Did you forget something?
The most important detail of your wedding… the marriage license.
Step by step guide for Michigan specific application. The most thorough guide.
by Leanna on July 1st 2025
At least one member of the couple must live in the county you are applying for the license in. To get the license after application at least one member of the application pair must come in person to retrieve the copies of the marriage license with proof of residency. This may include current drivers license or State ID.
Apply for your marriage license online or in person in your county.
Online: After the application, make an appointment to go to the county clerk’s office for notarization of the affidavit, pay fees (Some counties do not allow you to pay online), and receive receipt of the license.
In person: Bring current drivers license, birth certificates, and social security cards. They might not all be necessary but will be very helpful to move the process along.
If one partner does not have a Birth certificate be prepared to provide the following information; Place of birth, parents name and birth places. They must match birth records.
Apply 30 days (or less) before your wedding date. Do NOT wait until the last moment to apply. Your application will not be available for AT LEAST 10days after submission.
After you collect your marriage license from the county clerk's office you must wait 3 days before you get married and sign. This is a scam to make unprepared people pay more to waive the 3 days waiting period with a fee in this wedding coordinator's opinion.
Get married and sign! Make sure to bring all copies of the marriage license to the location of your singing. All of them need to be signed there as some will be mailed or brought back to the county and one copy you will keep after signing.
Pick your witnesses, one for each partner who is 18 years or older and of sound mind and can physically write their name.
If you are making name changes now is when you will officially write your new name on the license. This will make it much simpler for you when you go to update your paperwork with the Social security office.
IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE on a copy of your marriage license do NOT cross it out or scribble it out. If it's on your take home copy then you do not want a scribble on your memory and if it's on a copy that the clerk then a correction will need to be made. Details on that will be below. They have to go for a reprint.
Your signed licenses (between 1 or 2 copies of the license) copies are to be either mailed or returned to the county in person within 10days of signing to start the naturalization process.
If returned by mail, wait 2 weeks than order for your certified, official, copies
If returned in person, in most cases, you can get your certification then and there. This all hinges on no mistakes being present on your licenses
Certified copies in hand, and you chose to change any names, now you may start the process with a SCHEDULED appointment with the social security office. Your new Social security card will be mailed to you. Once a new SSN card is in hand you can then make an appointment with the Secretary of State office to get a new driver license.
In regards to Health insurance and employment status changes or changes to benefits are at the discretion of the employer. (Some will only accept certified license while others will accept the keepsake license you signed the day of.
TIPS: General rules and helpful tips for this process
For Michigan specifically
Same Sex marriages are legal in Michigan as of 2015 with the Supreme court’s ruling of Obergefell V. Huges.
A person may only be married to one person. Please make sure all divorces are finalized. Non-legal ceremonies may be held for relationships of more than 2 adult persons.
A person must be 18 years or older to be legally married.
MI made wedding licenses signed outside the state are not considered legal. If you are getting married outside of Michigan you must get a marriage license in the county or country of the location you are getting married at.
Your Michigan marriage license is valid anywhere in the state. If you are from Traverse city but getting married in Detroit you will get your marriage license in Traverse City but sign in Detroit. You will then send your marriage license back to Traverse city for notarization.
