Lexington County SC Marriage License: Fee, Hours, and How to Apply

A Lexington County SC marriage license costs $30, and you apply at the Lexington County Probate Court, 205 East Main Street, Suite 134, in downtown Lexington. Applications are taken Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and state law makes you wait 24 hours before the license can be issued. That covers couples in Lexington, West Columbia, Irmo, and Chapin.

Fees and hours here were checked in October 2026 and courts do change them, so call before you drive over. The Probate Court's number is (803) 785-8324.

Where do you apply for a Lexington County SC marriage license?

The Probate Court is on the main floor of the Lexington County Judicial Center, at the corner of East Main Street and South Lake Drive. The office is open until 5:00 p.m., but marriage applications stop at 4:30. The Lexington County Probate Court marriage license page has the current rules.

You do not have to live in Lexington County, or in South Carolina at all. The county says anyone legally entitled to marry may apply in any South Carolina county, and the license works in every county in the state. Irmo sits on the Lexington and Richland county line, so couples there can use either court. A South Carolina license can only be used in South Carolina, though.

What do you need to bring?

If you apply in person, both of you must appear at the Probate Court. Each of you needs:

• Identification that proves your age: a driver's license, passport, military ID, or state issued ID card

• Your Social Security card, or another legal document that verifies your name and Social Security number, such as an insurance card, a W-2, or a 1099

• The $30 fee in cash, check, or money order, payable to Lexington County

Notice what is missing from that last line. The county does not list cards as a way to pay, so bring cash or a check. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens can show a valid passport with a current visa or a Resident Alien card. Divorced applicants do not need to bring papers, but the divorce must be final. If either of you is under 18, call the court first.

Can you apply by mail?

Yes. A Lexington County SC marriage license can be applied for by mail, which helps couples planning a Columbia area wedding from somewhere else. The application is on the county's website, and each of you signs it in front of a notary. Then you mail it to the Probate Court with copies of your picture IDs, copies of your Social Security cards, and a $30 check or money order. Include the address where you want the license sent, and give the post office plenty of time.

How long is the wait, and who can pick it up?

South Carolina requires at least 24 hours between the application and the license. After that, either one of you can pick it up alone. The court will also release it to someone else with your written authorization, or mail it if you leave a self addressed, stamped envelope when you apply.

That wait surprises couples used to Georgia, where a license is usually issued the same day. Your Lexington County SC marriage license will not be in your hands until the next business day at the earliest. For a Saturday wedding, apply by Wednesday or Thursday, and earlier is kinder to your nerves.

Who can legally marry you in South Carolina?

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 County's page adds that a South Carolina notary public is authorized to administer oaths and may therefore perform a ceremony. The county also says its probate judge does not perform marriage ceremonies, so you bring your own officiant.

Augusta Officiant is licensed to officiate in Georgia and South Carolina, and we have married more than 1,200 couples. If you would love a friend to lead the ceremony, ask the Probate Court whether they qualify before you print the programs. Our post on asking a friend to officiate covers the risks. Even a friend who qualifies cannot easily get a business license in every county they officiate in, or afford a $2 million liability policy, and more venues now ask officiants for both. We carry both, and we keep a backup officiant system.

What happens to the license after the ceremony?

The license comes in three copies. You both sign all three exactly as your names appear, and the officiant completes the officiant lines and the date. At the ceremony we complete and sign the license and hand it to you. You keep the original. You take or mail the other two back to the Probate Court yourselves, which gets your recorded license back faster.

Lexington County's page says those two copies must be delivered within 30 days of the ceremony. State law, in Section 20-1-330, says 15. Go by 15 and you are covered either way. If the copies never come back, the county warns, there is no legal record of the marriage. Once it is recorded you can request certified copies, which the county lists at $5.25 each. You will want them for name changes, and military couples need one for DEERS enrollment.

What does the ceremony cost with us?

Our prices are 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. We write it from scratch, hold one planning meeting (by Zoom or FaceTime if you are not local), and attend the rehearsal. Payment plans are available on every package, so the Custom Ceremony can be about $33 a month over 12 months. Lexington is outside our home area around Augusta, so ask us for a quote for your location. Our packages and services page has the details.

We are veteran owned and family run, we perform ceremonies in English and Spanish, and our fees support the Augusta Birth Center, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Lexington County SC marriage license FAQ

How much is a marriage license in Lexington County, SC?

A Lexington County SC marriage license costs $30 at the Probate Court, paid by cash, check, or money order when you apply. Confirm by phone before you go.

Can we get married the same day we apply?

No. South Carolina has a 24 hour waiting period, so the earliest you can marry is the day after you apply.

Does the Lexington County probate judge perform weddings?

No. The county's own FAQ says the probate judge does not perform marriage ceremonies, so you need an officiant authorized under S.C. Code Section 20-1-20.

Do we have to live in Lexington County to apply there?

No. There is no residency requirement, and the license can be used in any South Carolina county.

Can a friend or family member marry us?

Only if they fit a category in Section 20-1-20, such as a minister, a rabbi, or an officer authorized to administer oaths in South Carolina. Ask the Probate Court first.

Ready to plan the ceremony?

Once your Lexington County SC marriage license is sorted, the rest is the good part. Check your date with us and tell us where you are planning. We will quote your location, and payment plans are there if you want them. You can also read our guide to hiring a wedding officiant in Columbia, SC or see our 5 star reviews on Google.