How to Get Married in Virginia (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Virginia · Last updated 2026-05-18
Marriage formation in Virginia follows Virginia-specific family law from the license application onward. The waiting-period rule reads as follows: no waiting period. License validity in Virginia: 60 days. On informal marriage, Virginia does not allow the creation of a "common law" marriage, a relationship in which a couple lives together but have not participated in a lawful ceremony. What follows is the Virginia sequence, the documents, and the officiant rules that complete a lawful marriage.
Key Considerations
Beyond the license itself, two Virginia rules shape what counts as a legally completed marriage. The first is whether Virginia still permits common-law marriage at all: Virginia does not allow the creation of a "common law" marriage, a relationship in which a couple lives together but have not participated in a lawful ceremony. The second is the list of people who may lawfully perform the ceremony: When a minister of any religious denomination produces before the circuit court of any county or city in the Commonwealth.proof of his ordination and of his being in regular communion with the religious society of which he is a reputed member.such court.may make an order authorizing such minister to celebrate the rites of matrimony in the Commonwealth. Both are settled by statute.
Two date-driven Virginia rules surround the marriage license. no waiting period. 60 days. A ceremony performed inside the waiting period (where one applies) or after the validity window has lapsed is not lawful, and the parties would have to reapply.
License fee and age eligibility are the two threshold Virginia marriage questions. $30. A person must be at least 18 years old to marry, unless the minor has been emancipated by court order. A couple that has not confirmed both before appearing at the clerk's office risks a delayed or denied application.
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Relevant Documents
The Virginia document set runs roughly as follows: the marriage-license application (filed with the county or town clerk), identification for each applicant, and the premarital-course completion certificate where one is being used to claim a discount or waiver. Couples planning to claim a premarital-course incentive (where the state has one) generally must deliver the course certificate at filing; post-filing presentation usually does not retroactively earn the benefit. Whatever the current Virginia marriage-license fee amount, it is collected by the issuing clerk at the application appointment rather than billed later.
Beneficiary Designation Forms
Documents that specify who receives assets from retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and other financial accounts upon your death.
Durable Power of Attorney
Authorizes someone to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated, ensuring your affairs can be managed without court intervention.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Designates someone to make medical decisions for you if you're unable to do so, ensuring your healthcare preferences are respected.
Prenuptial Agreement
A contract entered into before marriage that establishes rights to property and financial support in case of divorce or death. This document can protect pre-marital assets and outline financial responsibilities during marriage.
Updated Will
A legal document that specifies how your assets should be distributed after death. Marriage typically invalidates previous wills in many jurisdictions, making it important to create a new one that includes your spouse.
Relevant Laws
Marriage License Requirements (Code of Virginia § 20-14)
In Virginia, couples must obtain a marriage license before getting married. Both parties must appear in person at a circuit court clerk's office, provide identification, and pay a fee (typically $30-$50). There is no waiting period after receiving the license, but it expires after 60 days if unused.
Age Requirements (Code of Virginia § 20-45.1)
Virginia law prohibits marriage if either party is under 18 years of age. Prior to 2016, minors as young as 16 could marry with parental consent, but this was changed to prevent forced marriages and protect minors.
Marriage Ceremony Requirements (Code of Virginia § 20-13)
Virginia recognizes marriages performed by various authorized officials including judges, magistrates, ministers, and other religious leaders who are registered with the circuit court. The ceremony must include a declaration by both parties that they take each other as husband and wife, made in the presence of the officiant and at least two witnesses.
Marriage Certificate Filing (Code of Virginia § 32.1-267)
After the ceremony, the officiant must complete the marriage certificate and return it to the clerk's office within 5 days. This official filing is necessary to create a legal record of the marriage. Couples should request certified copies of their marriage certificate for legal purposes.
Name Change After Marriage (Code of Virginia § 20-121.4)
Virginia law allows either spouse to change their surname after marriage. This can be done by consistently using the new name and updating identification documents. The marriage certificate serves as legal proof for changing names on documents like driver's licenses, Social Security cards, and passports.
Regional Variances
Northern Virginia
Fairfax County requires marriage license applications to be submitted in person at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Both parties must appear together, and the license fee is $30. Fairfax offers a pre-application system online to expedite the in-person process.
Arlington County requires couples to apply in person at the Circuit Court. The marriage license fee is $30, and the license is valid for 60 days. Arlington County Clerk's office offers appointment scheduling online to reduce wait times.
Alexandria requires both parties to appear in person at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. The license fee is $30, and no blood tests are required. Alexandria offers extended hours on Thursdays for marriage license applications.
Hampton Roads Region
Virginia Beach requires marriage license applications at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. The fee is $30, and the license is valid for 60 days from issuance. Virginia Beach allows military personnel to provide military ID as one form of identification.
Norfolk requires both applicants to appear in person at the Circuit Court. The license fee is $30, and no blood tests or waiting periods are required. Norfolk has specific documentation requirements for those previously married, requiring divorce decrees or death certificates.
Richmond Metropolitan Area
Richmond City requires both parties to apply in person at the John Marshall Courts Building. The license fee is $30, and the license is valid for 60 days. Richmond offers civil ceremony services at the courthouse for an additional fee.
Henrico County requires in-person applications at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. The fee is $30, and both applicants must provide valid identification. Henrico has specific requirements for minors getting married, requiring court approval for those under 18.
Western Virginia
Roanoke County requires both parties to apply in person at the Circuit Court. The license fee is $30, and no blood tests are required. Roanoke County has specific requirements for non-English speakers, who must bring their own translator.
Charlottesville requires marriage license applications at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. The fee is $30, and both parties must provide valid ID. Charlottesville allows couples to apply for a marriage license in any Virginia circuit court regardless of where the ceremony will take place.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Submit the Virginia marriage-license application in person at the issuing clerk's office
Before the ceremony days after starting$30. Identification requirements typically include a current government-issued photo ID; some clerks also ask for a birth certificate or certified copy of any divorce decree.
Bring the identification stack the clerk expects: current photo ID for each applicant and, for applicants who have been.
Before the ceremony days after startingThe clerk verifies these on the spot.
Where the state recognizes a premarital-course incentive, plan the course before applying
Before the ceremony days after startingfee or waiting-period reductions for couples who complete a state-approved premarital preparation course exist only in a handful of states; this state's current rule on that point should be confirmed before relying on a discount (consult the state code). The clerk applies the fee reduction or waiting-period waiver based on the original course-completion certificate produced at filing.
Confirm the license validity window before locking the ceremony date
Before applying days after starting60 days. The license expires by operation of law at the end of the window; a ceremony performed after expiration is not lawful and the couple must reapply.
Account for the post-license waiting period when picking a ceremony date
Before the ceremony days after startingno waiting period. The waiting period (where the state imposes one) runs from the license issuance date, so the application timing has to be worked backward from the planned ceremony date.
Hold the ceremony with an authorized Virginia officiant
At the ceremony days after startingWhen a minister of any religious denomination produces before the circuit court of any county or city in the Commonwealth.proof of his ordination and of his being in regular communion with the religious society of which he is a reputed member.such court.may make an order authorizing such minister to celebrate the rites of matrimony in the Commonwealth. Make sure the officiant is qualified under the state's officiant list before the ceremony; a marriage performed by a person not authorized to solemnize is not a lawful Virginia marriage.
Make sure the officiant files the executed license back with the issuing office promptly after the ceremony
After the ceremony days after startingRecording converts the license into a recorded marriage on the state's vital-records system and is what makes a certified marriage certificate available.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submit the Virginia marriage-license application in person at the issuing clerk's office | $30. Identification requirements typically include a current government-issued photo ID; some clerks also ask for a birth certificate or certified copy of any divorce decree. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Bring the identification stack the clerk expects: current photo ID for each applicant and, for applicants who have been. | The clerk verifies these on the spot. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Where the state recognizes a premarital-course incentive, plan the course before applying | fee or waiting-period reductions for couples who complete a state-approved premarital preparation course exist only in a handful of states; this state's current rule on that point should be confirmed before relying on a discount (consult the state code). The clerk applies the fee reduction or waiting-period waiver based on the original course-completion certificate produced at filing. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Confirm the license validity window before locking the ceremony date | 60 days. The license expires by operation of law at the end of the window; a ceremony performed after expiration is not lawful and the couple must reapply. | - | Before applying |
| Account for the post-license waiting period when picking a ceremony date | no waiting period. The waiting period (where the state imposes one) runs from the license issuance date, so the application timing has to be worked backward from the planned ceremony date. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Hold the ceremony with an authorized Virginia officiant | When a minister of any religious denomination produces before the circuit court of any county or city in the Commonwealth.proof of his ordination and of his being in regular communion with the religious society of which he is a reputed member.such court.may make an order authorizing such minister to celebrate the rites of matrimony in the Commonwealth. Make sure the officiant is qualified under the state's officiant list before the ceremony; a marriage performed by a person not authorized to solemnize is not a lawful Virginia marriage. | - | At the ceremony |
| Make sure the officiant files the executed license back with the issuing office promptly after the ceremony | Recording converts the license into a recorded marriage on the state's vital-records system and is what makes a certified marriage certificate available. | - | After the ceremony |
Frequently Asked Questions
no waiting period. Where the rule applies, the earliest the ceremony can lawfully take place is the issuance date plus the statutory waiting period; the issuing clerk can confirm the earliest lawful ceremony date at the application appointment.
$30. Confirming the exact dollar amount with the specific Virginia issuing office before the application appointment avoids surprises at the counter, especially in states where multiple clerks issue licenses at different fee levels.
Virginia does not allow the creation of a "common law" marriage, a relationship in which a couple lives together but have not participated in a lawful ceremony. The doctrine has been narrowed or abolished prospectively in most states over the past century. Couples planning a future marriage in Virginia should not assume common-law status without confirming the current rule against the state marriage code.
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