Marriage Licenses
General Information
- A marriage license issued in any parish may be used wherever the ceremony takes place in Louisiana. The license is not valid for use outside of Louisiana. Following the ceremony, the officiant returns the license to the clerk of court in the parish where it was issued (or Louisiana Bureau of Vital Records if issued in Orleans Parish);
- Both parties need to be present to apply OR the Marriage License Application may be taken to a notary public in advance to have both signatures notarized;
- Must have all information and documents required;
- There is a 24-hour waiting period between the time of issuance of the license and the ceremony. If there is a need for the ceremony to occur prior to the expiration of the 24-hour waiting period, the applicants may request a waiver, which must be signed by a district judge or justice of the peace authorized to perform the marriage.
- The license is valid for 30 days. If the license expires, a new license must be purchased;
- Cost is $35.00, which includes one certified copy of the license once recorded following the marriage ceremony;
- **IMPORTANT - AGE REQUIREMENT** Applicants must be 16 years of age to obtain a marriage license. If an applicant is 16 or 16 years of age, must have judicial authorization and written consent of 1) both parents, 2) tutor of minor, or 3) person awarded custody of minor. If either applicant is under 18 years of age and there are more than three years difference in age between the applicants, the clerk of court cannot issue a marriage license. Per La. Children's Code Article 1545, persons under 16 years of age may not marry under any circumstances.
- For information about designating a marriage as Covenant Marriage, visit the Covenant Marriage page of this web site.
- To pay for copies of recorded marriage licenses with credit card via e-mail, complete this Service Request/Credit Card Authorization Form and e-mail to: info@clerk25th.com.
Information & Documents Required
Information Required for Application
- Full name, residence, place of birth, race, and date of birth of each party;
- Parents' names and birth places;
- Number of former marriages of each party, date ended, and whether divorced or not;
- Each party's social security number or a statement by the applicable party that no social security number has been issued to him.
Documents Required for Submission with Application
- Valid and unexpired driver's license or government-issued ID of the applicant;
- Certified copy of each party's birth certificate:
- Born in Louisiana: Long form birth certificate or short form (birth card);
- Born outside Louisiana: Original certified birth certificate;
- Born outside the United States or its territories: Original certified birth certificate. If birth certificate is not in English, a translated copy is requested. If no birth certificate can be provided, the following may be submitted: 1) valid and unexpired passport; 2) visa accompanied by Form I-94 as issued by the United States; or 3) a Certificate of Naturalization by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Authority.
- If either applicant’s last marriage ended due to death of spouse or divorce, you will need to know the exact date of the death or divorce. Please refer to your Judgment of Divorce or Certificate of Death for this information as accuracy is important for Social Security Administration purposes. You will need to indicate only how the most recent marriage ended; this information is not needed for prior marriages. If you have a Judgment of Divorce or Death Certificate (or photocopy thereof) for your most recent marriage, please bring it with you when you obtain the marriage license. The clerk of court will retain photocopies of the documents; the originals will be returned to you at the time the license is issued;