The information below pertains to marriage license information for marriages taking place in CALVERT COUNTY ONLY. There are 24 jurisdictions in Maryland. You MUST contact the County/City Court in the location where you plan to marry for marriage license information.
How to apply
Application may be made Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the office of the Clerk of Circuit Court.
If it is not convenient to visit the Clerk's Office in the county where the marriage is to take place, you may apply for a license using a Non-Resident Affidavit form. This form must be taken to the Clerk of the Circuit Court or comparable official where you reside. A "comparable official" would be the public official in the State, County, or Province where you reside who issues marriage licenses or performs the same duties as the Clerk of Circuit Court in Maryland. A notary public's affidavit is not sufficient, since that official, although a public officer, does not perform the same duties and is not comparable to a Clerk of Court in Maryland. Take the Non-Resident Application Form to your local official who issues Marriage Licenses and provide them with a copy of the instructions.
A license fee of $55 CASH, CHECK, MONEY ORDER or CREDIT CARD (Visa, Discover and Mastercard) will be collected at time of application . No refunds.
One or both parties must appear in person and give, under oath, the following information for both parties:
- Full name
- Place of residence
- Age
- State or Country of birth
- Whether or not the parties are related by blood or marriage, and if so, to what degree of the relationship
- Marital Status: Single (never married), Divorced or Widowed
- The date and place of EACH death or judicial determination that ended any former marriage(bring divorce decrees or court orders from ALL previous marriages)
- Social Security Number
- Photo ID is required for those applying in person
- You must obtain your license from the county where the marriage will take place.
The marriage license will be issued at the time of application. The license may not be used prior to the effective date, which is 6:00 a.m. on the second calendar date after issuance. The license must be used within 6 months of the effective date. Replacement licenses may be obtained, during the 6 month period the original license is valid, for a fee of $10.00.
Applicants under the age of 18, see guidelines.
Memo from Kathy P. Smith to the couple
Memo from Kathy P. Smith to the minister
Certified Copies of your marriage license can be obtained from our office by requesting them in writing or in person. We can only provide copies of licenses for marriages that took place in Calvert County. There is a $5.50 fee per copy. You may use our Request for Certified Copy of Marriage License form for your convenience. Please note, the form is not required. Simply provide us with the names of both parties (at time of application) and the date of marriage. Make checks payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Our mailing address is: 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, MD 20678. We can only provide copies of licenses originally issued in Calvert County.
Civil Ceremonies are performed Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Calvert County Courthouse. The fee is $25.00, paid by either cash, check, money order, or credit card (Visa and Mastercard) immediately prior to the ceremony. Appointments for civil ceremonies may be made by calling the Clerk's office at 410-535-1600 ext. 2269 or 301-855-1243 ext. 2269 during business hours. Ceremonies are performed in space available. Courtrooms may not be scheduled in advance. Many beautiful weddings have taken place on the Courthouse lawn, weather permitted.
Ceremonies can be performed by an official of a religious order (such as an ordained minister), the Clerk of the Circuit Court, a deputy clerk designated by the county administrative circuit court judge, a judge. See Family Law 2-406 for further detail. Maryland does not require celebrants to register with the state. However, it is crucial that the celebrant properly complete the license form and return it to our office within 5 days of performing the ceremony.
It is mandatory in Maryland that both parties be present for the ceremony. Marriages performed by proxy, internet, skype, telephone, etc., are not valid. See Family Law 2-401 for more information regarding the performance of marriage ceremonies. In short, the basic requirements for a valid marriage in Maryland are as follows:
- it is the intent of both parties to be married
- a ceremony must take place where both parties are present
- the ceremony must be presided over by a celebrant who has apparent authority to perform it
- the marriage does not violate the laws or public policy of the State
- the officiant will need to complete and sign both originals of the marriage certificate, giving one to the married couple and, within 5 days after the ceremony, return the other to the office of the clerk that issued the license.
Correction to Marriage Records may be requested in writing (along with supporting documentation, for example: birth certificate to prove your name is spelled differently than what is shown on your marriage record). You may, for your convenience, use our Correction Request form. If you choose to use our form, please be sure to complete it. Any incomplete requests will be returned unprocessed. If you choose to make your request in letter form, we need the following information:
- Names of both Parites (as it appears on your license)
- Marriage License Number
- Date of Marriage
- Daytime Telephone Number
- Information to be corrected along with supporting documentation
*Important - you must be a party to the record to request a correction.
There is a $10 fee for duplicate licenses and an additional $5.50 fee for any certified copies you may require.
Fees - paid by cash, check, money order, or credit card (Visa and Mastercard)
Marriage License: $55
Civil Ceremony: $25
Duplicate License (replacement license prior to marriage): $10
Certified License (replacement license after marriage): $5.50
Guidelines for Applicants Under the Age of 18
- Minors under the age of 17 are no longer permitted to get married.
- An individual 17-year-olds may not marry unless:
- the individual has the consent of each living parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the minor person either in person or through an affidavit signed under the seal of a notary public; OR
- if the individual does not have the required consent, a certificate from a licensed physician, licensed physician assistant, or certified nurse practitioner that states the woman to be married has been examined by the physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner and is found to be pregnant or has given birth to a child; AND
- the individual presents a certified copy of an order granting authorization to marry in accordance with the provisions of Title 5, Subtitle 2A of the Family Law Article not earlier than 15 days after the order was issued. To obtain an order granting authorization to marry, a minor who is 17 years old may file a petition in the Circuit Court in the county in which the minor resides, and an evidentiary hearing on the petition must be held to determine if an order of authorization to marry may be granted.
Read the Law: Md. Code, Family Law §5-2A-01, 5-2A-02, 5-2A-03, 5-2A-04