Click here to apply for a Marriage License

Click here to pay for your Marriage License

Hours of operation for issuance of marriage licenses:

• Monday through Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm (excluding holidays)

Important Items

1. To obtain a marriage license you must be at least 18 years of age. If applicants are under the age of 18, ages 16 and 17 only, under North Dakota Century Code you must have the written consent of either parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian must be present at the time of the application.

2. Both parties must bring identification that proves their date of birth.  Some examples are a driver's license, passport, or a certified copy of a birth certificate.  Both parties must also know their social security number and it is preferred, but not required to have your social security card with.

3. If either applicant has been previously married, that applicant MUST provide a certified copy of the divorce decree.  If the applicant has been divorced more than once, then certified copies of ALL divorce decrees MUST be provided before obtaining a license.  The application along with any certified copies will be kept on file for 4 years.  A certified copy will have a special stamp stating that it is a true and correct copy made off of the original along with a seal that is either raised or stamped somewhere on the document.  There is typically a fee associated with getting a certified copy. 

4. Both applicants have the option of changing their last name (surname) after marriage. The following options are available:

   • Change to the last name (surname) of the other spouse
   • Change to any former last name (surname) of either spouse
   • Change to a name combining both surnames together separated by a hyphen or a space
   • One or both parties may move their current surname to become their new middle name and then take their spouses surname as their new last name.
     
     

5. The fee for the marriage license is $65.00. Payment may be made by cash, check or credit card. Payments made by credit card will incur a minimum fee. 

6. In the state of North Dakota there is no waiting period after you apply for the license before the marriage may take place. The license must be used within 60 days and may be used anywhere in North Dakota. If the license is unused it will be expired and no refunds are available. If the couple still wishes to get married they will have to purchase a new marriage license.

7. By obtaining a marriage license it permits you to be legally married, however you are not legally married until you have had some sort of a ceremony with an officiant and two witnesses.

ALL POLICIES AND AVAILABILITY ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
PLEASE CALL (701) 241-5600 FOR CURRENT POLICIES AND AVAILABILITY.

In order to get married at the Cass County Courthouse, you must reserve and pay for the room by clicking this link.  If you are reserving the room more than 60 days before the date of your wedding, please review the policy for obtaining a marriage license by clicking here. 

Refunds will NOT be issued upon cancellation of your ceremony.  You may reschedule your ceremony ONCE if done one week or more prior to your scheduled ceremony.  Please contact the Finance Office at 701-241-5600 to cancel or reschedule your ceremony.

Marriage ceremonies/solemnizations are performed daily (Monday through Friday at the following times, 9:00AM, 10:00AM, 3:00PM and 4:00PM).  Ceremonies are not scheduled if the courthouse is closed.  Ceremonies are scheduled on a first come/first served basis, based on availability.

The Cass County Finance Office will perform the civil ceremony which lasts approximately five minutes. The cost of the wedding ceremony is set by statute at $30.00.

On the day of the ceremony:

• You must bring all three copies of the marriage license.

• You must bring two people (related or non-related) to sign as witnesses on the marriage license. Due to space constraints, you may bring a maximum of eight guests including your two witnesses.

• You should arrive at the Finance office, which is located on the main floor of the Cass County Courthouse, at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled wedding ceremony, to allow for time to complete the Marriage License paperwork. We will also collect the fee for certified copies at this time.  The ceremony fee was collected at the time the room reservation was made.

• You must be here at the scheduled time for your ceremony or the ceremony will be canceled, and no refunds will be issued.

• You may obtain a certified copy of the marriage license after the ceremony is completed.  The fee for this is $10.00. At least one certified copy is required for any name changes or to legally prove marriage.

Payment for certified copies may be made by cash, check or credit card. Payments made by credit card will incur an additional convenience fee.

The Cass County Finance Office does NOT officiate weddings on the following days:

Valentine’s Day
Friday after Thanksgiving
Halloween
Christmas Eve
Election Day

To purchase a certified copy, please click here. Certified copies are $10.00 each.  

If you received your marriage license in Cass County, North Dakota, you can request certified copies from the Cass County Finance Office. If you were married in Cass County but got your marriage license from another North Dakota county you would need to contact the county where you purchased the marriage license from in order to obtain a certified copy. For contact information for obtaining a certified copy of a marriage license from other ND counties, click here.

A certified copy is required for all legal name changes and to prove legal marriage to U.S. immigration and other organizations.

Driver's License and Social Security offices need to see a certified copy of your marriage license in order to process any name change. The"Duplicate B" copy of the marriage license does not work for any legal purposes and is strictly for your personal records only.

Certified copies issued by the Finance Office are white, will say "Original" in the lower right corner of the document, and will have a special stamp and seal on the back of the copy.

Certified copies can also be picked up in person at the Cass County Finance Office at the courthouse.