Apply For... Marriage License

Marriage Requirements:

Individuals 18 years of age or older may contract marriage in Michigan without parent's consent.

For purposes of marriage application, residency is determined by a current valid driver's license/state-issued ID. If one or both persons are a Michigan resident, they apply in the county where either applicant lives. This license is valid throughout the state. Either one or both persons may apply for a marriage license in person.

If both persons are out-of-state residents, they must apply in the county where they plan to be married as the license is valid in that county only. Please contact the Leelanau County Clerk's office to make arrangements by calling 231-256-9824 or emailing us at clerk@leelanau.gov. If one or both applicants are Leelanau County residents you will apply in Leelanau County and a application worksheet can emailed to you to help prep for the application process.

The following is required at the time of application:

Current driver's license/state-issued ID showing correct address (can be a photo if not present at the time of applying and one ID is required for the notarization purposes)
Social Security proof such as each applicants Social Security card or a W-2 (can be a photo to match the driver's license/state-issued ID)

If you are 16 or 17 years of age, Certified Birth Certificates are required and Parent or Legal Guardian must be present - see additional information below.

Other required information includes:

Full name of each person
Birth dates and place of birth (City & State)
Complete street address
The Social Security Number of each person
How many times previously married
The following information is needed for each set of parents - current full name of each parent, including the surname at birth and the birthplace

Fee per couple: $20.00 for Leelanau County residents; $30.00 for out-of-state residents.

The marriage license becomes valid on the third day following application and is good for 30 days. The license must be picked up by at least one of the two parties to be married, no exceptions. It may be picked up a follows:

Apply on Monday, pick up on Thursday
Apply on Tuesday, pick up on Friday
Apply on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, pick up on the following Monday

The license is not available for pick up on weekends or legal holidays. The marriage must be solemnized within 33 days of application.

The following requirements apply to persons 16 and 17 years of age who want to apply for a marriage license:

Must show a certified copy of their birth certificate
Written consent of one parent or legal guardian, who must appear at the time of application
A driver's license or photo ID of the consenting parent
If parents are divorced, custodianship must be proven and a driver's license or photo ID must be shown by the custodial parent
Additional information or documentation may be required before this office will complete the marriage license application.

In the event one of the individuals would like to assume the new spouse's last name, the Social Security Administration and some states require a certified copy of the executed license. If you would like to prepay for a certified copy, the cost for one certified is $10.00 and $5.00 for additional copies at time of purchase. A certified copy can be prepaid at time of application.

Due to changes in State law, the County Clerk may now perform marriages. The fee for this service is $25.00. If you are interested in having the Clerk, Michelle L. Crocker, perform your ceremony, please call the Clerk's Office at 231-256-9824 or by emailing clerk@leelanau.gov

This page last updated on 8/7/2023.