Marriage licenses in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin’s own official sources, then links every county guide we have verified so far.
The statewide rules
- Who issues the license: County Clerk (Wis. Stat. 765.05)
- License fee: Not uniform – Wis. Stat. 765.15 sets a statutory base of $49.50, but each county board may increase the fee by any amount, so totals vary by county (e.g., Dane $150, Waukesha $110)
- Waiting period: No license may be issued within 3 days of application (Wis. Stat. 765.08(1)); the clerk may issue sooner at the clerk’s discretion for an additional fee of not more than $25
- License validity: License authorizes the ceremony in any county within 60 days of issuance (Wis. Stat. 765.12(2))
- Witnesses: At least 2 competent adult witnesses other than the officiant; only 1 required if a party is on active duty in the U.S. armed forces/reserve/National Guard (Wis. Stat. 765.16(1m))
- Minimum age: 18; 16-17 with written consent of parents/guardian/custodian given before the county clerk under oath or certified (Wis. Stat. 765.02(2))
- Residency / where to apply: Apply in the county where one party has resided at least 30 days immediately before application; if both parties are nonresidents, apply in the county where the ceremony will be performed (Wis. Stat. 765.05)
- Who can officiate: Per Wis. Stat. 765.16(1m): ordained clergy, denominational licentiates/appointees, the two parties themselves (self-solemnization under the customs of a religious society), justices, judges and reserve judges, and circuit court commissioners
- Courthouse ceremonies: County clerks are NOT authorized officiants in Wisconsin; court ceremonies are available through judges and court commissioners, with practice varying by county
Wisconsin counties in this directory
We have published 29 verified county guides for Wisconsin so far. License fees on the verified county pages currently run from $75 to $115. 5 of them publish a separate ceremony fee. Browse them all: Browse all Wisconsin county guides — and use the search on the homepage to jump straight to your county.
Source for the statewide rules: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/765/15 (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.