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Helpful Information

Bell County Clerk Marriage License

Marriage Licenses may be obtained from the County Clerk’s Offices in Killeen, Belton, and Temple.  

Williamson County Marriage License

If you are applying for a marriage license in Williamson County, both applicants should go to the Justice Center located at 405 MLK Street in Georgetown, Texas. If you have any other questions concerning the marriage license requirements, please contact the County Clerk’s office at 512-943-1526 or 512-943-1527.

Travis County Marriage Licenses

The Travis County Clerk issues marriage licenses at the  5501 Airport Boulevard Office in Austin, Texas. Listed below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions from couples ready to take this important step.

Marriage License Waiting Period

There is a required 3-day waiting period between the time a marriage license is obtained and the ceremony (Texas Family Code, Chapter 2, Section 2.204). The marriage ceremony may not take place during the 72-hour period immediately following the issuance of the marriage license unless an applicant:

  • Is a member of the armed forces of the United States and on active duty,
  • Performs work for the United States Department of Defense as an employee or contract worker,
  • Obtains a written waiver from a judge of a court with jurisdiction in family law cases, a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a county judge, or a judge of a court of appeals, or
  • Completes a premarital education course described by Texas Family Code Section 2.013 and provides the County Clerk with a course completion certificate indicating completion of the course within one year of the date the marriage license application is filed with the Clerk.

Marriage License Expiration

A marriage license is valid for 89 days from the date it is issued. A marriage license expires if it has not been used before the 90th day after it was issued. If a couple wishes to marry after the expiration date, a new license must be purchased.

Steps to Obtain a Marriage License

The bride and groom must bring the following to the  County Clerk’s Office:

  • Proof of identity and age using documents approved by state law. These may include an official copy of the applicant’s birth certificate, a driver’s license or state-issued identification card, or an approved document issued by Texas or another state, the United States, or a foreign government (i.e., passport, visa, military identification, etc.). 
  • The Social Security Number of each applicant (if the applicant has one). Applicants do not need to show a Social Security Card.
  • If divorced, and the divorce was finalized in Texas within the previous 30 days, an applicant must provide a certified copy of the divorce decree which states that the 30-day waiting period has been waived. This does not apply to out-of-state divorcees.

If a previously-divorced applicant wishes to use her maiden name, she will need to provide identification showing that maiden name (such as a certified copy of her birth certificate or a certified copy of her divorce decree that states her name is to be changed).

  • At the Clerk’s Office, the bride and groom will complete a marriage license application and pay the license fee.

Note: A member of the National Guard on federal active duty, or a member of the armed forces of the United States on active duty, who is preparing to be deployed to serve in a hostile fire zone as designated by the United States Secretary of Defense is exempt from marriage license fees.

Return & Filing of Marriage License

Sec. 2.206.  RETURN OF LICENSE;  PENALTY. 

(a)  The person who conducts a marriage ceremony shall record on the license the date on which and the county in which the ceremony is performed and the person’s name, subscribe the license, and return the license to the county clerk who issued it not later than the 30th day after the date the ceremony is conducted.

(b)  A person who fails to comply with this section commits an offense. An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $500.

How to change your last name after married

Click here to find steps to changing your last name the DIY way

Click here for a service to change your name for small fee provided thru The Knot

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