A bride and groom kiss in the streets of Chicago while their wedding parties stand in a line behind them and cheer

You’re planning your wedding day and it’s time for one of the MOST important steps, getting your marriage license!✨ While not the most fun or most glamorous part of the wedding experience, I can’t really overstate just how important this part is!! Without your marriage license, there’s no legal wedding and no legal marriage. So what all is there that goes into getting your marriage license in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs? Let’s take a look together so you have ALL the info at your disposal!!

How to Apply for a Marriage License in Chicago

The great thing about getting your marriage license in Chicago is that it is pretty straightforward!🤩 The first step is to apply for your marriage license in Chicago. This small but extremely important step in your marriage process is easy to overlook in the hustle and bustle of the wedding day! If you’re getting married in the burbs, you can skip to the latter portions of this blog for your counties information. First you will want to take a visit to the Cook County Clerk's office website to make sure that you and your soon-to-be spouse fit all of the qualifications and preparations in order to apply for your license, which I've also listed below!

A bride and groom smile at the camera while walking and holding hands, they're in the Cook County Clerk's Office to have a courthouse wedding

What Do I Need to Apply for a Marriage License in Cook County?

In order to apply for a marriage license in Chicago / Cook County, you and your partner need to meet certain criteria:

You both need to be over the age of 18.
You must not be blood relatives.
If previously divorced you must provide the date your divorce was finalized. (if the divorce was within the last 6 months a certified copy of the divorce decree must be provided as well.)

From there you’ll want to make sure that you both have a valid form of ID with you and $60 to pay for the license! Last but not least, for the state of Illinois you will need to know both of your Mother’s maiden names, and you will also need to know what state your parents were born in. Other than that, the majority of the questions listed on the application are common questions that you and your partner will more than likely know off hand. You then will both need to appear at the Cook County Clerk's office in person to fill out your application for your marriage license.

A bride and groom walk hand in hand and cross a street in Chicago away from the camera

When Should You Get Your Marriage License?

Unlike some states, Chicago and other Illinois Clerk’s offices do give you your Marriage license the day you apply! The catch is that it will not be valid until the following day, but that still is a very quick turnaround if you compare this to some other states! Once it is valid, your license will remain valid for 60 days. This timing is important, as if your wedding does not fall within this 60 day timeframe you’ll need to go through the whole application process again.

2 photos side by side, the left is of a bride and groom kissing one another while walking down the aisle, the right is of the groom kissing the bride's neck while she laughs

What is the Best Time of Day to Apply for Your Marriage License?

It makes sense that the best time to go in for your Chicago marriage license is on a weekday and within regular working hours. Most couples tend to go after work during the week, so there’s usually a rush that is best to avoid! There are multiple Cook County Clerk’s Offices throughout Cook County, so be sure to check the hours of the specific one you plan to go to.🏢 Most offices are open either 8 am-4pm or 8am- 5pm though!

How to Get your Marriage License in the Chicago Suburbs

If you’re not planning on getting your marriage license in Chicago, but instead plan on doing so in one of the city’s many suburbs this section is for you! Here are the requirements for some of the different counties that make up the Chicago suburbs:

How to Get your Marriage License in Kane County

Kane County has pretty similar marriage license requirements when compared to Chicago:

You both need to be over the age of 18.
You must not be blood relatives.
If you’re traveling from out of state you may apply for a marriage license in Kane County only if the marriage would be legal in your home state.

You both must provide a valid form of ID and pay a $32 fee which is cash only. You can start the application process online if you would like! If you do so though you need to make sure you go into the Clerk’s Office within two weeks of sending in your online application for it to be valid. Just like in Cook County, you will receive your marriage license on the same day, the license becomes valid the following day, and is then valid for the following 60 days! The marriage license is also only valid in Kane County. There are two Kane County Clerk locations you can choose from, one in Geneva and one in Aurora.🏢

A bride and groom kiss while walking down the aisle as guests stand and cheer during their wedding ceremony at the Honeycomb of Lincoln Park in Chicago

How to Get Your Marriage License in DuPage County

DuPage County’s requirements for receiving a marriage license are also incredibly similar to those in Chicago, but with a few minor differences:

You both need to be over the age of 18.
You must not be blood relatives.
If previously divorced you must provide the date your divorce was finalized. (if the divorce was within the last 6 months a certified copy of the divorce decree must be provided as well.)

The marriage license application comes with a fee of $35 either paid by cash or check, or you can pay by card with a $1 extra fee. You’re also able to start your application process online, but you must complete the process in person. Other than that everything remains the same as the other counties listed above! Your license will be issued on the same day, valid the following day, and is valid for the following 60 days after. A DuPage County marriage license is also only valid in DuPage County. You can find the DuPage County Clerk’s office in Wheaton.🏢

2 photos side by side, the left is a close up of a bride and groom's champagne glasses being touched together, the right is of the bride and groom pouring a tower of champagne together

As you can see the requirements for getting your marriage license, either in Chicago or one of the surrounding suburbs, is thankfully pretty simple! It is crucial that you take care of these legalities though so that you can focus on planning and most importantly enjoying your wedding day!!😍 For more wedding planning tips check out some of my other blogs here, and if you’re ready to book me for your wedding head on over to my contact page to send me an inquiry!