How to Get a Marriage License in Cook County

What it costs, how far ahead you have to apply, what to bring, and the parts that catch couples out.

Before you book an appointment

You and your partner both need to show up. Cook County requires couples to appear together in person to apply for a marriage license at one of the Cook County Clerk's locations. One of you cannot do this alone.

The Downtown Chicago Vital Records office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. It is closed Saturday and Sunday, so plan for a weekday.

What it costs

The license fee is $60.

In person, you can pay with cash, debit (add $1.25), or credit (add $1.75). If you use the virtual process, you can pay with MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express credit or debit cards, and there is a $1.75 convenience fee for card payment.

How far ahead to apply

You cannot get the license and marry the same day. Under Illinois law (750 ILCS 5/207), a license becomes effective one day after the date it is issued, unless a court orders that it is effective when issued. The Clerk puts it plainly: all marriage and civil union licenses are effective one day after issuance.

The license then expires 60 days after it becomes effective. The Clerk states licenses are valid for 60 days from the date of issuance. So there is a window: apply at least a day before the ceremony, and not so early that the license runs out before your date.

What to bring

You must present valid identification, such as a current driver's license, state ID, or passport.

• One form of ID is enough if it is a state driver's license, state identification, or a U.S. passport.
• Otherwise, bring any combination of two forms of identification. That can include a certified copy of a birth certificate. Foreign birth certificates need a notarized English translation.
• Applicants who are 16 or 17 must present a certified copy of their birth certificate plus a second form of identification showing date of birth.

If you live outside the county, or outside Illinois

You do not have to be an Illinois resident, or a U.S. citizen, to marry in Cook County. What matters is where you use the license: a marriage or civil union license must be used in Chicago or suburban Cook County. If your ceremony is somewhere else, this is not the license you need.

There is no separate or higher fee published for non-residents or out-of-county couples. The fee is $60 for everyone.

Filling out the application in advance

You can start the application online before you go in, which saves time at the counter:

https://marriageapplication.cookcountyclerkil.gov/Application/TermAcceptance

After the ceremony

You do not file the license yourself. After the ceremony, your officiant files the license with Cook County Vital Records.

We don't have a filing deadline to give you here. If the timing matters to you, confirm it directly with the Cook County Clerk's office and make sure your officiant knows the answer too.