WHERE TO APPLY

County Clerk’s Office                                            
Ozaukee County Administration Building (Downtown)                                  
121 W. Main St., Room 128
Port Washington, WI  53074
262-284-8110 or 262-238-8110
HOURS:  8:30a.m. – 4:00p.m.-Monday through Friday
Closed Saturdays, Sundays and Legal Holidays
Appointments are not required

WISCONSIN RESIDENTS:

If either applicant is a resident of Wisconsin, you must apply before the County Clerk of the County in which either is a resident for at least 30 days. They may be married in any county in the State of Wisconsin.

NON-WISCONSIN RESIDENTS:

If both applicants are not residents of Wisconsin, you must apply before the County Clerk of the County in which the ceremony will be held.

MARRIAGEABLE AGE:

Any person who has attained the age of 18 years may marry if otherwise competent.  If a person is 16 or 17 years of age, a license may be issued with the notarized written consent of the person’s parent(s), guardian or custodian. Consent forms are available in the County Clerk’s office and can be signed and notarized here.

WHEN TO APPLY:

There is a statutory five-day waiting period, exclusive of the day of application, and the license will be issued on the 6th day. As a general rule, applicants should apply no less than 7 days before and no more than 35 days before the ceremony. In some instances, a waiver may be granted in advance at the discretion of the County Clerk, due to unusual circumstances. The Clerk must be contacted prior to application in order to acquire approval for a waiver. Inability to provide required documentation is not justification for a waiver. Waivers will not be granted to anyone under the age of 18. Additional fee will apply.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Both applicants must be present at time of application.
• Both applicants must present proof of identification. This is a valid (not expired) drivers license or state photo ID.
• Both applicants must provide proof of 30 day residency, with at least one residing in Ozaukee County. If a current address is not shown on the valid driver’s license, a utility bill or government mail addressed to that person, with a date at least 30 days old, must be presented.
• All applicants, regardless of age, must present a state certified birth certificate when applying for a marriage license in Ozaukee County. If you were born in Wisconsin, you can obtain a state certified birth certificate from any Register of Deeds in the State. Please DO NOT bring in any of the following: hospital certificate (usually with footprints), baptismal certificate, notification of birth registration, or a photocopy of a birth certificate, as these items are not acceptable.
• Both applicants are required to bring social security cards or a document with your name and complete SSN will be accepted; i.e.; W-2 form, Military I.D.
• If either applicant has been previously married, a judgment of divorce with the court file stamp and judge’s signature, state annulment paper, or a certified death certificate from the last marriage must be presented. In the case where an applicant has been married more than once, only documentation from the last, most recent marriage is required.
• Date and location of ceremony (Name of Wisconsin County as well as the township, village or city where the ceremony will take place).
• Name, address, phone number and email of person performing the ceremony.
• Premarital medical exams and blood tests are not required.
• All required documents must be in English. Original documents in a foreign language must be presented along with a notarized translation into English.

DIVORCED PERSONS:

Persons divorced must wait six (6) months from the date of judgment of divorce before marrying. This applies to residents and non-residents of Wisconsin. Marriages of Wisconsin residents outside the state and contrary to Wisconsin laws are null and void in Wisconsin. Marriage in Wisconsin by a person residing in another state is prohibited if such marriage would be void in the home state or jurisdiction of the person.

EXPIRATION OF LICENSE:

The license is valid for 30 days from the date of issuance; counting starts on the day after issuance and ends on day 30. The marriage must be performed within this period.

LICENSE FEE: 

A fee of $100.00 to be paid at the time of application. We do not accept credit cards, debit cards or out-of-state checks. Sorry, no refunds.

$25.00 Waiver Fee - PRE-APPROVAL REQUIRED FROM THE COUNTY CLERK
(For waiving the 5-day waiting period for unusual circumstances)

MARRIAGE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY:

When someone is married outside of the United States, it is their responsibility to obtain the proper legal paper(s) from that country. It is important to get certified copies before you leave the foreign country and, if the certificate is in a foreign language, you should obtain notarized translations of the document. This document will be your only proof of marriage. If a marriage is performed in a foreign country, a marriage license cannot be filed in Wisconsin.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Marriage hotline: 262-284-8114 or 262-238-8114, Option #1

Website:  www.co.ozaukee.wi.us/163/Marriages

Email:  ctyclerk@co.ozaukee.wi.us