Getting married in Chicago: the license takes effect the next day and can only be used in Cook County
To marry in Chicago, you apply for a Marriage License from the Cook County Clerk. The fee is US$60, and both of you must appear together in person. The license takes effect the day after it is issued, is valid for 60 days, and can be used only in Chicago and suburban Cook County; to marry elsewhere in Illinois, apply in that county. The license must be returned within 10 days after the ceremony. If you need to register the marriage in Taiwan, a certificate issued in Illinois is authenticated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Chicago.
The details below follow Cook County's official page; for other counties, go by each county's website.
Requirements and ID
The Cook County Clerk's rules (checked 2026-10-23):
- The fee is US$60. The page doesn't say which payment methods are accepted, so check before you go.
- Both of you must appear together in person at one of the Clerk's Vital Records offices.
- Bring valid ID and proof of age. Applicants aged 16 or 17 must bring a certified birth certificate and another ID showing their date of birth, and a parent or guardian must appear in person to give sworn consent.
- You can fill in the application online first, but you still have to finish and sign it at the office; tell the clerk you have already filled it in online.
- If you have been divorced, you must give the date the divorce became final; if the divorce was within the last 6 months, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree.
For applying as a foreigner and how other counties handle applicants without an SSN, see foreigners marrying in the US.
Next-day effect, 60 days, Cook County only
- The license takes effect the day after it is issued, so you can't marry on the day you get it.
- It is valid for 60 days from the date of issue; a ceremony held after it expires is not valid.
- It can only be used for a wedding held in Chicago or suburban Cook County. For a wedding in another Illinois county, apply for the license in that county.
Build that extra day into your plans: pick up the license on a Friday, for example, and the earliest you can marry is Saturday. For a comparison across states, see the official rules checked for 9 states.
Ceremonies performed by a judge
- If you don't have your own officiant, a Cook County judge can perform the ceremony.
- Location: the Marriage and Civil Union Court on the lower level of 119 W. Randolph St. (the City Hall/County Building); suburban courthouses offer ceremonies as well.
- Ceremonies are held six days a week. Hours and restrictions vary by location, and some require an appointment, so check the website or call first.
- The page doesn't give the ceremony fee or the number of witnesses; go by the Clerk's website.
A short ceremony performed by a judge like this is not the same system as Taiwan's notarized marriage; legally, what matters is whether the license was returned and recorded after the ceremony.
Return the license within 10 days of the ceremony
The officiant fills in the bottom half of the license and mails it or delivers it to the Cook County Clerk's office within 10 days after the ceremony (Cook County, checked 2026-10-23). Once it is recorded, request certified copies of the marriage certificate; for how to apply and the fees, the page only gives a link.
Authentication uses up one certified copy, so order several at once (see item 10 of the checklist). A week or two after the ceremony, check with the Clerk that recording is complete (item 9 of the checklist).
Registering in Taiwan and TECO in Chicago
- Documents issued in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin are authenticated by TECO in Chicago (jurisdiction table from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US, checked 2026-10-22; TECO in Chicago, checked 2026-10-23).
- The TECO in Chicago page doesn't give authentication fees, payment methods or processing times; ask the office during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00).
- TECO offices in the US don't translate documents, so you prepare the Chinese translation yourself; see translating the marriage certificate into Chinese.
For the full steps to register in Taiwan and the 30-day deadline, see registering a US marriage in Taiwan in five steps; for a comparison of offices, see which TECO office to send your marriage certificate to.
Common questions
Can we marry in Chicago on the day we get the license?
No. A Cook County license takes effect the day after it is issued and is valid for 60 days from the date of issue.
Can a Cook County license be used elsewhere in Illinois?
No. It can only be used for weddings in Chicago and suburban Cook County; to marry in another county, apply in that county.
How much is a Chicago marriage license?
The Cook County fee is US$60, and both of you must apply together in person at the Clerk's office.
What do I need to bring to marry in Chicago if I have been divorced?
You must give the date the divorce became final; if the divorce was within the last 6 months, Cook County requires a certified copy of the divorce decree. Prepare an English translation of Taiwanese divorce documents first.
Illinois's next-day effect, the 10-day return and registering in Taiwan are all on the timeline in the My Wedding Plan checklist: confirming the recording is item 9, certified copies item 10, and registering in Taiwan item 15. The checklist has a free version, and you can start without giving an email address.
Sources (checked 2026-10-23)
- Cook County Clerk: Marriage Licenses (checked 2026-10-23)
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago: About TECO (checked 2026-10-23)
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States: Office jurisdictions (checked 2026-10-22)