Illinois Marriage License Guide (2026)
In Illinois the County Clerk issues marriage licenses (750 ILCS 5/203), and a license takes effect in the county that issued it (750 ILCS 5/207) - so apply in the county where the ceremony will be held. There is a one-day waiting period and the license is valid 60 days; fees vary by county from $30-$90.
The one thing to knowAn Illinois marriage license takes effect in the county that issued it (750 ILCS 5/207) - apply in the county where the ceremony will take place, not where you live. A marriage inadvertently solemnized in another Illinois county is still valid, but that provision rescues a mistake; it is not permission to use the license elsewhere.
The process
- Apply in the ceremony county
A license takes effect in the county where it was issued (750 ILCS 5/207), so apply in the county where the ceremony will be held.
- Both parties appear in person
Both parties appear in person with photo ID; there is no pre-download application.
- Observe the one-day wait
There is a one-day waiting period, effective the day after issuance; a court can waive it.
- Pay the county fee
Fees vary by county, from $30-$90.
- Marry within 60 days
The license is valid 60 days.
Marriage license fees by county — all 102 Illinois counties
| County | Fee |
|---|---|
| Adams County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Alexander County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Bond County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Boone County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Brown County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Bureau County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Calhoun County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Carroll County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Cass County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Champaign County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Christian County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Clark County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Clay County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Clinton County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Coles County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Cook County | $60 |
| Crawford County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Cumberland County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| De Witt County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| DeKalb County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Douglas County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| DuPage County | $35 |
| Edgar County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Edwards County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Effingham County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Fayette County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Ford County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Franklin County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Fulton County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Gallatin County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Greene County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Grundy County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Hamilton County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Hancock County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Hardin County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Henderson County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Henry County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Iroquois County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Jackson County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Jasper County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Jefferson County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Jersey County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Jo Daviess County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Johnson County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Kane County | $32 (cash only) |
| Kankakee County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Kendall County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Knox County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Lake County | $35 |
| LaSalle County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Lawrence County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Lee County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Livingston County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Logan County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Macon County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Macoupin County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Madison County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Marion County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Marshall County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Mason County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Massac County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| McDonough County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| McHenry County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| McLean County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Menard County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Mercer County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Monroe County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Montgomery County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Morgan County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Moultrie County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Ogle County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Peoria County | $75 |
| Perry County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Piatt County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Pike County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Pope County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Pulaski County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Putnam County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Randolph County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Richland County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Rock Island County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Saline County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Sangamon County | $75 |
| Schuyler County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Scott County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Shelby County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| St. Clair County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Stark County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Stephenson County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Tazewell County | $90 (includes one certified copy) |
| Union County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Vermilion County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Wabash County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Warren County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Washington County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Wayne County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| White County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Whiteside County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Will County | $35 |
| Williamson County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Winnebago County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
| Woodford County | $30–$90 (call to confirm) |
Illinois-specific details
An Illinois marriage license takes effect in the county that issued it (750 ILCS 5/207), so get your license from the county where the CEREMONY will be, not where you live. Two provisions then protect couples who get this wrong: 750 ILCS 5/207 and 750 ILCS 5/209(b)(2) both say a marriage is not invalidated by the fact that it was "inadvertently solemnized in a county in Illinois other than the county where the license was issued". Read them for what they are - a cure for an accident, not a rule that the license works anywhere in the state. Plan the ceremony in the issuing county.
There is no blood test and no residency requirement. There is a one-day waiting period, effective the day after issuance and court-waivable, and the license is valid 60 days.
What to bring
- Both parties, in person
- Photo ID for each party
- The county fee ($30-$90)
- Confirmation of your ceremony county - apply in the county where the ceremony will be held
- Time for the one-day waiting period before the ceremony
Frequently asked questions
Who issues marriage licenses in Illinois?
The County Clerk (750 ILCS 5/203).
Where should we get our license?
From the county where the ceremony will take place: an Illinois license takes effect in the county that issued it (750 ILCS 5/207). If a ceremony does end up in a different Illinois county by accident, the marriage is not invalidated (750 ILCS 5/207; 750 ILCS 5/209(b)(2)) - but that saves a mistake rather than permitting one.
Is an Illinois license valid in another county?
It takes effect in the county that issued it (750 ILCS 5/207), so plan the ceremony there. Illinois law does not invalidate a marriage that was inadvertently solemnized in another Illinois county (750 ILCS 5/209(b)(2)), but that is a saving provision for an accident, not permission to use the license in a county you chose.
Is there a waiting period?
Yes, a one-day waiting period effective the day after issuance. A court can waive it.
How long is the license valid?
60 days.
How much does it cost?
Fees vary by county, from $30-$90.
Is a blood test required?
No. There is no blood test and no residency requirement.