Aiken County SC Marriage License: The North Augusta and Aiken Couple's Guide
To get an Aiken County, South Carolina marriage license, you and your partner both go in person to the Aiken County Probate Court at the Judicial Center, 109 Park Avenue in Aiken, bring a valid government photo ID, and pay the $45 application fee in cash or by Visa or Mastercard. South Carolina has a mandatory 24 hour waiting period, so the license is issued the day after you apply at the earliest. Plan for that wait, and you'll be fine.
That's the short version. Here's what actually trips people up.
Where do you get a marriage license in Aiken County, SC?
Marriage licenses in Aiken County are handled by the Probate Court, located in the Judicial Center at 109 Park Avenue in downtown Aiken. The court's phone number is 803-642-2002 if you want to call ahead.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on holidays. Maybe don't roll in at 4:20 on a Friday.
Can I get my license in North Augusta?
The county's marriage license page lists the Aiken office, not a North Augusta location, so North Augusta couples should plan on the drive to downtown Aiken. It's about 25 to 30 minutes from most of North Augusta, which is just enough time to argue about the seating chart. If anything changes, the court will tell you when you call.
How much is a marriage license in Aiken County?
The application fee is $45. A few other numbers worth knowing, all from the county's published fee schedule:
Certified copy of your recorded license: $5 each
Reissuing a marriage license: $35
Paying by card adds a small service fee of about 3%
The court accepts cash, Visa, and Mastercard. Personal checks are not accepted. Unlike Georgia, South Carolina doesn't offer a premarital education discount, so there's no class to take for a cheaper license.
Grab at least one certified copy once your license is recorded. You'll want it for the DMV, Social Security, insurance, and your bank if anyone is changing a name.
What do you need to bring to apply?
Both of you need to be physically there. No sending your mom, no FaceTiming in your fiancé from work. The county asks for:
A valid, government issued ID for each of you, such as a driver's license, state ID, military ID, passport, or visa
Your Social Security card (the court looks at it but doesn't keep a copy)
Payment in cash or Visa or Mastercard
If either of you is 16 or 17, a consenting parent or guardian has to come along. Nobody under 16 can be issued a license in South Carolina.
If you've been married before, call ahead and ask whether the court wants to see paperwork. Better than making the drive twice.
How does the South Carolina 24 hour waiting period work?
This is the big one. South Carolina requires a mandatory 24 hour wait between the time you apply and the time the license can be issued. Apply on a Tuesday morning, pick it up Wednesday. Apply on a Friday afternoon, and you're coming back Monday, because the court is closed on weekends.
So if your wedding is on a Saturday, do not apply on Friday. We say that with love, and with the memory of a few very stressful Friday phone calls.
Our rule of thumb for Aiken County couples: apply at least one to two weeks before the wedding. That leaves room for a sick day, a holiday closure, or a misplaced Social Security card.
How long is a South Carolina marriage license good for?
South Carolina probate courts generally give you six months from the date the license is issued to hold the ceremony. Confirm the exact window with Aiken County when you pick yours up, and write the date somewhere you'll actually see it.
Can we use an Aiken County license for a wedding in Augusta, Georgia?
No, and this is the mistake we catch most often in the CSRA. A South Carolina license is only good for a wedding in South Carolina. If your ceremony is at a venue on the Georgia side of the river, in Augusta, Evans, or Grovetown, you need a Georgia license from a Georgia probate court instead.
It works the other way too. A Georgia license won't cover a ceremony in North Augusta, Aiken, or anywhere else in South Carolina.
The fix is simple: get your license in the state where you'll actually say "I do." The Savannah River does not care how close your venue is to the line.
Who can sign a marriage license in South Carolina?
South Carolina limits who can perform a wedding to ministers, rabbis, and officers authorized to administer oaths in the state.
That's where we come in. Nick, Katie, Jonathan and Achi are licensed to officiate in both South Carolina and Georgia, so whether you're marrying at a garden in Aiken, a backyard in North Augusta, or a ballroom across the river, the same officiant can stand up with you. After the ceremony, we complete the license and get it back to the probate court for recording. We've done it for more than 1200 couples.
Ways to get married in Aiken County with Augusta Officiant
Once your license is in hand, you have options:
License Signing, $60. You've got the license, you want it official, no big production. You bring it to us, sign, and send you on your way married.
Elopement Ceremony, $200. A short, sweet ceremony with a few words and your vows. Hopelands Gardens in Aiken and the North Augusta Greeneway are lovely spots for this (check any permit rules first).
Custom Ceremony, $400. A ceremony written around your story, with a planning call and as many personal touches as you want.
Payment plans are available on every package. We're also multilingual, so we can lead your ceremony in English, ASL, French or Spanish, or a mix of all, and as a veteran owned, family run business we're comfortable working around military schedules and last minute orders. Plenty of venues ask for proof of insurance, and we carry $2 million in liability coverage, which makes us the only fully insured officiant in the CSRA.
Aiken County Marriage License FAQ
How much does a marriage license cost in Aiken County, SC?
The application fee is $45. Certified copies are $5 each. Cash, Visa, and Mastercard are accepted, with a small card fee. Personal checks are not accepted.
Is there a waiting period to get married in South Carolina?
Yes. South Carolina has a mandatory 24 hour waiting period between applying and receiving your license. Apply at least a week or two before your wedding.
Do both people have to be there to apply?
Yes. Aiken County requires both applicants to be physically present with valid government issued photo ID and a Social Security card.
Can I use a South Carolina license to get married in Georgia?
No. A South Carolina license only works for ceremonies in South Carolina. For a wedding in Augusta or anywhere in Georgia, get a Georgia license.
Do you have to live in South Carolina to get married there?
No. Non residents can get a South Carolina license, as long as the wedding takes place in South Carolina.
Who can officiate a wedding in Aiken County?
Ministers, rabbis, and officers authorized to administer oaths in South Carolina. Augusta Officiant is licensed in both South Carolina and Georgia.
Ready to make it official?
Getting the license is the paperwork. Getting married is the fun part, and we'd love to be there for it. Check our five star reviews at https://g.co/kgs/ec34LTg, then book your License Signing, Elopement, or Custom Ceremony at augustaofficiant.com. Tell us your date and your venue, and we'll take it from there.
Fees and rules were checked against the Aiken County Probate Court website in October 2026. Courts can change things without much notice, so give them a quick call at 803-642-2002 before you go. Aiken County SC Marriage License.
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