How to Get Married in Georgia: Five Steps From License to Certified Copies

Here is how to get married in Georgia: apply for a marriage license together at a county probate court, have a ceremony with someone legally allowed to officiate, and get the signed license back to that court within 30 days. There is no waiting period, no blood test, and no witness requirement, so the whole thing can happen in a single day if you want it to.

We are Augusta Officiant, a family run team that has married more than 1,200 couples across the CSRA. This is the walk through we give couples on the phone, minus the hold music.

How to get married in Georgia, step by step

Step 1: Pick the county where you will apply

Marriage licenses are issued by county probate courts, and procedures vary from one county to the next. If at least one of you lives in Georgia, you can apply in any Georgia county. If neither of you lives here, the license has to come from the county where the ceremony will take place. A couple flying in for a Savannah wedding, for example, applies in Chatham County.

Step 2: Apply together, in person

Both of you need to be there. The state's own guide says to bring proof of age, proof of divorce if it applies, and a way to pay. The courts we have checked accept a valid driver's license, a passport, a certified birth certificate, or a military ID as proof of age. Fees, hours, and payment rules differ by county, and some courts want an appointment or an online application first.

Step 3: Decide who will officiate

Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30, a marriage in Georgia can be performed by judges, magistrates, city recorders, and ministers or other persons authorized by their religious society. Do not assume the courthouse will do it, though. The Richmond County probate judge does not perform wedding ceremonies, so Augusta couples need to line up an officiant.

Step 4: Have the ceremony and sign the license

The ceremony can be a few minutes in a living room or half an hour in front of 200 guests. Georgia does not require witnesses. Legally, what matters is that the license is completed correctly, with the right date, names, and signatures. At our ceremonies we complete and sign the license on the spot and hand it straight back to you.

Step 5: Return the license and order certified copies

The completed license must be back at the probate court within 30 days of the ceremony. You return it yourselves, in person or by mail depending on what that court accepts, which is the faster way to get your recorded license back. Ask for certified copies while you are at it. You will need them for a name change, and military couples need one for DEERS enrollment.

Is there a waiting period to get married in Georgia?

No. The part of how to get married in Georgia that surprises people most is the speed. There is no waiting period and no residency requirement, and the license is usually issued the same day you apply. South Carolina, by comparison, has a 24 hour wait after applying. One caution: a Georgia license must be used in Georgia, so one picked up in Augusta is no use at a ceremony in Aiken.

Where do Augusta area couples apply?

For local couples, the first practical question in how to get married in Georgia is which court to visit. Most of ours use one of two, and we are a preferred partner of both.

• Richmond County Probate Court, 735 James Brown Blvd, Suite 1000, Augusta. Licenses are issued 8:30 to 4:00, Monday to Friday, with no applications after 4. The fee is $76, or $36 with premarital education. Our Richmond County marriage license guide has the rest.

• Columbia County, at the courthouse at 1956 Appling Harlem Rd in Appling or the Evans annex at 640 Ronald Reagan Dr. Licenses are issued 8 to 4, Monday to Friday. The fee is $56, or $16 with premarital education. See our Columbia County guide for Evans and Grovetown.

Many Georgia probate courts lower the fee like this for couples who complete a qualifying premarital education course of at least six hours and bring the certificate. Fees and hours here were checked in October 2026 and courts do change them, so call before you drive over.

Can a friend or family member officiate?

They can if they fit the statute above, for example as a minister or a person authorized by their religious society, and plenty of friends do a lovely job. The risks are practical ones. A friend can get ordained online in minutes. A friend cannot easily get a business license in every county they officiate in, or afford a $2 million liability policy, and many venues now ask officiants for both. Venues care because of no shows, things going wrong on site, and paperwork filled out wrong. A wrong date or a missing signature can cause real trouble. Weighing it up? Read our guide to asking a friend to officiate.

What does an officiant cost?

If you are working out how to get married in Georgia on a budget, the officiant does not have to be the expensive part. Our prices are the same all year:

• License Signing: no ceremony, just a legal signing. $60 when you come to us, or $100 when we meet you anywhere in Augusta or Richmond County. Often possible the same day.

• Elopement Ceremony: $200. A short ceremony with a set script, standard vows, and a ring exchange, for up to 20 guests. No rehearsal.

• Custom Ceremony: $400. A ceremony written from scratch for you, one planning meeting before the wedding, and we attend the rehearsal.

Payment plans are available on every package, split into as many payments as you like. The Custom Ceremony works out to about $33 a month over 12 months. Our fees also support the Augusta Birth Center, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

How to get married in Georgia FAQ

How old do you have to be to get married in Georgia?

You must be at least 18. The state says a 17 year old may be issued a license if certain conditions are met, so call the probate court first if that applies to you.

Do both of us have to go to the probate court?

Yes. Both of you must be present to apply, with proof of age and, if either of you was married before, proof of the divorce.

Can we get the license and get married on the same day?

Usually, yes. There is no waiting period and the license is usually issued the same day, so a same day signing or elopement is often possible when your officiant has an opening.

Do we need witnesses or a blood test?

No. Georgia requires neither, so the two of you and an officiant are all it takes.

Who returns the marriage license after the wedding?

You do. We complete and sign it at the ceremony and hand it to you, and you take or mail it back to the probate court within 30 days. Ask for certified copies when you do.

Ready to make it official?

Now that you know how to get married in Georgia, what is left is a date and an officiant. Our three officiants are licensed in Georgia and South Carolina, we perform ceremonies in English and Spanish, and our backup officiant system means a ceremony is never left without an officiant.

Tell us your date and location on our contact page and we will check who is available. Payment plans are available on every package, and you can see what others say in our 5 star Google reviews.