How to Get Married in South Carolina: A Plain Step by Step Guide for Couples

Here is how to get married in South Carolina: apply for a marriage license at a county probate court, wait 24 hours, have a ceremony led by someone the state allows to officiate, and get two signed copies of the license back to the court within 15 days. There is no residency requirement and no blood test. The details are where couples get caught.

We are Augusta Officiant. Our home base sits on both sides of the Savannah River, we are licensed to officiate in Georgia and South Carolina, and we have married more than 1,200 couples.

How to get married in South Carolina, step by step

Step 1: Apply for a license at a probate court

Marriage licenses come from the county probate court. State law says the written application must be signed by both of you, and it asks for your Social Security numbers. You can apply in any county and use the license anywhere in the state.

Step 2: Wait 24 hours

The court cannot issue the license until at least 24 hours after the application is filed. The probate courts we checked keep weekday hours, so a Friday application usually means a license the following week.

Step 3: Line up a legal officiant

South Carolina limits who can perform a marriage, and the next section explains the rule.

Step 4: Have the ceremony and sign all three copies

The license comes in three copies. You both sign all three exactly as your names appear. The officiant completes the officiant lines and the date.

Step 5: Return two copies within 15 days

You keep the original. The other two copies must be back at the probate court that issued them within 15 days of the ceremony. Until that happens, the court has no record that you are married.

Who may legally officiate a wedding in South Carolina?

If you remember one thing about how to get married in South Carolina, make it this. S.C. Code Section 20-1-20 limits who may perform a marriage to ministers, rabbis, officers authorized to administer oaths in the state, and the chief or spiritual leader of a recognized Native American Indian entity. A friend or relative generally cannot officiate unless they are one of those. Lexington and Charleston counties both note on their websites that a South Carolina notary public can perform a ceremony.

Before you ask your college roommate, find out whether they fit the statute. We wrote a post about asking a friend to officiate, and none of it is a knock on your friends. It is about risk. A professional also brings things a friend cannot easily get, like a business license and a $2 million liability policy. More venues ask officiants for both now, because a wrong date or a missing signature on a license can cause real trouble.

How much does a South Carolina marriage license cost?

The fee is the one part of how to get married in South Carolina that changes from county to county. On the official county pages we checked, Lexington County lists $30, Richland County lists $45.24, and Charleston County lists $70 plus a card transaction fee. Aiken County charges $45.

How you apply changes too. Aiken wants both of you there in person. Lexington takes applications in person or by mail with notarized signatures. Richland and Charleston have moved the application online. Richland mails the finished license, and Charleston emails it for you to print. Fees and hours here were checked in October 2026 and courts do change them, so call before you drive over.

One small bonus: state law offers a one time $50 state income tax credit to couples who complete a qualifying premarital preparation course. Ask the court about it when you apply.

What should you bring?

The county lists we have read look alike:

• A photo ID for each of you, such as a driver's license, passport, or military ID

• Your Social Security card, or another official document showing the number if your county accepts one

• The fee in a form your county takes. Some courts list cash, check, or money order, and others take cards and nothing else

If either of you is under 18, call the probate court before anything else. State law does not allow a license for anyone under 16, and 16 and 17 year olds need a sworn consent affidavit.

Can you use a Georgia license in South Carolina?

No, and this one catches Augusta area couples. A South Carolina license can only be used in South Carolina. A Georgia license must be used in Georgia. Where you stand during the ceremony decides it, and your home address does not. A wedding in North Augusta or Aiken needs a South Carolina license and the 24 hour wait. Our Aiken County marriage license guide covers that court.

Who returns the license after the ceremony?

With us, you do. At the ceremony we complete and sign the license and hand it to you. You take or mail the two court copies back to the probate court yourselves, which gets your recorded license back faster. Ask for certified copies when you do. You will need them for a name change, and military couples need one for DEERS enrollment.

What does an officiant cost?

Our prices stay the same all year. The Elopement Ceremony is $200, a short ceremony with a set script, standard vows, and a ring exchange for up to 20 guests, with no rehearsal. The Custom Ceremony is $400. It is written from scratch for you, with one planning meeting (by Zoom or FaceTime if you are not local), and we attend the rehearsal. Payment plans are available on every package. The Custom Ceremony is about $133 a month over 3 months, or about $33 a month over 12.

Travel depends on where you are. North Augusta and Aiken are part of our home base. Charleston adds about $200 to $300, and payment plans cover travel too. For Columbia, ask us for a quote for your location. The packages and services page has more, and our fees support the Augusta Birth Center, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

How to get married in South Carolina FAQ

Is there a waiting period to get married in South Carolina?

Yes. The probate court cannot issue the license until at least 24 hours after your application is filed, so a same day wedding is not possible.

Do you have to live in South Carolina to get married there?

No. There is no residency requirement. Georgia couples often ask us how to get married in South Carolina, and the steps are the same for them as for anyone else.

Can a friend officiate a wedding in South Carolina?

Only if your friend is a minister, a rabbi, an officer authorized to administer oaths in the state, or another person named in S.C. Code Section 20-1-20. Check with the probate court before you plan around it.

Can we get married by video call or by proxy?

The Lexington County Probate Court, citing opinions of the state Attorney General, says both people must be present for the ceremony and that attending by telephone or proxy is not authorized.

How long do we have to use the license?

Ask the county that issues it. Richland County, for example, gives couples six months from the issue date to hold the ceremony before they have to reapply.

Want help with the ceremony part?

Now you know how to get married in South Carolina on paper. The ceremony is the part people remember, and that is our job. Tell us your date and location and we will check which of our three officiants is available, with payment plans on any package. Read reviews from couples we have married while you decide.