How to Get a Marriage License in Tampa: Step by Step
Published October 17, 2026
If you want your nikah to be a legal marriage in Florida as well, you need a marriage license first. Here is how it works in Tampa, from applying to collecting the license, in plain steps.
At a glance
- Where
- Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Marriage License Department, Downtown Tampa: Pat Collier Frank Courthouse, 419 Pierce Street, Room 140, Tampa, FL 33602 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-5 PM). Brandon: Brandon Regional Service Center, 311 Pauls Drive, Suite 110, Brandon, FL 33511 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-4 PM). Plant City: Plant City Courthouse, 301 North Michigan Ave, Room 1071, Plant City, FL 33563 (Mon-Fri 8 AM-5 PM)
- Booking
- Appointments are optional and walk-ins are welcome at the Brandon, Plant City and Downtown Tampa offices. Appointments can be booked through the Clerk's online system, or ClerkExpress can save a place in line.
- Fee
- $86 $61 if you have completed a premarital course from a Clerk-registered provider. The fee is nonrefundable. Clerk deputies can perform a ceremony at the three offices for $30 on weekdays during business hours. Commemorative certificate $15. Confirm current fees with the Clerk.
- Payment
- In person: cash, money order, traveler's check, credit card, or personal check (name and current address printed on the check, plus photo ID). Online applications require a credit card.
- Who attends
- Both people, in person and together (the Zoom option is available for online issuance). Each must be at least 18; a 17-year-old can marry only with parental consent and the other party no more than two years older.
- Valid for
- 60 calendar days from issuance. The ceremony must take place in Florida; a Florida license can be used in any Florida county.
- Same day?
- No wait if both people live outside Florida (the handbook must still be read). If either person is a Florida resident, there is a 3-day wait before the wedding unless a premarital course certificate is presented.
Step by step
- Apply. Both people complete the application together and sign it under oath, listing the dates and endings of any prior marriages. Both must read the Family Law Handbook before applying. An online application can be completed before the visit, and the Clerk also offers online license issuance through a Zoom appointment.
- Book or plan your visit. Appointments are optional and walk-ins are welcome at the Brandon, Plant City and Downtown Tampa offices. Appointments can be booked through the Clerk's online system, or ClerkExpress can save a place in line.
- Gather your ID and documents. See the list below. Bring originals.
- Attend and pay. Both people, in person and together (the Zoom option is available for online issuance). Each must be at least 18; a 17-year-old can marry only with parental consent and the other party no more than two years older. In person: cash, money order, traveler's check, credit card, or personal check (name and current address printed on the check, plus photo ID). Online applications require a credit card.
- Give the license to your officiant. Your imam needs it at the ceremony, and must be authorized to solemnize marriages in Florida. 60 calendar days from issuance. The ceremony must take place in Florida; a Florida license can be used in any Florida county.
What to bring
- Valid driver's license, state ID or passport for each person
- Social Security number for U.S. citizens; non-citizens may give an SSN or an alien registration number (the cards themselves are not needed)
- Dates and endings of any prior marriages; no license is issued while either person is still legally married
- Proof of having read the Family Law Handbook
- Premarital course certificate or signed statement of completion, if claiming the discount or waiting-period waiver
- No blood test is required in Florida
- No citizenship or residency requirement
Good to know
- Clergy, judges, notaries and others listed in Florida law may perform the ceremony; the Clerk does not verify or register an officiant's ordination
- Within 10 calendar days of the ceremony the officiant must complete the certificate section and return the license to the Clerk of the county that issued it
- Certified copies are mailed within 7 business days; the first copy is free for Hillsborough records and additional copies are $3 each
- Common-law marriage is not recognized in Florida if entered into after January 1, 1968
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 Florida, one ceremony can be both. See imams serving Tampa and our Florida nikah guide for who may officiate and how the marriage is recorded.
A few common questions
How much is a marriage license in Tampa?
The issuing office lists the license fee as $86. $61 if you have completed a premarital course from a Clerk-registered provider. The fee is nonrefundable. Clerk deputies can perform a ceremony at the three offices for $30 on weekdays during business hours. Commemorative certificate $15. Confirm current fees with the Clerk. Fees change, so check the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Marriage License Department page before you go.
Do I need an appointment in Tampa?
Appointments are optional and walk-ins are welcome at the Brandon, Plant City and Downtown Tampa offices. Appointments can be booked through the Clerk's online system, or ClerkExpress can save a place in line.
Can I get my license in one place and marry in another?
It depends on the state. 60 calendar days from issuance. The ceremony must take place in Florida; a Florida license can be used in any Florida county. Confirm with Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Marriage License Department whether your license can be used outside this county or state before you plan your ceremony.
Do I need a marriage license for a nikah?
Only if you want the marriage to be legally recognized in Florida. A nikah on its own is religiously valid but is not a legal marriage. If you want both, you need a license and an authorized officiant, and one ceremony can cover both.
Planning a nikah in Tampa?
Tell us your date and we will help you find an imam, including one who can register the marriage if you want the legal side done the same day.
Details come from the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Marriage License Department website, checked in October 2026. Fees, hours and booking rules change, so confirm before you go. Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Marriage License Department: marriage license page. Contact: (813) 276-8100. This guide is general information, not legal advice.