The day you obtain your marriage license is one of the most exciting during the whole wedding planning process. At this point you’ve entered the home stretch of planning and your wedding day is finally so close. This is also the day for so many couples where it starts to feel really….well, real lol 😉
Here are the basics for obtaining a marriage license in Louisiana:
- Visit a Parish Clerk of Court’s Office together.
- In Louisiana a marriage license is only valid for 30 days, so don’t schedule your appointment too early. If the wedding falls after the 30 day expiration date, a new license must be purchased.
- You do not have to obtain a marriage license from the county in which you live or in which the ceremony will take place.
- Appointments may be required in some parishes, so check with the office you plan to visit.
- Each of you will be required to provide proof of birth and your social security number. A birth certificate is most commonly presented.
- At the Clerk’s office, you will complete a marriage license application – in some parishes this can be completed online prior to going in so the process goes quicker – and pay the fee. Fees and payment methods vary from $25 – $40 between parishes.
- Lafayette Parish’s fee is $27.50 and can be paid with cash or credit/debit cards.
- The Lafayette Parish marriage license application is linked here.
- Obtain the marriage license and make your way to the alter…well, almost. There is a 24 hour waiting period between the time a marriage license is obtained and when the ceremony can take place.
- Both partners and your officiant must sign and date the marriage license. It is common for the couple to sign at the rehearsal and the officiant to sign after the ceremony.
- Who is authorized to perform a ceremony in Louisiana?
- Any state judge
- Justice of the peace
- Priest
- Minister
- Rabbi
- Clerk of the Religious Society of Friends
- Any clergy of a religious sect who’s at least 18 years old
- The completed marriage license must be returned by the officiant to the Parish Clerk of Court’s office within 10 days from the ceremony date. Once the office receives the license it will be copied and filed and the original will be returned to you.
