Marriage Licenses

Please see main Clerk's page for office hours and closures.


BOOK YOUR WEDDING WITH US!

County Clerk Buie is available to perform your wedding here in our intimate ceremony room.  The $25 non-refundable fee is due when you book your ceremony. You can choose your own vows or use our standard vows.  The ceremony room can accommodate up to two witnesses and four guests.


PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BELOW:


Due to limited space inside the offices, it will be necessary for you to have all of your requests/ applications completed before you are allowed inside the office, including having your identification documents and payment ready. 


Requirements:

Both applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants who are 16 or 17 years of age must appear with their certified birth certificate and their parent or legal guardian (with Order of Guardianship or Custody and photo identification) to complete a consent form.

One or both applicants must be a resident of Muskegon County.  If both of you are a resident of another Michigan county, then you must apply in the county in which you live.  If both of you reside out of state, you may apply as an out-of-state applicant.

YOU CANNOT APPLY MORE THAN 33 DAYS PRIOR TO YOUR WEDDING DATE.  

This includes a three day waiting period which starts 

when the application is notarized in our office.

Application:

Please complete the online form Affidavit For License to Marry as a public user. DO NOT CHANGE THE ORDER OF INFORMATION ON THE FORM - IT WILL CREATE ISSUES WHEN YOU COME TO PICK UP THE LICENSE. The male’s information must be entered first and then the female’s.  If this is a non-traditional marriage (same-sex) then it doesn't matter whose information goes in first.  Make note of the online marriage number at the conclusion of your application to bring with you when picking up the license.  The Courthouse is fully open to the public, if you do not have access to the internet, you may use the public computers located on the 6th floor of the Michael E. Kobza Hall of Justice between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.  You will need the full names of each parties’ parents and their birthplace, plus social security numbers for both parties who are applying for the marriage license.  THE THREE DAY WAITING PERIOD STARTS WHEN THE APPLICATION IS NOTARIZED IN OUR OFFICE - NOT WHEN YOU COMPLETE THE AFFIDAVIT.  

Picking Up Your License:

After you finish the online Affidavit for License to Marry, bring the online marriage number provided to our office. Only one applicant is necessary to be present when picking up the marriage license, however, the one who is present must have picture ID, be a resident of Muskegon County and must have the original picture ID or other proof of age of the person not present.  Acceptable forms of proof of age and/or residency are: Certified birth certificate, Driver’s License or State Identification, Passport, or Military Identification.  THE THREE DAY WAITING PERIOD STARTS WHEN THE APPLICATION IS NOTARIZED IN OUR OFFICE . 

Waiting Period: 

There is a three day waiting period so you must come to the Clerk's Office and complete the application for your license at least three days before your wedding date. For example, come in to the Clerk's Office and complete your application for your license on Monday, the license will be valid and ready to be picked up on Thursday.  The license is valid for 30 days after picking it up. 

The three day waiting period starts when the application is notarized in our office.

Payments:

The fee is $20.00 for Muskegon County residents and $30.00 for out of state residents, and is due when you come in to the Clerk’s office.

The County Clerk’s office will accept payments in the form of: 

  • cash;
  • check or money order made payable to Muskegon County Clerk, include your phone number and Driver’s License or State ID number;
  • credit or debit card (which must be in the name of the person presenting the card).   Please note an additional service charge is applied to credit or debit card payments by the third party processor.  

PLEASE GO OVER YOUR MARRIAGE PACKET 

WITH YOUR OFFICIANT PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY

AND GIVE HIM/HER THE OFFICIANT CHECKLIST.


After the ceremony:

There are several places where you are required to have your name changed and/or provide proof of marriage.  In order to do this, you will need to purchase a certified copy of the marriage license.  This is separate from the license you purchased prior to the ceremony.  The fee is $20.00 for the first copy, and $10.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.  A request form was included with your marriage packet that you received when you picked up your license.  If you no longer have the request form, you may visit our Birth, Death, and Marriage Records page for the form and instructions.  

At a minimum, you will need to change your name and/or provide proof of marriage at the following places:

a.  Social Security.  You may visit the local Social Security Office in person, or submit the request on-line at:  https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf .

b.  Secretary of State Office regarding your driver’s license or state I.D. if your name changes.

c.   On your bank or credit union accounts if your name changes.

d.  With your employer.

e.  On insurance policies.

f.   On your passport if your name changes.

Helpful Resources: