Marriage licenses in Kentucky 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 Kentucky’s own official sources, then links every county guide we have verified so far.
The statewide rules
- Who issues the license: County Clerk (any county if both applicants are 18 or older) (KRS 402.080)
- License fee (statewide): $60
- Waiting period: None
- License validity: 30 days including the date of issuance (KRS 402.105)
- Witnesses: Yes – at least 2 witnesses in addition to the parties and the officiant must be present at every marriage (KRS 402.050)
- Minimum age: 18; a 17-year-old may be licensed only with a family court or district court order granting permission and removing the disability of minority under KRS 402.205 (and 15 days elapsed since the order); no license under 17 (KRS 402.210)
- Residency / where to apply: No residency requirement; applicants 18+ may apply in any county; license may be used in any Kentucky county and only in Kentucky
- Who can officiate: Ministers/priests of any denomination in regular communion with a religious society (no state registration or residency requirement for officiants), justices and judges of the Court of Justice incl. retired (unless removed for cause or convicted of a felony), county judge/executives, justices of the peace and fiscal court commissioners authorized by the county judge/executive, and certain religious societies (KRS 402.050)
- Courthouse ceremonies: No – county clerks issue licenses only; ceremonies are performed by judges, county judge/executives, clergy and other KRS 402.050 officiants
Kentucky counties in this directory
We have published 20 verified county guides for Kentucky so far. License fees on the verified county pages currently run from $50 to $65. 0 of them publish a separate ceremony fee. Browse them all: Browse all Kentucky county guides — and use the search on the homepage to jump straight to your county.
Source for the statewide rules: https://whitleycountyclerk.ky.gov/marriage-license/ (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.