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Marriage Licenses
Marriage licenses are recorded with the Bexar County Clerk’s office. In order to apply for a license, both applicants must meet certain requirements and must present themselves in person at the County Clerk Marriage office in the Paul Elizondo Tower (101 W. Nueva, Suite 120). If one party is not available to be present, the other party or an adult representative may bring a completed and notarized Affidavit of Absent Applicant for Marriage License.
An informal marriage license can be obtained by a couple who has agreed to be married, and after the agreement, they live together in this state and represent themselves to others as married. An absent affidavit application cannot be used for the informal marriage license.
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Physical Address
Paul Elizondo Tower
101 W. Nueva, Suite 120
San Antonio, TX 78205
Records on the Run
If you would like to avoid a trip to the courthouse or the need to pay for parking, visit our mobile unit “Records on the Run”. Click on the logo for information.
Getting Married
Once a marriage license has been issued by the County Clerk’s office, it is valid for 90 days from the issue date and is valid in any other county in the state of Texas. (Texas family code 2.001)
Per Texas law, there is a 72-hour waiting period before the marriage ceremony may take place, except in the instances of the following exceptions:
- If the applicants obtain a written waiver from a judge.
- If one of the applicants is an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States; the active-duty military person must show identification.
- If the applicants submit the premarital education course certificate from Twogether in Texas.
- If applicants are remarrying each other.
Both parties must be present for the marriage ceremony, except in the instance where one party is a member of the armed forces of the United States stationed in another country in support of combat or another military operation and unable to attend the ceremony. Then an adult representative may be appointed to act as a proxy in the ceremony.
Officiants
The ceremony may be performed by the parties’ officiant of choice.
Name Changes
If a party wishes to change their name due to marriage, they may do so through the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Social Security Administration. However, the name on the marriage license will not change.
Marriage License Requirements
For full details on the requirements to receive a license, please review the requirements for a marriage license application in Bexar County document.
Requirements Summary
- Both applicants must submit proof of age and identity by a certified copy of the applicant’s birth certificate, license, or document issued by the state of Texas or another state, the United States, or a foreign government.
- Each applicant is required to present their social security number (if applicable).
- The fee in cash or credit card:
- Marriage License: $81.00
- Informal Marriage License: $46.00
- Applicants under 18 must present a certified copy of their court order "Removal of Disabilities of Minority" granted by the state of Texas or another state. (See Requirements for a Marriage License for full details.)
- Neither applicant may have been divorced within the last 30 days unless they meet certain exceptions from this requirement. (See Requirements for a Marriage License for full details.)
- Additional requirements are listed in Requirements for a Marriage License.
For additional information, please call 210-335-2223.
To access a recorded message, please call 210-335-2221.
Applying for a Marriage License
Absent Applicant
If one party will absent when applying for a marriage license, the other party or an assigned adult representative may represent them when applying. Please review the instructions for an Affidavit of Absent Applicant and the Affidavit of Absent Applicant for Marriage License to be sure that all information has been completed correctly.
The County Clerk may not issue a marriage license for which both applicants are absent unless the person applying on behalf of each absent applicant provides to the clerk an affidavit of the applicant declaring that the applicant is a member of the armed forces of the United States stationed in another country in support of combat or another military operation. Military identification is also required for each applicant who is not present to obtain the marriage license.
Twogether in Texas
When a couple presents the Twogether in Texas Certificate, the 72-hour waiting period after being issued a marriage license and when the ceremony may occur is waived. The Twogether in Texas Certificate is valid for one year from the date the course was taken, and the couple is eligible for a discount of $60.00 from the marriage license fee.
Marriage License Application
Once all information has been gathered, the parties must fill out either the Marriage License online application or the Informal Marriage License online application as appropriate. The electronic copy will be submitted to the County Clerk’s office and is available for up to five (5) days after submission.
After the application has been submitted, the parties should present themselves at the County Clerk’s Marriage Office in the Paul Elizondo Tower at 101 W. Nueva, Suite 120 with all relevant documentation and the fee in cash. No other form of payment is accepted.
- License Fees in cash or credit card:
- Marriage License: $81.00
- Informal Marriage License: $46.00
For additional information, please call 210-335-2223.
To access a recorded message, please call 210-335-2221.
Marriage License Recording
To record your marriage license after your marriage ceremony has been performed you can:
- Come into our Bexar County Clerk’s Vital Statistics Department in person and record it.
- You may also mail your original Marriage License to:
Bexar County Clerk’s Office: Vital Statistics 100 Dolorosa, Suite 104, San Antonio, Texas 78205- Your license will be recorded and mailed back to the address listed on the back of your marriage license.
Note that if you choose to change your name you may want to purchase 2 certified copies for $8 each.
MARRIAGE LICENSE COPIES
The Bexar County Clerk’s Office is able to provide copies of a marriage license and copies of a Declaration of Informal Marriage certificates if the documents were recorded in Bexar County. The Bexar County Clerk’s Office can provide a copy of a marriage license issued in Bexar County from 1837 to the present day.
Only licenses purchased in Bexar County are recorded by the Bexar County Clerk, regardless of where the ceremony occurs. To request a copy of a license purchased in another county, please contact that county’s County Clerk office.
Since marriage licenses are public records, anyone may request a copy of marriage license by completing a Marriage License Copy Request Form and submitting it to the County Clerk.
Declaration and Registration of Informal Marriage Certificate Copies
A Declaration and Registration of Informal Marriage certificate is not a public record, so only the two applicants listed on the Declaration and Registration of Informal Marriage certificate may receive a copy of the Declaration and Registration of Informal Marriage certificate.
Copies of a Declaration and Registration of Informal Marriage Certificate that was issued in Bexar County can be obtained by visiting the Bexar County Clerk’s Office located at 101 West Nueva, Suite B110.
For additional information, please call 210-335-2223.
To access a recorded message, please call 210-335-2221.