Marriage License Fee in Louisiana

The fee on this page covers the issuing office accepting the application, verifying required documents, issuing the license, and recording the marriage certificate after the ceremony. The license is the legal authorization for an officiant to perform the ceremony, and the certificate is the record signed by the parties, witnesses, and officiant. This fee does not include optional certified copies, expedited services, or notary fees that a parish may charge separately.

Because fees vary by parish, confirm the total and payment methods with the issuing office before you apply. Ask the issuing office about accepted payment methods and any card processing fees.

Fees are set by the issuing parish clerk of court or the Orleans Parish issuing office, and published schedules can include a basic license fee plus charges for certified copies or waivers. For example, Jefferson Parish lists a $27.50 license fee and a separate fee for certified copies, while Lafourche Parish lists a $32 fee that includes one certified copy.

Jefferson Parish also notes that Louisiana law requires a portion of each fee to be remitted to the state for family violence programs. Use parish schedules to confirm the current total and what is included.

R.S. 9:222 also states that a marriage license may be issued in any parish regardless of where the ceremony will be performed or where the parties reside.

This means you can choose the parish that is most convenient, but you must follow that parish's application rules, office hours, and appointment or notary requirements.

The application must include the date and hour of application; the full name, residence, race, and age of each party; the names of each party's parents; the number of former marriages and whether divorced; and the relationship of each party to the other. If both parties were born in the United States or are naturalized citizens, each party's social security number must be provided.

If a party does not have a social security number because they are not a citizen or lawful permanent resident, the statute requires a valid, unexpired passport from the country of birth or an unexpired visa with Form I-94.

A certified copy of each party's birth certificate is required unless a court order waives the requirement. Minors must provide the written consent and court authorization required under the Louisiana Children's Code. If the parties intend a covenant marriage, the declaration of intent must be included.

The statute also requires a valid, unexpired driver's license, government issued identification card, or a valid passport or visa with Form I-94. Because the issuing officer must receive and file the required documents, bring originals or certified copies and any required affidavits or court orders.

If you were born in Louisiana, a certified copy of your birth certificate is required and a short-form birth certification card is acceptable. If you were born in another U.S. state or territory, the certified copy must be under the raised seal or stamp of the issuing vital records authority.

If you were born outside the United States, you must provide a certified birth certificate under the raised seal of the issuing authority, a translation with a sworn declaration if the certificate is not in English, and a valid, unexpired passport or an unexpired visa with Form I-94. R.S. 9:227 and R.S. 9:228 describe the process for obtaining a letter of no record and a court order if a birth certificate is unavailable.

It also bars issuance to a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old if there is an age difference of three years or greater between the parties. For minors who are otherwise eligible, R.S. 9:225 requires the written consent and court authorization specified in the Louisiana Children's Code.

Because minor applications involve court review, applicants should contact the parish clerk or appropriate court early to understand timing, consent forms, and hearing requirements.

The official must also indicate whether the parties intend to enter into a covenant marriage, which is a distinct marriage option in Louisiana that carries additional counseling and declaration requirements.

The issuance time controls when the 24-hour waiting period starts, so schedule your ceremony with the timestamp in mind and ask the clerk about covenant marriage documentation if that is your intent.

If the license expires before the ceremony, R.S. 9:236 allows a new license to be issued if the parties surrender the expired license to the issuing official.

This short validity window means you should apply close enough to your ceremony date to avoid reissuance, especially if you plan to request a waiting period waiver or travel for the ceremony.

R.S. 9:241 prohibits an officiant from performing a marriage ceremony until twenty-four hours have elapsed since issuance of the license. R.S. 9:242 allows a judge, justice of the peace, or retired justice of the peace authorized to perform the marriage to waive the delay for serious and meritorious reasons, and the waiver certificate must be attached to the license.

In Orleans Parish, an officiant may waive the delay for nonresident parties under the same serious-reason standard. If you need a waiver, ask the issuing office which officials can grant it and what documentation is required.

Under R.S. 9:204, an officiant other than a judge or justice of the peace must register by filing an affidavit with the clerk of court of the parish where they will principally perform ceremonies, or with the state registrar of vital records in Orleans Parish. R.S. 9:205 makes clear that an officiant may not perform a ceremony until they have received the marriage license authorizing that specific ceremony.

Confirm your officiant's registration status and the parish's registration rules before the ceremony.

R.S. 9:245 states that the marriage certificate is prepared on a form approved by the state registrar of vital records and must be signed by the parties, the witnesses, and the officiant. The certificate must show the place, time, and date of the ceremony, and the officiant signs the certificate in triplicate.

After the ceremony, the officiant and parties should follow parish instructions for returning the completed certificate so the clerk can record the marriage and issue certified copies.

Jefferson Parish's clerk of court publishes detailed application requirements, lists a $27.50 license fee, and notes a separate certified copy fee and a possible waiver fee. The Jefferson Parish guidance also explains the 30-day validity window and 24-hour waiting period.

Lafourche Parish lists a $32 license fee (cash only) that includes one certified copy and notes that Louisiana licenses must be used in Louisiana, expire after 30 days, and are subject to the 24-hour waiting period. Use these examples as benchmarks and verify your parish's exact fees, payment methods, and documentation rules before applying.

9:224. Applications can also stall if prior marriage information or parental consent for minors is incomplete, or if the parties are not eligible under the age-difference limits in R.S. 9:221.

Another common issue is scheduling a ceremony too soon; the 24-hour delay applies unless a waiver is granted and attached to the license. Finally, licenses expire after 30 days and cannot be used once expired, which can force a reissuance. Confirm documents, timing, and officiant and witness requirements before you apply.