Travis County Marriage License

To get a marriage license in Travis County, Texas, both applicants must appear in person at the County Clerk's recording office in Austin. The Travis County Clerk issues all formal and informal marriage licenses under Texas Family Code Chapter 2. The fee is $80 and must be paid in cash. No Texas residency is required. Both applicants need valid photo ID and their Social Security numbers. The license is valid for 89 days and expires on the 90th day from issue.

Travis County Clerk - Marriage License Office

The Travis County Clerk's recording division handles all marriage license applications in Austin. This is a busy urban office that serves one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas. Both applicants must appear at the same time. The office accepts cash only for marriage license fees. Bring exact change or close to it. Credit cards and checks are not accepted for this service.

Travis County has two locations where you can apply for a marriage license. The primary location is at the Civil Family Courthouse. A second location is on Airport Boulevard. Both locations serve the same function. Call ahead to confirm hours and which office best fits your travel plans.

The standard fee in Travis County is $80, cash only. If you complete the Twogether in Texas premarital course, the fee drops to $20. Bring exact cash. The informal marriage (common law) declaration costs $45 in Travis County. Both people must appear for that process as well.

Note: The license in Travis County is valid for 89 days and expires on the 90th day. Plan your ceremony date accordingly to ensure the license is still valid when you marry.

The Travis County Clerk recording page has full details on locations, fees, and requirements for getting a marriage license in Austin.

Review the Travis County Clerk website before your visit to confirm current office locations, hours, and the cash-only payment requirement.

How to Apply for a Travis County Marriage License

Both people must go to the clerk's office at the same time. Bring your documents, your cash, and expect the application to take a short time to process. The office is busy, so arriving early in the day can help reduce any wait.

What each applicant needs to bring:

• Valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID)
• Social Security number (you must know it; bringing your Social Security card helps)
• Cash for the fee ($80 standard, $20 with Twogether in Texas certificate)
• Certified divorce decree if either person finalized a divorce within the last 30 days
• Court order if either applicant is under 18

No residency requirement exists. You don't need to live in Travis County or anywhere in Texas to apply here. The license is valid for any ceremony held anywhere in Texas. Austin couples, visitors, and out-of-state residents all go through the same process at the same office.

The application form asks for full legal names, maiden surnames, dates of birth, places of birth, and Social Security numbers. Prior marriages must be listed. If a previous marriage ended, the applicant must say how and when. This is part of the standard state form required under Texas Family Code Section 2.004.

72-Hour Wait, Fees, and Waivers

Texas requires a 72-hour waiting period between when the license is issued and when the ceremony can occur. This comes from Texas Family Code Section 2.204. The 72-hour clock begins at the exact moment the Travis County Clerk issues your license. Plan your application date so the waiting period ends well before your ceremony.

Three ways to waive the 72-hour wait exist in Texas. Active duty military members can skip the wait. A judge can grant a written waiver for good cause. Couples who complete the Twogether in Texas course bypass the wait and pay only $20 instead of the standard $80 fee in Travis County. The premarital course takes about eight hours. Approved providers operate across Austin and throughout Texas.

The license expires on the 90th day after issue. Travis County clerks note it is valid for 89 days. Either way, use it before that deadline or you start over. An informal marriage declaration through Travis County costs $45. Both applicants must appear in person for that as well, and an absent applicant affidavit is not an option under Texas law for informal marriage.

Travis County Marriage License Records

After the ceremony, the officiant must sign the license and return it to the Travis County Clerk within 30 days. That requirement is in Texas Family Code Section 2.206. The clerk records the returned license and it becomes a public record. Certified copies are then available for legal name changes, insurance enrollment, passport applications, and other official uses.

Certified copies of Travis County marriage licenses cost approximately $21 each. You can request them in person at either Travis County Clerk location or by mail. For statewide records going back to 1966, contact the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics unit. They provide $20 verification letters that confirm a record is on file but are not the same as certified county copies.

Travis County serves the city of Austin. If you want more information specific to getting a marriage license in Austin, see the Austin marriage license page.

Historical records from Travis County go back to the county's founding. Genealogists and researchers can contact the clerk's office directly. The Texas State Library in Austin also holds historical records and may be a useful resource for older filings.

Cities in Travis County

Austin is the county seat of Travis County and the state capital of Texas.

Nearby Counties

Travis County is in central Texas and borders several counties in the greater Austin metro area and surrounding Hill Country region.