Iowa Marriage License Information, Laws, Requirements
In most circumstances you may apply for a marriage license at any IA county clerk office where you plan to be married. These offices are usually located in the county probate court or circuit court. This document outlines the procedures you must follow to obtain your license.
Cost of License
What is the cost of a marriage license?
The marriage license fee is roughly $35.00 dollars, although fees may vary from county to county. Accepted forms of payment are cash.
Residency Requirements
What are the residency requirements for Iowa?
None. You do not have to be a previous or current resident of Iowa to obtain a marriage license that is valid statewide.
Waiting Period
Is there a waiting period from the application date to the date the license is issued?
Yes, there is a mandatory 3 day waiting period. In most states, the waiting period does not include Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. In some instances, the day the application is filed is not included within the waiting period.
Is there a waiting period from the date the license is issued to the date I am allowed to marry?
No, you can marry immediately after receiving your license.
Age Requirement
What is the minimum age a man or woman may marry?
You must be 18 years old or older to marry without parental consent. A birth certificate may be necessary to show proof of age.
What if one or both of us is younger than 18?
If either partner is under 18, parents or legal guardians must be present. If a parent can not be present, due to death, separation, divorce or other circumstances, proper evidence must be presented for verification. You will need a certified copy of your birth certificate.
Blood Tests and Physical Exams
Are blood tests and physical exams required?
No blood test or physical exam is required.
License Expires
How long does a marriage license remain valid once it's been issued?
Your marriage license will never expire once it's been issued.
Divorced and Widowed Applicants
What if one or both partners have been divorced or have had a spouse die?
If previously married, the date of divorce or date of spouse's death must be provided.
How Do I Legally Change My Name?
What's the process of legally changing my last name after marriage?
Following your wedding ceremony, you will receive a marriage certificate, which is a piece of paper proving that you are legally married. This certificate will serve as evidence of your marriage, which you'll need when you begin the process of notifying several goverment agencies about your name change, as well as any non-government institutions that you do business with (ie, banks, employers, credit cards, memberships, etc).
We have created a legal name change kit that you can use and complete before or after your marriage takes place. Completing all the necessary name change documentation prior to your wedding can be considerably convenient.
Miscellaneous Questions
Are proxy marriages legal?
No, marriage by proxy is not allowed.
Are cousin marriages legal?
No, cousin marriages are not allowed.
Are common law marriages legal?
Yes, common-law marriages are allowed.
Are same sex marriages legal?
Yes, same-sex marriages are allowed.
County Clerk Address and Phone Number List
Adair County Recorders400 Public Square
Greenfield, IA 50849
515-743-2411
Map Adams County Recorder
500 9th And Davis Ave
Corning, IA 50841
515-322-3744
Map Allamakee County Recorders
110 Allamakee St
Waukon, IA 52172
319-568-2364
Map Appanoose County Recorder
201 N 12th St
Centerville, IA 52544
515-856-6103
Map Audubon County Recorder
318 Leroy St, #7
Audubon, IA 50025
712-563-2119
Map Benton County Clerk
111 E 4th St
Vinton, IA 52349
319-472-3309
Map Black Hawk County Recorder
316 East Fifth
Waterloo, IA 50706
319-291-2472
Map Boone County Recorder
210 State
Boone, IA 50036
515-433-0514
Map Bremer County Recorder
415 E Bremer Ave
Waverly, IA 50677
319-352-0401
Map Buchanan County Recorder
210 5th Ave, N.E.
Independence, IA 50644
319-334-4259
Map Buena Vista County Recorder
East 5th Court House Square
Storm Lake, IA 50588
712-749-2539
Map Butler County Recorder
428 6th St
Allison, IA 50602
319-267-2735
Map Calhoun County Recorder
416 4th St, # 3
Rockwell City, IA 50579
712-297-8121
Map Carroll County Recorder
6th & Main
Carroll, IA 51401
712-792-3328
Map Cass County Recorder
5 W 7th St
Atlantic, IA 50022
712-243-1692
Map Cedar County Recorders
Courthouse
400 Cedar St
Tipton, IA 52772
319-886-2230
Map Cerro Gordo
County Recorder
220 North Washington
Mason City, IA 50401
515-421-3056
Map Chickasaw County Recorder
8 E Prospect St
New Hampton, IA 50659
515-394-2336
Map Clay County Recorder
P.O. Box 7306
Spencer, IA 51301
712-262-1081
Map Clayton County
111 High St
Elkader, IA 52043
319-245-2710
Map Clinton County Recorder
301 Main Ave
Clinton, IA 52732
319-244-0223
Map Crawford County Recorder
P.O. Box 442
Dennison, IA 51442
712-263-3643
Map Dallas County Recorder
801 Court St, # 203
Adel, IA 50003
515-993-5804
Map Decatur Recorders
201 N Main St
Leon, IA 50144
515-446-4322
Map Delaware County Recorder
301 E Main St
Manchester, IA 52057
319-927-4665
Map Des Moines County Recorder
513 N Main St
Burlington, IA 52601
319-753-8221
Map Dickenson County Recorder
18th & Hill St
Spirit Lake, IA 51360
712-336-1495
Map Dubuque County
720 Central
Dubuque, IA 52001
319-589-4434
Map Emmet County Recorder
609 First Ave North
Esterville, IA 51334
712-362-4115
Map Fayette County Recorder
P.O. Box 226
West Union, IA 52175
319-422-3687
Map Floyd County Recorder
Courthouse 101 South Main
Charles City, IA 50616
515-257-6154
Map Franklin County Recorder
P.O. Box 26
Hampton, IA 50441
515-456-5675
Map Fremont County Recorder
P.O. Box 295
Sidney, IA 51652
712-374-2315
Map Greene County Recorders
114 North Chesnut
Courthouse
Jefferson, IA 50129
515-386-3716
Map Grundy County Recorder
706 G Ave
Grundy Center, IA 50638
319-824-3234
Map Guthrie County Recorder
205 N Fifth
Guthrie Center, IA 50115
515-747-3412
Map Hamilton County Recorder
P.O. Box 126
Webster City, IA 50595
515-832-9535
Map Hancock County Recorder
855 State St
Garner, IA 50438
515-923-2464
Map Hardin County Recorder
Hardin County Courthouse
Eldora, IA 50627
515-939-8178
Map Harrison County Recorder
111 N 2nd Ave
Logan, IA 51546
712-644-2545
Map Henry County Recorder
Main & Washington
Courthouse Building
Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641
319-385-0765
Map Humboldt County Recorder
203 Main
Dakota City, IA 50529
515-332-3693
Map Ida County Recorder
401 Moorehead St
Ida Grove, IA 51445
712-364-2220
Map Iowa County Recorder
P.O. Box 185 Court Ave
Marengo, IA 52301
319-642-3622
Map Jackson County Recorder
201 West Platt
Maquoketa, IA 52060
319-652-2504
Map Jasper County Recorder
County Courthouse, Room 205
Newton, IA 50208
515-792-5442
Map Jean Richardson
County Recorder
300 N Pine St
Creston, IA 50801
515-782-7616
Map Jefferson County Recorder
51 W Briggs Ave
Fairfield, IA 52556
515-472-4331
Map Johnson County Recorder
913 South Dubuque
Iowa City, IA 52244
319-356-6093
Map Jones County Recorder
500 W Main St, # 116
Anamosa, IA 52205
319-462-2477
Map Kossuth County
114 West State St
Algona, IA 50511
515-295-5660
Map Lee County Recorder
P.O. Box 160
Keokuk, IA 52632
319-524-1126
Map Lee County Recorders
P.O. Box 322
Fort Madison, IA 52627
319-372-4662
Map Linn County Recorder
930 1st S.W.
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
319-398-3441
Map Louisa County Recorder
117 South Main
Wapello, IA 52653
319-523-5361
Map Lucas County Recorder
916 Braden Ave
Chariton, IA 50049
515-774-2413
Map Lyon County Recorder
206 S 2nd Ave
Rock Rapids, IA 51246
712-472-2381
Map Madison County Recorder
P.O. Box 152
Winterset, IA 50273
515-462-3771
Map Mahaska County Recorder
106 S 1st St
Oskaloosa, IA 52577
515-673-8187
Map Marion County Recorder
214 E Main St
Knoxville, IA 50138
515-828-2211
Map Marshall County Recorder
1 E Main St
Marshalltown, IA 50158
515-754-6355
Map Mills County Recorder
418 Sharp St
Glenwood, IA 51534
712-527-9315
Map Mitchell County Recorder
508 State St
Osage, IA 50461
515-732-5861
Map Monona County Recorder
610 Iowa Ave
Onawa, IA 51040
712-423-2575
Map Monroe County Recorder
10 Benton Ave E
Albia, IA 52531
515-932-5164
Map Montgomery County Recorder
P.O. Box 469
Red Oak, IA 51566
712-623-4363
Map Muscatine County Recorder
401 East 3rd
Muscatine, IA 52761
319-263-7741
Map Obrien County Recorder
155 S Hayes Ave
Primghar, IA 51245
712-757-3045
Map Osceola County Recorder
300 7th St
Sibley, IA 51249
712-754-3345
Map Page County Recorder
112 E Main St
Clarinda, IA 51632
712-542-3130
Map Palo Alto County Recorder
1010 Broadway St
Emmetsburg, IA 50536
712-852-3701
Map Plymouth County Recorder
214 4th Ave SE
Le Mars, IA 51031
712-546-4020
Map Polk County Recorder
2nd & Court Ave
Des Moines, IA 50309
515-286-3160
Map Pottawattamie County Recorder
227 South Sixth St
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
712-328-5612
Map Poweshiek County Recorder
302 East Main
Montezuma, IA 50171
515-623-5434
Map Sac County Recorder
100 NW State St
Sac City, IA 50583
712-662-7789
Map Shelby County Recorder
1313 Industrial Pkwy
Harlan, IA 51537
712-755-5640
Map Sioux County Recorder
P.O. Box 100
Orange City, IA 51041
712-737-2229
Map Story County Recorder
900 6th St
Nevada, IA 50201
515-382-7230
Map Tama County Recorder
P.O. Box 82
Toledo, IA 52342
515-484-3320
Map Wapello County Recorder
101 W 4th St
Ottumwa, IA 52501
515-683-0045
Map Warren County Recorder
P.O. Box 163
Indianola, IA 50125
515-961-1089
Map Washington County Recorder
110 West Main
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-7727
Map Webster County Recorder
701 Central Ave
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
515-576-2401
Map Winnebago County Recorder
126 South Clark
Forest City, IA 50436
515-582-2094
Map Winnesheik County Recorder
201 West Main St
Decorah, IA 52101
319-382-3486
Map Woodbury County Recorder
Courthouse, Room 106
Sioux City, IA 51101
712-279-6528
Map Worth County Recorder
1000 Central Ave
Northwood, IA 50459
515-324-2734
Map Wright County Recorder
115 North Main
Clarion, IA 50525
515-532-3204
Map