Get a Harris County Marriage License Through the Clerk

The venue does not hand out the marriage license, and neither does the officiant. That is the County Clerk's job, and you have to show up in person to do it. Both people apply together at one of the Clerk's 11 locations around the county, photo ID in hand. There is a fee, so check the current amount on the Clerk's page before you make the trip.

Can't get both of you in the same room? The Clerk keeps an Affidavit of Absent Applicant on hand, which lets one person apply for the couple — but it has to be filled out, signed, and notarized before you bring it in.

The part couples forget comes after the wedding. The signed license has to go back to the Clerk to be recorded, in person or by mail, and that recorded copy is what proves you are married when a bank, an employer, or the Social Security office asks years down the line. Do not let it live in a drawer.