Abilene Marriage License
If you plan to get married in Abilene, you need a Texas marriage license from the Taylor County Clerk's office before the ceremony. The license is your legal right to marry in the state. Both people must show up together, bring valid photo ID, and pay the fee in person. Taylor County issues licenses for Abilene residents and for anyone who plans to marry in Taylor County. The 72-hour waiting period starts the moment the clerk issues your license, so plan ahead and don't wait until the last day before your wedding.
Abilene Overview
Taylor County Clerk - Marriage License
The Taylor County Clerk handles all marriage license applications for Abilene and the rest of Taylor County. You must apply in person. Both applicants need to be present at the same time. The clerk's office is in the Taylor County Courthouse in downtown Abilene.
| Office | Taylor County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 300 Oak St Abilene, TX 79602 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Fee | ~$82 (cash or check; confirm current amount with the clerk) |
| Website | taylorcountytexas.org |
The fee drops to about $22 if both applicants complete the Twogether in Texas premarital education course before applying. The course is free and takes about eight hours. You get a waiver certificate that you bring to the clerk's office.
Note: Call the Taylor County Clerk before your visit to confirm hours and current fee amounts, as these can change without notice.
How to Get Your Marriage License in Abilene
The process is the same across Texas. Both people must appear together at the Taylor County Clerk's office. You can't send someone else to apply for you, and you can't mail in the application. You must both be present.
What to bring:
- Valid, government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport)
- Social Security number (you don't need the card, just know the number)
- If divorced within the last 30 days, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree
- If you are under 18, a court order is required (Texas banned minor marriages without one as of September 1, 2017)
Texas has no residency requirement. You don't have to live in Taylor County or even in Texas to get a license here. Anyone can apply in any Texas county. But most couples apply near where they live or where the ceremony will take place. Once the clerk issues the license, the 72-hour waiting period begins. You can't marry until that window has passed.
After the ceremony, your officiant signs the license and returns it to the Taylor County Clerk within 30 days. The clerk records the marriage and sends a Certificate of Marriage Registration to the Texas Department of State Health Services. At that point, the marriage is on the public record.
The Taylor County Clerk's office in Abilene is where couples apply for their marriage license in person before the ceremony.
Both applicants appear together at the courthouse, present their IDs, and pay the fee to receive their Texas marriage license.
72-Hour Waiting Period and Fees
Texas law requires a 72-hour waiting period between the time the license is issued and when the ceremony can take place. This comes from Texas Family Code Chapter 2. The wait applies to nearly everyone. There are a few narrow exceptions: active-duty military members and couples who complete the Twogether in Texas course may be able to waive the waiting period.
The standard fee in Taylor County is about $82. If both applicants finish the Twogether in Texas premarital education course, the fee drops to about $22. That's a savings of $60. The course covers communication, conflict resolution, and financial planning. It's free, available online, and takes about eight hours to complete. You get a waiver certificate when you finish.
The license is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. If you don't use it within that time, it expires and you have to apply again and pay again. Plan your ceremony date so it falls after the 72-hour window and before the 90-day expiration.
Marriage License Records in Abilene
After the officiant returns the signed license, the Taylor County Clerk records it and keeps the original on file. That record is public. Anyone can request a copy. Certified copies cost about $21 each and are available from the Taylor County Clerk.
You can also verify a Texas marriage through the Texas Department of State Health Services. DSHS maintains a statewide marriage index and can provide a certified verification letter for $20. This is useful when you need proof of marriage for legal or name-change purposes and the county file is hard to access.
Keep at least one certified copy in a safe place after your wedding. You will likely need it to update your name on a driver's license, Social Security card, bank accounts, and other documents. The process of getting a copy later is simple but takes time, so it's easier to order it right away.
Note: Certified copies of the marriage record are different from the original license. The license is the document you use for the ceremony. The certified copy is what you use as legal proof afterward.
Nearby Cities
Other qualifying Texas cities near Abilene where you can also get a marriage license:
Taylor County Marriage License
Abilene is in Taylor County. All marriage licenses for Abilene are issued by the Taylor County Clerk. Visit the Taylor County page for more details on the application process, office locations, and local resources.