The state of Virginia requires couples to have a marriage license before they can be legally married by a licensed officiant. Since Virginia marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, you’ll both need to head to a county or city courthouse somewhere in the state (some of these counties will let you start the process online, and complete it in person within 5-10 days). You do not need to be a resident of that county, or even the state of Virginia. Here’s a list of clerk’s offices in and around Northern Virginia:

• City of Alexandria: Alexandria Courthouse, 520 King St., 3rd Floor, Alexandria, VA
• Arlington County: Clerk’s Office, 1425 N. Courthouse Road, Suite 6700, Arlington VA
• Clarke County: 102 N. Church St., Berryville, VA
• Culpeper County: Circuit Court Clerk, 135 W Cameron St, Culpeper, VA
• Fairfax (County and City): Fairfax County Courthouse, 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 116, Fairfax, VA
• Fauquier County: Clerk’s Office, 29 Ashby St., Warrenton, VA
• Frederick County & Winchester City: The Judicial Center, 5 N. Kent St., Winchester, VA
• City of Fredericksburg: Clerk of the Circuit Court, 701 Princess Anne St., Suite 100, Fredericksburg, VA
• Loudoun County: Loudoun County Circuit Court, 18 E. Market St., Leesburg, VA
• Page County: Page Circuit Court, 116 S. Court St., Suite A, Luray, VA
  
• Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park: Judicial Center, 9311 Lee Avenue, 3rd Floor, Manassas, VA
• Rappahannok County: Clerk of Circuit Court, 238 Gay Street, Washington, VA
• Stafford County: Judicial Center, 1300 Courthouse Rd., Stafford, VA
• Warren County: Clerk of Circuit Court, 1 E. Main St., Front Royal, VA

When you apply for your marriage license, you’ll need to show up to the clerk of circuit court together. If that’s not possible, some jurisdictions do allow you to substitute a notarized affidavit. Some things you should know:

• Bring a valid form of photo ID, such as a driver’s license, passport, or military ID.
• The Virginia Marriage License Fee is $30.00, but some counties charge slightly more (highest I found was $33), so bring a few extra dollars.
• The minimum age to get married in Virginia is 16. If one of the parties is still a minor (16 or 17), their parent or legal guardian will need to show up with a photo ID as well, and sign an affadavit.
• There is no waiting period. You can get your license and get married in the same day. But keep in mind the clerk has limited hours, and most require you to show up at least 30 minutes before closing time. Check the links to the clerks’ offices above for the hours of the circuit court.
• No blood test is required.
• No witnesses are required at your ceremony.
• You should both coming in knowing your social security numbers and both your parents’ full legal names. If you’ve been married before, you might need to know divorce details, or even bring a copy of your divorce decree.
• Your license is valid for 60 days after you obtain it. You must get married within that window, or you’ll need to apply all over again.

After your officiant performs the ceremony, signatures are required from the newlyweds and the officiant. Most of the time, the officiant is then required to mail the completed license back to the Clerk of Court. After that, you’ll be able to request certified copies of your license. They’re usually $2.50 each, and you might want to consider getting a few and keeping them in a safe place so that you won’t have to go through the hassle in the future.

That’s it! If you have any questions, Elope NoVa can help you to 1) decide where the easiest place will be for you to obtain your marriage license, and 2) navigate the red tape. Please note that we can’t do the actual applying for you (since you need to show up in person), but we’ll hold your hand the whole way through!

Back to Elopement Information