Marriage licenses in Tennessee 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 Tennessee’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; both parties appear in person) (TCA 36-3-103/104)
- License fee: State base + county additions
- Waiting period: None for applicants 18+; a 3-day waiting period applies when an applicant is 17
- License validity: 30 days from issuance (TCA 36-3-103)
- Witnesses: No – witnesses are not required
- Minimum age: 18; a 17-year-old may be licensed only if the other party is no more than 4 years older and a parent/guardian or custodian joins in the application (or the minor is emancipated); no license under 17 and no judicial waiver (TCA 36-3-105)
- Residency / where to apply: License may be used anywhere in Tennessee
- Who can officiate: Regular ministers, pastors, priests, rabbis and other spiritual leaders 18+ who have the care of souls (ordination solely online is excluded under TCA 36-3-301), current and former judges/chancellors/general sessions judges, the Governor, speakers of the General Assembly, county mayors/county executives and former officeholders, county clerks and former county clerks in office on or after July 1, 2014, members of county and municipal legislative bodies, municipal mayors, and notaries public (TCA 36-3-301)
- Courthouse ceremonies: County clerks are themselves authorized officiants under TCA 36-3-301, as are judges and notaries; clerk offices issue licenses and some judges/notaries perform courthouse-area ceremonies
Tennessee counties in this directory
We have published 33 verified county guides for Tennessee so far. License fees on the verified county pages currently run from $38 to $107.50. 0 of them publish a separate ceremony fee. Browse them all: Browse all Tennessee county guides — and use the search on the homepage to jump straight to your county.
Source for the statewide rules: https://www.shelbycountytn.gov/574/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.