Marriage License

The Marriage License Department of Montgomery County Probate Court is located on the second floor of the Montgomery County Courts Building, 41 N Perry Street, Dayton, OH 45402. Hours are 8:30 am to 4:15 pm on Monday through Friday. Plan to arrive by 4 pm as the marriage license application process takes time.

The marriage license grants you the permission to marry. The license is only valid for 60 days from the date of issuance. A lost or damaged marriage license can not be replaced.

Checklist for those individuals seeking a marriage license for the first time:

  • Each party must bring a valid picture I.D.
  • Any of the following are acceptable means of a picture I.D.
    • A valid driver's license
    • A state ID
    • Immigration and Naturalization Service I.N.S. Visa
  • All social security numbers are for identification purposes only and are held in confidence. It is not necessary to bring your social security card if you know your social security number.
  • No birth certificates are required.
  • Both parties of the marriage must apply together in person.
  • If either or both parties are physically incapacitated, their physician must complete an affidavit stating the physical disability, and this affidavit shall be filed with the application for the marriage license.

  • At least one party member must be a resident of Montgomery County.

  • If the applicant's address on the I.D. does not reflect that they live in Montgomery County, they need to bring proof that they actually do reside in the county. Acceptable forms of proof are a utility bill, lease, pay stub, auto registration, etc.
  • The Court will also issue the license if neither of the applicants is a resident of the State of Ohio, but the marriage ceremony must take place in Montgomery County.

The minimum age for applying for a marriage license in Ohio without parental consent is eighteen 18 years of age. View the Exception for 17-year-olds (PDF).

Bring $75, the Probate Court accepts:

  • Cash
  • Money Order
  • Cashier's Check
  • American Express, Discover, Mastercard credit and Visa and Debit cards, plus a convenience fee of
    • 2.3% for credit cards with a minimum of $2
    • $2.95 for debit cards
    • $.50 for ach

A checklist for those individuals previously married anywhere in the United States or any other location in the world:

  • Must meet all the previous requirements for first-time marriage license and one of the following:
    • If divorced, bring a copy of the most recent divorce decree.
    • For more information, contact the clerk of courts where you obtained your divorce decree. For Montgomery County, the number to the Domestic Relations Court is 937-225-7590

    • If previous marriage ended in the death of a spouse, bring a copy of the death certificate with you to the courthouse.

  • If the death occurred in Montgomery County, the death certificate can be obtained from the Department of Vital Statistics of Montgomery at 937-496-3117.

The person officiating your marriage ceremony must be licensed by the Ohio Secretary of State. There is no one at the Court that can perform a marriage ceremony. The person performing the marriage ceremony must return the certificate of verification to the court within 30 days of performing the ceremony to verify that the service was performed.