Rules of the Illinois Marriage License

Applying for an Illinois marriage license is actually not that different from doing it for any of the other states. Most states have the same underlying principles when it comes to the marriage license. However, the devil is in the details and that is why it is necessary for you to research the specifics of a state marriage license beforehand.

When you are applying for your marriage license in Illinois, the main supporting documentation that you need is proof of identification and proof of age. Something like a driver’s license would be considered a first class proof of both of those things. Additional examples of first class proof are your passport, your state ID or your military ID. In the event that none of these are available to use, you need to substitute two other valid proof of age documents in order to qualify for an Illinois marriage license. You can contact your local office to find out what forms of proof would be accepted.

You do not have to actually be a resident of Illinois to get married there, although once you have obtained your Illinois marriage license you do have to wait 24 hours before you actually get married. Once you have obtained your license, you can use it for the next 60 days within the specific Illinois county that was responsible for issuing it. The cost for getting the marriage license is usually in the range of $30, although it is worthwhile to know ahead of time that the office only accepts cash payments.

When you are planning your wedding in Illinois, it is worthwhile to know what types of marriage are covered by the Illinois marriage license. Using that particular license, you can get a conventional marriage. Furthermore, you can also get a first cousin marriage if the two cousins are 50 years of age or older. You do not have the ability to get a proxy marriage, a common law marriage or a same sex marriage. Minors can get married with parental consent (16-17 years) and a court order (less than 16 years).

These represent the general requirements for getting an Illinois marriage license. However, these rules change frequently due to small tweaks. Additionally, the different counties may have added regulations on top of what is available here. To get the most up to date information on the Illinois marriage license, you should really contact your local issuing office.

Newsletter