Shelby County Marriage License
Getting your marriage license in Memphis? The Shelby County Clerk charges $97.50, or $37.50 for couples who attended four hours of premarital preparation and bring the notarized form. Take our 4-hour online course first and keep the $60 difference.
- Shelby County fee with our certificate: $37.50 instead of $97.50
- 4 hours, online, one enrollment for both of you
- Notarized state Certificate of Completion mailed to you by USPS
The course pays for itself: Tennessee waives $60 of the $62.50 state marriage license fee for couples who finish a premarital preparation course of at least 4 hours. That is $60 back, in every county.
Start the course – $27.49 per coupleOne price covers both of you. Notarized state Certificate of Completion mailed to you by USPS. Standard, Faith-Friendly or Inclusive version.
Shelby County marriage license at a glance
| Where | Shelby County Clerk, Downtown office, 150 Washington Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103, or the Shelby East Complex, 1075 Mullins Station Road, Memphis |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. (both offices) |
| Phone | Not listed on the clerk's marriage license page. Check the Shelby County Clerk's website before you go. |
| Fee | $97.50 without a premarital course |
| Fee with certificate | $37.50 with a Certificate of Completion of a 4-hour premarital preparation course |
| Details | Shelby prints both prices: $97.50, or $37.50 for couples who attended four hours of premarital preparation with a qualified instructor. |
| Payment | Not listed on the clerk's marriage license page. Ask the office which payment types it takes before you go. |
| Waiting period | None. The license is valid for 30 days anywhere in Tennessee |
Source: Shelby County marriage license page. Fees and rules can change; check the county's page before you go.
How to apply in Shelby County
- Take the premarital course first. 4 hours, together or separately. Our online Tennessee premarital course is $27.49 per couple; allow time for the mailed certificate.
- Fill in the Marriage Application form online before your visit if you like. Shelby asks you to allow at least 4 hours for an online application to reach the Marriage Office, so do not submit it on your way there.
- Both of you go together to the Downtown office or the Shelby East Complex. Both parties must appear for the license to be issued.
- Hand in your notarized Premarital Preparation form (Certificate of Completion) to pay $37.50 instead of $97.50.
- Use the license within 30 days of the date it is issued. An unused license is voided and you would have to buy a new one.
The Certificate of Completion in Shelby County
Shelby charges $37.50 to couples who have attended four hours of premarital preparation by a qualified instructor, and says the Premarital Preparation form must be notarized and signed by the instructor. The certificate we mail you is the state (AOC) Certificate of Completion, signed by Kristen and notarized.
What to bring
Shelby asks for ID by age: if you are 21 or older, a picture ID; if you are 18 to 20, a certified birth certificate. A 17-year-old needs a birth certificate, parental consent (in person or by notarized affidavit) or certified proof of emancipation, the other applicant can be no more than four years older, and there is a three-day waiting period. No license under 17.
After the wedding
You receive three forms when the license is issued: the Marriage License (Rites of Matrimony), a Marriage License Certified Copy and the Tennessee Department of Health Certificate of Marriage. After the ceremony your officiant completes and signs the Certificate of Marriage and the bottom tear-off of the Rites of Matrimony form and returns both to the County Clerk. More certified copies: at either office, or by mail with a $10 check or money order, the exact date of the marriage and both full names, to Shelby County Clerk, Attn: Marriage Department, Suite 201, 150 Washington Ave., Memphis, TN 38103.
Good to know in Shelby County
- Tennessee does not recognize your marriage until the Shelby County Clerk's Office has received both signed forms from your officiant and entered them into the state system, so make sure your officiant sends them back promptly.
- You leave the office with a Marriage License Certified Copy already in hand. Shelby says to use it as proof of marriage for legal documents and name changes.
- Two offices with the same hours: Downtown on Washington Avenue and the Shelby East Complex on Mullins Station Road, so you can pick the closer one.
What the course saves you in Shelby County
| License without the course | $97.50 |
|---|---|
| License with our certificate | $37.50 |
| You save at the court | $60 |
| Course, both of you | $27.49 |
| Money left over | $32.51, plus the skills |
The course pays for itself: Tennessee waives $60 of the $62.50 state marriage license fee for couples who finish a premarital preparation course of at least 4 hours. That is $60 back, in every county.
Start the course – $27.49 per coupleOne price covers both of you. Notarized state Certificate of Completion mailed to you by USPS. Standard, Faith-Friendly or Inclusive version.
Reviewed by Kristen Franzen, LPC. Facts checked against the Shelby County Clerk marriage license page and T.C.A. 36-6-413. Last updated .
Shelby County marriage license FAQ
How much is a marriage license in Shelby County?
$97.50, or $37.50 with a notarized Certificate of Completion of a premarital preparation course of at least 4 hours (Shelby County Clerk). Shelby prints both prices: $97.50, or $37.50 for couples who attended four hours of premarital preparation with a qualified instructor.
Does Shelby County accept an online premarital course?
Tennessee law (T.C.A. 36-6-413) sets what counts: a premarital preparation course of at least 4 hours, taken together or separately within one year before you apply, from a qualifying instructor such as a licensed professional counselor, with a Certificate of Completion on the state form. It does not require the course to be in person. Shelby charges $37.50 to couples who have attended four hours of premarital preparation by a qualified instructor, and says the Premarital Preparation form must be notarized and signed by the instructor. The certificate we mail you is the state (AOC) Certificate of Completion, signed by Kristen and notarized.
How do we apply in Shelby County?
Fill in the Marriage Application form online before your visit if you like. Shelby asks you to allow at least 4 hours for an online application to reach the Marriage Office, so do not submit it on your way there. Both of you go together to the Downtown office or the Shelby East Complex. Both parties must appear for the license to be issued. Hand in your notarized Premarital Preparation form (Certificate of Completion) to pay $37.50 instead of $97.50. Use the license within 30 days of the date it is issued. An unused license is voided and you would have to buy a new one.
Do we have to apply in Shelby County?
No. A license from any Tennessee county clerk can be used for a ceremony anywhere in Tennessee, so you can apply where it suits you. The ceremony must take place in Tennessee within 30 days.
Can couples outside Memphis take this course?
Yes. Couples in Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Cordova and anywhere in Tennessee take the same course, and the $60 waiver is the same in every county.
Other counties: Davidson County · Knox County · Hamilton County · Sevier County. Applying somewhere else? See the Tennessee marriage license guide.