miami, Florida Genealogy Resources.
Difficulty: easy
Time required: 20 minutes
That is how
- There is NO residency or citizenship requirement. All citizens and residents of the United States must provide their social security number. Non-US residents can provide an alien registration card, driver’s license, passport, or any other legal form of identification if they do not have an issued social security number.
- If both participants are 18 years of age or older, some form of photo ID and date of birth are required. Some examples are a Florida driver’s license, passport, or ID card. If one of the participants is 16 or 17 years old, both custodial parents must be there with a photo ID to sign the consent. If there is only one custodial parent, proof of sole custody must be presented at this time.
- If any of the participants have married, the exact date of death, divorce or annulment must be provided.
- There is a four hour premarital course that is highly recommended. If you have taken the course, there is no waiting period. If you decide not to take the course, there is a three-day waiting period between receiving your license and performing the service. Note: This does not apply to non-Florida residents.
- Once you have your valid license in hand, you must perform the ceremony within 60 days. It is standard that you leave the license with the officiant, and it is your duty to return it to the marriage office within 10 days. Your marriage is not recognized until it is returned.
- For more detailed instructions or clarification, call the Miami-Dade Marriage License Office. For an up-to-date list of service fees, click here. The courts available to perform this service can be found here.
Advice
- There is a wedding room located in each of the marriage license offices. For a fee, you can have the service performed there. Flowers and a photographer may be brought but will not be provided.
What do you need
- Photo identification of each participant
- Proof of citizenship OR alien registration card (see above)
- Fees for services
- The unconditional love of your life.
