Getting married in Oregon: a 3-day wait you can skip for US$5, and the officiant returns the license within 5 days
In Oregon, after you get the Marriage License you must wait 3 days before the ceremony, and you can pay an extra US$5 to skip the waiting period. In Multnomah County (Portland), for example, the fee is US$60, and once the waiting period is over you have 60 days to hold the ceremony anywhere in Oregon. After the ceremony, the officiant must return the license within 5 days, even shorter than California's 10. If you need to register the marriage in Taiwan, a certificate issued in Oregon is authenticated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Seattle.
The details below follow Multnomah County's official page; for fees and procedures in other counties, go by each county's website.
Requirements and ID
Multnomah County's rules (checked 2026-10-23):
- The fee is US$60. Payable by cash, credit card or debit card (with a 2% processing fee), or by cashier's check or money order made out to Multnomah County; personal checks are not accepted.
- Fill in the application online first. After you submit it there is no need to print it; the office prints it out to check when you arrive.
- Both of you must appear together in person to pick up the license.
- Each of you brings photo ID, such as a driver's license, state ID or passport; the names on the application must match your IDs.
For other points for foreigners applying, see foreigners marrying in the US.
The 3-day waiting period and 60-day validity
- From the day the license is issued, you must wait 3 days before the ceremony can take place.
- You can pay an extra US$5 to skip the waiting period.
- Once the waiting period is over, you have 60 days to hold the ceremony anywhere in Oregon.
For the fee and the waiver fee, go by the county's current notice. For a comparison of waiting periods across states, see the official rules checked for 9 states.
Witnesses and ceremonies performed by a judge
- Witnesses must be at least 18, and the couple arranges them (Hood River County Circuit Court, Oregon, checked 2026-10-23). The official pages we found this time don't give the number of witnesses; go by the issuing county.
- For a ceremony performed by a judge at the Hood River County court, you must book in advance; the fee is US$117 under ORS 106.120(4)(a), and you can apply to have it waived. For a ceremony outside the courthouse or outside business hours, the judge may charge an additional US$100. Each county's court does this differently, so check the county where you plan to marry.
- The Hood River County court also reminds couples to get the marriage license at least three days before the wedding.
Return the license within 5 days of the ceremony
The officiant must sign and return the license within 5 days after the ceremony, either by dropping it in the building's drop box or at the counter, or by mail (Multnomah County, checked 2026-10-23). A week or two after the ceremony, check with the county that recording is complete (item 9 of the checklist).
The keepsake certificate is not proof of marriage
Multnomah County states it plainly: the keepsake certificate you get when you pick up the license is not a certified copy and cannot be used to prove your marriage. To prove your marriage, request a certified copy.
- The Multnomah County certified copy fees found in our research: US$7.75 for the first copy and US$4 for each additional copy on the same order; mail or drop-off requests are processed in 1–2 business days (Multnomah County, checked 2026-10-14). The page we checked today doesn't list fees, so go by the application page.
- Apostilles are handled by the State of Oregon, not the county (checked 2026-10-14); registering in Taiwan doesn't require an Apostille; see for Taiwan, get it authenticated by TECO.
Authentication uses up one certified copy, so order several at once (item 10 of the checklist).
Registering in Taiwan and TECO in Seattle
- Documents issued in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are authenticated by TECO in Seattle (jurisdiction table from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US, checked 2026-10-22).
- TECO in Seattle gives two ways to register a marriage: go back to Taiwan in person and register at the household registration office for your registered address, or have the documents authenticated and translated through the office first and let the office forward them to the household registration office (checked 2026-10-22). The page doesn't give authentication fees or processing times, so confirm with the office.
For the full steps to register in Taiwan, see registering a US marriage in Taiwan in five steps; for how Washington State handles it, see getting married in Washington State.
Common questions
How long do we have to wait to marry in Oregon?
You wait 3 days after the license is issued; in Multnomah County you can pay an extra US$5 to skip the waiting period.
How long is an Oregon marriage license valid?
Once the waiting period is over, you have 60 days to hold the ceremony anywhere in Oregon.
Can we use the keepsake certificate we got with the license for official purposes?
No. Multnomah County states that the keepsake certificate is not a certified copy and can't prove your marriage; you need to request a certified copy separately.
Oregon's 3 days, 5-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)
- Multnomah County: Get a Marriage License (checked 2026-10-23)
- Multnomah County: Certified copies (checked 2026-10-14)
- Oregon Judicial Department, Hood River County Circuit Court: Weddings (checked 2026-10-23)
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle: Household registration (marriage, divorce, name change) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States: Office jurisdictions (checked 2026-10-22)