Comanche County Marriage License

Marriage licenses in Comanche County, Texas are issued by the County Clerk in the city of Comanche. Both applicants must appear together in person and meet the requirements of Texas Family Code Chapter 2. No Texas residency is required. Bring valid photo ID and your Social Security number. Texas requires a 72-hour wait after the license is issued before the ceremony, and the license is valid for 90 days.

Comanche County Clerk - Marriage License Office

The Comanche County Clerk's office is the only location in the county where marriage licenses are issued. Formal and informal licenses are both available here. Staff can walk you through the form, tell you the current fee, and let you know what to bring. All returned and signed licenses are also recorded and maintained at this office.

The clerk's office is located at the Comanche County Courthouse. There are no satellite offices. Comanche is in central Texas and the courthouse is in the center of the city. The office is open weekdays during normal business hours and closes on state and federal holidays.

Cash and check are the usual forms of payment. Ask about cards before your visit. The fee is about $82. Couples who complete the Twogether in Texas premarital program pay around $22 and skip the 72-hour wait. Bring your completion certificate the day you apply.

Anyone divorced in the last 30 days must bring a certified divorce decree. Texas Family Code Section 2.009 bars a new license within 30 days of a final divorce.

The Comanche County official website provides contact information and office details for the County Clerk.

Checking the county site or calling ahead ensures you have current hours and fee information before you make the trip.

How to Get a Marriage License in Comanche County

Both applicants go to the clerk's office together. Bring your documents, complete the form, and pay the fee. If everything is in order, most applicants finish in one visit.

Each person needs to bring:

• Valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID)
• Social Security number (card or known from memory)
• Certified divorce decree if divorced in the last 30 days
• Court order if under 18 (required since September 1, 2017)

No Texas residency is required. The license is valid anywhere in the state. No blood test is needed. The form under Texas Family Code Section 2.004 asks for full legal names, dates of birth, birthplaces, and Social Security numbers. The clerk will ask about prior marriages. Be ready with dates and how any previous marriage ended. Both applicants sign and the clerk witnesses the signatures.

72-Hour Waiting Period and Fees

Under Texas Family Code Section 2.204, a 72-hour wait is required between the time the license is issued and the time the ceremony can take place. A license issued Wednesday afternoon can't be used until Saturday afternoon.

Active duty military are exempt from the wait. A judge can grant a written waiver for good cause. Completing the Twogether in Texas program also waives the wait and reduces the fee from about $82 to around $22. The program is eight hours and offered at multiple locations in Texas. Go to www.twogetherintexas.com to find a class. Bring your certificate the day you apply.

The license is valid for 90 days. If the ceremony doesn't happen within that window, you must reapply and pay again. Plan ahead. Apply about one to two weeks before the ceremony date to stay comfortably within the 90-day window.

Informal marriage declarations are also available at the Comanche County Clerk's office. Both parties must appear in person. The fee is typically around $42.

Comanche County Marriage License Records

The officiant must return the signed license to the Comanche County Clerk within 30 days of the ceremony, as required by Texas Family Code Section 2.206. After recording, the marriage is part of the permanent public record. Certified copies are available for legal purposes like name changes and insurance.

Certified copies from the Comanche County Clerk cost approximately $21 each and can be requested in person or by mail. For statewide records since 1966, the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit sells $20 verification letters. These confirm a record is on file but are not certified county copies.

Historical Comanche County marriage records are held at the clerk's office. Genealogists and researchers can request older records in person or by mail, and may also find indexed records in state genealogy databases.

Nearby Counties

Comanche County is in central Texas. These nearby counties each issue marriage licenses through their County Clerk offices.