Getting married in Texas: a 72-hour wait after you get the license, and the ceremony within 90 days
In Texas, after you get the marriage license (formal marriage license) you must wait 72 hours before the ceremony, and the license is valid for 90 days, counting the day of purchase. In Fort Bend County, for example, the fee is US$71; if both of you took a state-approved premarital course within the past year and submit the certificate, it drops to US$11 and the 72-hour waiting period is also waived. If you need to register the marriage in Taiwan, a certificate issued in Texas is authenticated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Houston.
Texas marriage licenses are issued by each county's County Clerk. The details below use the official page of Fort Bend County (southwest of Houston) as the example; for fees and appointments in other counties, go by each county's website.
Requirements and ID
Fort Bend County's rules (checked 2026-10-23):
- As a rule, both of you apply together at the County Clerk's office; if one of you can't be there, an absentee application form lets you complete part of the process.
- Bring ID that proves your identity and age; the list of acceptable IDs is available in English and Spanish.
- If you have a Social Security number (SSN), you must provide it; if you don't, you don't need one. For points for foreigners applying, see foreigners marrying in the US.
- You can book an appointment, but it isn't required.
Fees and the premarital course
- The standard fee is US$71.
- If you submit a certificate of completion from a state-approved premarital course, the fee drops to US$11. The course must be completed within one year before you apply, and the certificate must be signed by the course provider and show both your names and the name of the course.
- You can also buy a certificate protector sleeve for US$2.
For payment methods, Fort Bend County's page only gives a link; check that page before you apply.
The 72-hour waiting period and 90-day validity
You must wait 72 hours between buying the marriage license and holding the ceremony. Cases where it can be waived (Fort Bend County, checked 2026-10-23):
- Active-duty members of the US military.
- Department of Defense employees or contractors.
- A written waiver from a judge of the relevant court or another designated judicial officer.
- Completing a qualifying premarital education course and submitting the certificate of completion.
The license is valid for 90 days from the date of purchase, counting the day of purchase; if it isn't used by the 90th day, it expires and you have to buy a new one.
If you have been divorced, note: there is a 30-day waiting period after the divorce decree becomes final before you can remarry, unless you have obtained a waiver or are remarrying your former spouse. If you obtained a waiver, show a certified copy of the divorce decree when you buy the license.
For a comparison of waiting periods across states, see the official rules checked for 9 states.
Who can officiate a wedding
Under Texas Family Code §2.202, the following can perform a marriage ceremony (Texas State Law Library, checked 2026-10-23):
- Licensed or ordained Christian ministers or priests.
- Jewish rabbis.
- Officers of a religious organization who are authorized by that organization to conduct marriage ceremonies.
- Current, former or retired federal or state judges.
Officiants don't need to register with the state in advance, but they must meet the qualifications above. The page doesn't say whether online ordination qualifies.
The officiant must mail the marriage license back to the County Clerk's office within 30 days after the wedding. Neither of the two pages we checked this time gives the number of witnesses; go by the issuing county.
Certified copies and registering in Taiwan
- Once the marriage is recorded, request a certified copy from the issuing county. Authentication uses up one copy, so order several at once (see item 10 of the checklist).
- Documents issued in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi are authenticated by TECO in Houston (jurisdiction table from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US, checked 2026-10-22).
- TECO in Houston: authentication of an English document is US$15 per document; the office doesn't translate, and authenticating the Chinese translation costs US$15 and must be submitted together with the English version, US$30 in total; payable by cash, money order or cashier's check made out to TECO in Houston, with no personal checks; about 5 days in person, 2–3 weeks by mail, and you must include a prepaid return envelope (checked 2026-10-22).
For the full steps to register in Taiwan and the 30-day deadline, see registering a US marriage in Taiwan in five steps; for how to prepare the translation, see translating the marriage certificate into Chinese.
Common questions
How long do we have to wait to marry in Texas?
You wait 72 hours after buying the marriage license. Active-duty military, Department of Defense employees or contractors, couples with a judge's written waiver, and couples who took an approved premarital course can have it waived (Fort Bend County).
How long is a Texas marriage license valid?
90 days from the date of purchase, counting the day of purchase. If it expires, you have to buy a new one.
Does the person officiating a Texas wedding have to register first?
They don't have to register with the state, but they must meet the qualifications in Family Code §2.202: clergy, rabbis, authorized officers of a religious organization, or current, former or retired judges.
Texas's 72 hours, 30-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)
- Fort Bend County: Formal Marriage License (checked 2026-10-23)
- Texas State Law Library: Who can perform a marriage ceremony (checked 2026-10-23)
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston: Authentication Services (checked 2026-10-22)
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States: Office jurisdictions (checked 2026-10-22)