Columbia County GA Marriage License: Evans and Grovetown
Evans, Grovetown or Appling? Your Columbia County GA Marriage License Without the Guesswork
A Columbia County GA marriage license costs $56, or $16 if you finish a premarital education course first, and you can pick it up at either the Courthouse in Appling or the Courthouse Annex in Evans, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bring a government ID for each of you, plus divorce papers or a death certificate if either of you was married before. Georgia has no waiting period, so you can walk out with your license and get married that same afternoon.
That is the short version. Here is everything else couples in Evans, Martinez, Grovetown, Harlem and Appling usually ask us, including the big one we hear from the Annex parking lot: “Okay, now who signs this?”
Where do you get a marriage license in Columbia County, GA?
Columbia County gives you two choices, a small gift if you have ever crossed Washington Road at lunchtime.
Columbia County Courthouse: 1956 Appling Harlem Rd, Appling, GA 30802
Courthouse Annex: 640 Ronald Reagan Dr, Evans, GA 30809
The Probate Court itself is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but marriage licenses are only issued from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and not on recognized holidays. Do not roll in at 4:15 with your best smile. That story does not end at the altar that day. Most couples in Evans, Martinez and Grovetown find the Annex easier, while couples near Harlem or Appling often head to the main courthouse. Either office can issue your Columbia County GA marriage license.
How much is a Columbia County GA marriage license?
Here are the numbers straight from the Columbia County Probate Court page, checked October 10, 2026:
License fee: $56
With a premarital education certificate: $16
Certified copy after the wedding: $10 per copy
The court takes cash, money order, or credit card. Cards carry a convenience fee, and tap to pay is not accepted, so bring the physical card or some cash. Fees can change, so if your wedding is months away, give the court a quick look before you go.
Is the premarital education discount worth it?
Forty dollars is a nice honeymoon appetizer. Georgia gives a reduced fee to couples who complete a qualifying premarital education program, and Columbia County posts a Premarital Counseling Certificate form online for you to print. If you are already doing premarital counseling, have your provider fill it out.
What do you need to bring to get a marriage license in Columbia County?
Pack this list and you should be in and out without drama:
A government issued photo ID for each of you. A driver’s license, state ID, military ID or passport all work.
Proof that any earlier marriage has ended. That means divorce papers, or a death certificate if you were widowed.
Your parents’ details. The application asks for each parent’s birthplace (city and state) and your mother’s maiden name. Text Mom before you go. She will love being asked.
Your wedding date and location. The ceremony must take place in Georgia.
Your premarital certificate, if you want the $16 rate.
Payment, in cash, money order, or a card you can insert or swipe.
Plan to go together. If one of you is deployed or out of town, call the court first.
Is there a waiting period in Georgia?
No. Georgia has no waiting period and no residency requirement. If you live out of state, though, you need to get your license in the county where your ceremony will happen. So a couple from Ohio getting married at a Columbia County venue should get their license right here in Columbia County.
Who can legally sign a marriage license in Georgia?
Georgia law allows judges, magistrates, city recorders, and ministers or others authorized by their religious society to perform a marriage. Here in the CSRA, though, the law is only half the story. Many Augusta area venues now require your officiant to hold both a business license and liability insurance, which rules out most friends and family members.
Venues did not make that rule to be fussy. They have watched too many well meaning cousins forget to show up, write the wrong date, or sign in the wrong spot so the marriage never got recorded.
Nick, our officiating minister, carries both a business license and $2M in liability coverage, which makes Augusta Officiant the only fully insured officiant in the CSRA. He has married more than 1,200 couples across Georgia and South Carolina, and a missing signature is not happening on his watch.
What happens to the license after the wedding?
At the ceremony, we complete and sign the license with you. Then we hand it right back to you, and you return the county copy to the Probate Court yourselves, either by dropping it off in Appling or Evans or by mailing it. Under Georgia law, the completed license needs to be back at the probate court within 30 days of the wedding.
Handling the return yourselves gets your recorded Columbia County GA marriage license moving faster. The court will not issue a certified copy until the county copy comes back, and you need that certified copy to update your Social Security card and driver’s license. Columbia County does not issue a separate “marriage certificate.” The certified copy is the official record.
Got your license? Here is how we help Columbia County couples
Plenty of couples walk out of the Annex with a brand new license and nobody lined up to sign it. That is where we come in. Augusta Officiant is a preferred partner of the Columbia County Probate Court. Here are our 2027 packages:
License Signing, $60 when you come to us. Say your I do’s, sign the paperwork, and go celebrate over lunch. Want us to meet you somewhere else? Just ask.
Elopement Ceremony, $200. A short, sweet ceremony with real vows at the lake, a park, or your backyard.
Custom Ceremony, $400. A full ceremony written around your story, including rehearsal attendance.
Every package comes with a payment plan, split into as many payments as you like. The $400 Custom Ceremony works out to about $33 a month over 12 months, about $67 a month over 6, or about $133 a month over 3.
We perform ceremonies in English, ASL, Spanish, or both, so every grandparent understands every word. And part of every booking supports the Augusta Birth Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so getting your Columbia County GA marriage license signed with us helps local families, too.
Columbia County marriage license FAQ
How much is a marriage license in Columbia County, GA?
It costs $56, or $16 if you bring a completed premarital education certificate. Certified copies are $10 each.
Where do I get a Columbia County GA marriage license?
At the Columbia County Courthouse, 1956 Appling Harlem Rd in Appling, or the Courthouse Annex, 640 Ronald Reagan Dr in Evans. Licenses are issued 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Can I pay for my Columbia County marriage license with a card?
Yes. The court takes cash, money order, or a credit card with a convenience fee. Tap to pay is not accepted.
Is there a waiting period to get married in Georgia?
No. Georgia has no waiting period, so you can get married the same day you get your license.
Can a friend officiate our wedding in Columbia County?
Georgia law limits who can perform a marriage, and many Augusta area venues now require officiants to carry a business license and liability insurance.
How do I get a certified copy of my marriage license?
Return the signed county copy to the Probate Court within 30 days of the wedding. Once it is recorded, you can order certified copies for $10 each, in person or online.
Ready to make it official?
Your Columbia County GA marriage license is the easy part. Getting it signed by someone licensed, insured, and experienced is what makes it count. Read our 5 star reviews at https://g.co/kgs/ec34LTg, then book your date at augustaofficiant.com. Ask about payment plans when you book. We cannot wait to meet you.
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