Marriage licenses in Iowa 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 Iowa’s own official sources, then links every county guide we have verified so far.
The statewide rules
- Who issues the license: County Registrar (the county recorder) (Iowa Code ch. 595; Iowa HHS Marriage Instructions)
- License fee (statewide): 35
- Waiting period: 3 calendar days after the application is accepted (day of application excluded); a district judge in the county’s judicial district may waive it for an additional $5 fee (Iowa Code 595.4)
- License validity: License becomes valid after the 3-day wait and has no stated expiration once valid; if the license is not retrieved from the County Registrar within 6 months of the application date, the application is null and void
- Witnesses: 2 witnesses must be physically present at the ceremony and sign the certificate; witnesses must be of legal age. The application itself also requires an affidavit by one competent, disinterested person acquainted with both parties
- Minimum age: 18; persons 16-17 may marry only with special permission from a judge (Consent to Marriage of a Minor form approved by a district court judge)
- Residency / where to apply: No residency requirement; the county of license does NOT have to be the county where the ceremony takes place
- Who can officiate: Per Iowa Code 595.10 (per Iowa HHS): Iowa judges and persons ordained or designated as a leader of their religious faith
- Courthouse ceremonies: Yes – judges are authorized officiants and courthouse civil ceremonies are offered (e.g., Johnson County lists a courthouse civil ceremony at no fee)
Iowa counties in this directory
We have published 11 verified county guides for Iowa so far. License fees on the verified county pages currently run from $35 to $35. 1 of them publish a separate ceremony fee. Browse them all: Browse all Iowa county guides — and use the search on the homepage to jump straight to your county.
Source for the statewide rules: https://hhs.iowa.gov/media/9054/download (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.