Marriage licenses in Ohio are handled locally, and the details that matter — the fee, the wait, how long the license lasts — are set by a mix of state law and local practice. This page collects the statewide rules from Ohio’s own official sources, then links every county guide we have verified so far.
The statewide rules
- Who issues the license: Probate Court of a county (one in each of Ohio’s 88 counties)
- License fee: Fee set by each county probate court; varies by county
- Waiting period: None — under ORC 3101.05 a probate judge may grant the license at any time after the application is made
- License validity: 60 days
- Minimum age: 18; a 17-year-old may marry only with juvenile court consent under ORC 3101.04 (the probate court publishes a separate checklist for minors)
- Residency / where to apply: Ohio residents must apply in the county where either applicant resides; nonresidents may apply only in the county where the ceremony will take place, and their ceremony must be in that county
- Who can officiate: Ordained ministers licensed to solemnize marriages by the Ohio Secretary of State; the probate court judge, municipal court judges; and the mayor of a municipal corporation located in the county that issued the license (ORC 3101.08, as listed by the Hamilton County Probate Court)
- Courthouse ceremonies: Yes in many counties — probate judges may solemnize marriages (ORC 2101.27), and in Hamilton County the Municipal Court duty judge conducts civil ceremonies
Ohio counties in this directory
We have published 48 verified county guides for Ohio so far. License fees on the verified county pages currently run from $40 to $88. 2 of them publish a separate ceremony fee. Browse them all: Browse all Ohio county guides — and use the search on the homepage to jump straight to your county.
Source for the statewide rules: https://www.probatect.org/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.