How to Get a Marriage License in Columbus: Step by Step

If you want your nikah to be a legal marriage in Ohio as well, you need a marriage license first. Here is how it works in Columbus, from applying to collecting the license, in plain steps.

At a glance

Where

Franklin County Probate Court, Marriage Department, 373 South High Street, 23rd Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 (mail to 22nd Floor, ATTN: Marriage Records)

Booking

Licences are issued on a walk-in basis, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; both parties must be present by 4:00 p.m. or the licence cannot be issued. Department hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed on county and legal holidays. Remote appointments are very limited (Franklin County residents with a disability that medically prevents attendance, or active-duty military deployed out of state).

Fee

$65 Card payments carry a non-refundable financial institution fee. Corrections: $5 for a minor application error; $35 to add previous marriages (needs both parties' notarized signatures).

Payment

Cash or credit/debit card.

Who attends

Both parties must be present in person.

Valid for

Application valid 30 days; licence valid 60 days from issuance, for a ceremony anywhere in Ohio.

Same day?

No waiting period after the application is accepted.

Step by step

1. Apply. Complete the online application within 30 days before your in-person visit, then both parties come to the Marriage Department with unexpired photo ID.
2. Book or plan your visit. Licences are issued on a walk-in basis, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; both parties must be present by 4:00 p.m. or the licence cannot be issued. Department hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed on county and legal holidays. Remote appointments are very limited (Franklin County residents with a disability that medically prevents attendance, or active-duty military deployed out of state).
3. Gather your ID and documents. See the list below. Bring originals.
4. Attend and pay. Both parties must be present in person. Cash or credit/debit card.
5. Give the license to your officiant. Your imam needs it at the ceremony, and must be authorized to solemnize marriages in Ohio. Application valid 30 days; licence valid 60 days from issuance, for a ceremony anywhere in Ohio.

What to bring

• Unexpired photo ID showing date of birth for each applicant
• Previous marriages: certified copy of the most recent divorce, annulment or dissolution decree, plus case numbers, dates and locations of prior marriages, former spouses' names and all current minor children
• Deceased spouse: certified death certificate
• Foreign documents not in English need professional translation with the translator's attestation
• Age: 18 or older. Under 18 requires prior consent from Franklin County Juvenile Court; licence cannot be issued until 14 days after the final order is filed, and a certified copy of the order is required
• Applicants must not be nearer of kin than second cousins and must not have a living spouse
• Residency: Ohio residents apply in a county where either applicant lives (proof of residency needed if ID lacks a current Franklin County address: bank statement, lease, utility bill or government benefit statement dated within 30 days). Out-of-state residents must apply in the county where the ceremony will occur
• SSN requirement: not stated on the page

Good to know

• Permitted officiants: an ordained or licensed officiant registered with the Ohio Secretary of State, a judge, a mayor, or the Superintendent of the State School for the Deaf. Check registration at (877) 767-6446 or the Ohio Secretary of State Ministers Search
• The Probate Court does not perform civil ceremonies; those are arranged through Franklin County Municipal Court
• The officiant must return the signed certification to the Probate Court; a marriage abstract cannot be issued until it is returned
• Certified marriage abstract: $2.00 per copy (online via Point & Pay adds $1.00 transaction fee and postage; by mail with SASE; in person with 3% card fee)

Your nikah and the license

The license is what makes your marriage legal. Your nikah is the religious ceremony. If your imam is authorized to solemnize marriages in Ohio, one ceremony can be both. See imams serving Columbus and our Ohio nikah guide for who may officiate and how the marriage is recorded.

A few common questions

Details come from the Franklin County Probate Court, Marriage Department website, checked in October 2026. Fees, hours and booking rules change, so confirm before you go. Franklin County Probate Court, Marriage Department: marriage license page. Contact: 614-525-3108, marriage@franklincountyohio.gov; Probate Court main 614-525-3894, probate@franklincountyohio.gov. This guide is general information, not legal advice.