About MarryByState

MarryByState gathers each state’s marriage license requirements — waiting period, fee, documents needed, minimum age, residency rules, and license validity — into one clean, easy-to-compare reference. We built this site because the official government pages, while authoritative, are often hard to navigate, inconsistent between states, and rarely offer a side-by-side comparison.

Our Mission

Our goal is to save couples time and stress during wedding planning. Instead of visiting 50 different state government websites, you can find all the essential information here in plain language, organized in a way that makes comparison effortless.

Data Sources and Methodology

Every data point on this site comes from official state statutes and county clerk offices. We cite the specific statute number for each state (for example, Cal. Fam. Code §350 for California). Our editorial team reviews all data annually, typically in January, to catch any fee changes or legislative updates. We verify each entry against at least two sources before publishing.

Editorial Team

The MarryByState editorial team consists of researchers with backgrounds in legal reference and public information. Our team works to ensure that every table entry is accurate, current, and properly sourced. If you find an error, please contact us and we will investigate promptly.

Independence

MarryByState is an independent reference site. We are not affiliated with any government office, wedding planning service, or legal firm. We do not accept payment to feature or rank any state’s requirements. Our revenue comes from advertising, which does not influence our editorial content.

How to Use This Site

Start with the full 50-state comparison table to get a quick overview. If you are specifically interested in waiting periods, visit the waiting period page. For fee comparisons sorted from cheapest to most expensive, see the fee index. And for answers to common questions, check our FAQ page.