Marriage licenses in Connecticut are handled locally, and the details that matter — the fee, the wait, how long the license lasts — are set by state law. This page collects the statewide rules from Connecticut’s own official sources, then links every county guide we have verified so far.
The statewide rules
- Who issues the license: Town clerk of the town where the marriage ceremony will take place
- License fee (statewide): $50
- Waiting period: 48 hours between completion of the application and issuance of the license, effective Oct. 1, 2026 (Public Act 26-141, amending CGS Secs. 46b-24 and 46b-25); no exceptions or waivers
- License validity: 65 days from issuance
- Residency / where to apply: No residency requirement; the license must be obtained from the town clerk of the town where the ceremony will take place, regardless of where the applicants live
- Who can officiate: Judges and retired judges (including federal judges and judges of other states); family support magistrates and referees, state referees; Connecticut justices of the peace; ordained or licensed clergy, including clergy ordained through online ministries (list quoted from the CT Dept. of Public Health)
- Courthouse ceremonies: No — town clerks do not perform marriage ceremonies; there is no statutory provision for clerk ceremonies, and several town pages state this expressly
Connecticut counties in this directory
We have published 3 verified county guides for Connecticut so far. License fees on the verified county pages currently run from $50 to $50. 0 of them publish a separate ceremony fee. Browse them all: Browse all Connecticut county guides — and use the search on the homepage to jump straight to your county.
Source for the statewide rules: https://bloomfieldct.gov/473/Marriage-Licenses (checked 2026-11-09). County figures are checked separately against each county’s own official page and carry their own verified dates. Always confirm with your county clerk before you go — this is not a government site.