How to Get a Marriage License in Kansas City: Step by Step

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

At a glance

Where

Jackson County Recorder of Deeds, Historic Truman Courthouse, 112 W. Lexington, Suite 30, Independence, MO 64050. This is the only location the county pages list for marriage licenses.

Booking

The county page does not say whether an appointment is needed. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except legal holidays.

Fee

$52 Non-refundable. Card and debit payments carry a 2.75% processing fee. Page read October 2026; confirm with the Recorder of Deeds. A certified copy by mail is $10.00 per the Recorder's page.

Payment

Cash, Discover, Visa, Mastercard, or debit card

Who attends

Both people, in person, at the office.

Valid for

The ceremony must take place in Missouri within 30 days of the date the license is issued. If it is not used in that time, the unused license must be returned and/or a new application and fees are required.

Step by step

1. Apply. You can start the application online, but both people must still go to the Recorder of Deeds office in person to receive the license.
2. Book or plan your visit. The county page does not say whether an appointment is needed. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except legal holidays.
3. Gather your ID and documents. See the list below. Bring originals.
4. Attend and pay. Both people, in person, at the office. Cash, Discover, Visa, Mastercard, or debit card
5. Give the license to your officiant. Your imam needs it at the ceremony, and must be authorized to solemnize marriages in Missouri. The ceremony must take place in Missouri within 30 days of the date the license is issued. If it is not used in that time, the unused license must be returned and/or a new application and fees are required.

What to bring

• One valid, unexpired ID each: driver's license, Missouri or other state ID, U.S. or foreign passport, or military ID
• Both people must be at least 18 (Missouri Statute 451.090, as cited on the county page)
• Social Security number, waiting period, residency and divorce paperwork rules are not stated on the pages read; ask the office

Good to know

• Eligible officiants named on the county page: active or retired clergy in good standing with a church or synagogue in Missouri; any judge; or a religious organization acting under its own customs when either person is a member
• The officiant must return the signed license to the Recorder of Deeds within 15 days of the ceremony; certified copies are available after it is returned
• The decorative Marriage Certificate the officiant gives you is a keepsake, not the official legal record
• Witness requirements are not stated on the county pages read

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 Missouri, one ceremony can be both. See imams serving Kansas City and our Missouri nikah guide for who may officiate and how the marriage is recorded.

A few common questions

Details come from the Jackson County Recorder of Deeds website, checked in October 2026. Fees, hours and booking rules change, so confirm before you go. Jackson County Recorder of Deeds: marriage license page. Contact: 816-881-4483; records@jacksongov.org. This guide is general information, not legal advice.