Application cannot be started until a wedding date has been scheduled, even if the ceremony is taking place at the Justice Center. The County Clerk's Office suggests application for a marriage license be made two - three weeks prior to the ceremony.

WHERE TO APPLY
Wisconsin residents must apply in the county in which one or both have resided for at least 30 days prior to application. If both parties are residents of another state, application is made in the county where the ceremony will take place.

If you are an Ozaukee County resident or you are an out-of-state resident getting married in Ozaukee County, you will apply at:

Ozaukee County Administration Building (Downtown)
County Clerk’s Office, Room 128
121 W. Main Street
Port Washington, WI  53074
(262)284-8110 or (262)238-8110
HOURS:  8:30a.m. – 4:00p.m.-Monday through Friday
Applications are taken on a walk-in basis.

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. The County Clerk’s Office suggests application for a marriage license be made two-three weeks prior to the ceremony. In some instances, a waiver of the waiting period may be granted at the discretion of the County Clerk, due to unusual circumstances. The cost of the waiver is $25.00 and must be approved by the County Clerk before applying for your marriage license. Waivers will not be granted to anyone under the age of 18.

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.

AGE OF APPLICANTS:
Applicants must be at least 18 years old. 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.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Both parties must be present at time of application.
• Both parties must present proof of identification. This is a valid (not expired) drivers license or state photo ID.
• Both parties 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.
• Applicants, regardless of age, must present a state certified birth certificate, which has a raised seal and lists the full first and last names of the applicant’s parent(s). 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 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 must provide Social Security numbers.
• If either party has been previously married, a signed copy of judgment of divorce with the court file stamp, a certified copy of a divorce certificate (available if divorced in Wisconsin after January of 2016), 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.
• All required documents must be in English. Original documents in a foreign language must be presented along with a notarized translation into English.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES:
If either party does not speak or understand English, a third party interpreter (an uninterested party) must be present at the time of application.

DIVORCED PERSONS:
Persons divorced must wait six (6) months from the date of judgment of divorce before marrying. This applies to both 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.

WITNESSES:
Two adults, in addition to the officiant, are required to witness the ceremony and sign the marriage license.

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