Prince George's County Marriage License
Prince George's County marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro, at 14735 Main Street. With a $70 fee, this county has one of the higher marriage license costs in Maryland. Whether you live in Bowie or another community in the county, all applications go through the Upper Marlboro courthouse. This page covers the application process, fees, civil ceremony options, certified copy requests, and how to search Prince George's County marriage records through the county courts website and the Maryland State Archives.
Prince George's County Overview
Prince George's County Clerk of the Circuit Court
The Clerk of the Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro handles all marriage license applications for Prince George's County. The office is at 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. Office hours are Monday through Friday during standard business hours. The office is closed on weekends and state holidays. Walk-in applications are accepted. Civil ceremonies require a separate appointment.
Prince George's County has its own court website at princegeorgescourts.org, separate from the statewide mdcourts.gov system. For marriage license information, start at the county's own site. The $70 fee is non-refundable. Payment is accepted by cash, check, money order, or credit card. You get the license the same day you apply. The 48-hour waiting period then begins before you can legally hold the ceremony.
The official Prince George's County marriage license page at princegeorgescourts.org is the main source for current requirements and fees.
This page covers what to bring, how to pay, and how to request copies of Prince George's County marriage records after your ceremony.
| Office | Clerk of the Circuit Court, Prince George's County |
|---|---|
| Address | 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 |
| Payment | Cash, check, money order, or credit card |
| Application | Walk-ins accepted; ceremony requires appointment |
The Prince George's County Courts main website provides access to all court services, including the marriage license office, certified copy requests, and other clerk functions.
The county courts site is the central hub for all services at the Upper Marlboro courthouse. If you need other court documents alongside your marriage license, this is where to start.
Also note that the statewide Prince George's County Clerk page at mdcourts.gov has additional contact information and links to resources maintained at the state level.
Applying for a Prince George's County Marriage License
Go to 14735 Main Street in Upper Marlboro during business hours. One party must appear in person. The other does not need to be present, but all required information for both must be available at the time of application. The clerk will complete the form with you at the office.
Both parties need a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, passport, or state ID card all qualify. Both must provide their Social Security numbers. Maryland law requires these numbers on the application, though they do not appear on the printed license itself. Each party must provide their full legal name, current address, age, and state or country of birth. If either person was previously married, you must give the exact date and county or state of each divorce. If a prior spouse died, you need the date and place of that death. The clerk uses this information to complete the application form. Missing any required detail means the application cannot be processed that day.
The $70 fee is paid at the time of application. It is one of Maryland's higher fees, second only to Frederick County. Prince George's County accepts cash, check, money order, and credit cards. The license is issued the same day. Maryland's 48-hour waiting period then begins, with the license becoming valid at 6:00 a.m. on the second calendar day after application. Under Maryland Family Law Section 2-401, no ceremony may take place without a valid license. The license is good for six months. You must use it for a ceremony within Prince George's County. No residency requirement exists, and no blood test is needed. Same-sex marriages have been legal in Maryland since January 1, 2013. As of October 2022, no one under 17 may marry in Maryland, and a 17-year-old needs a court order. Out-of-state applicants can reference the Non-Resident Marriage License Form CC-FM-066 for guidance on the non-resident application process.
Note: Prince George's County's $70 fee is the second highest in Maryland. Confirm the current amount at princegeorgescourts.org or by calling the courthouse before your visit.
Civil Ceremonies in Prince George's County
Civil marriage ceremonies at the Upper Marlboro courthouse require an appointment. Call the Clerk's office to schedule. The ceremony fee is $25, paid at the time of the ceremony. Cash, check, money order, or credit card are accepted. The ceremony takes place at the courthouse at 14735 Main Street.
Maryland has no justices of the peace. Civil ceremonies are performed by the Clerk or a judge. If you use a private officiant at a venue elsewhere in Prince George's County, that person must be legally authorized to perform marriages under Maryland law. The Maryland People's Law Library explains who qualifies as an officiant and what the law requires. After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed marriage certificate to the Prince George's County Clerk within five days. This is required by law. Failure to return the certificate can create problems when you later need to get a certified copy.
Getting a Certified Copy of a Prince George's County Marriage Record
The Apply For page at princegeorgescourts.org shows how to request certified copies of Prince George's County marriage records.
The page walks through what information to provide and how to submit payment for copies at the Upper Marlboro courthouse. Certified copies cost $5.50 each statewide. You can request in person at 14735 Main Street, by mail to the same address, or by following the online request process on the county courts site. Include both parties' names, the date of marriage, payment for $5.50 per copy, and a return address for mailed copies.
For historical marriage records in Prince George's County, the Maryland State Archives marriage records guide covers the available collections going back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The Maryland State Archives marriage references index is searchable online and can help identify records before you make a formal request. FamilySearch has Maryland County Marriages collections that include Prince George's County data, free to search online at any time. For statewide vital records from January 1, 2007 onward, the Division of Vital Records in Baltimore holds the data. Contact them at (410) 764-3038 at 6764 B Reisterstown Road.
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search covers court case filings in Prince George's County but does not include marriage license records specifically.
Maryland Marriage Laws in Prince George's County
Prince George's County follows the same Maryland state marriage laws as all other counties. The 48-hour waiting period is non-negotiable. No exceptions are made unless you obtain a court order for an emergency waiver, which involves additional cost and court action. The license must be used within six months and only for a ceremony held within Prince George's County.
Social Security numbers are required on the application form but do not appear on the printed license. Both parties must have valid photo identification. After the ceremony, the officiant has five days to return the signed marriage certificate to the Upper Marlboro courthouse. This timeline is set by Maryland law and applies regardless of whether the ceremony was a civil ceremony at the courthouse or a private event at a venue elsewhere in the county. The Division of Vital Records in Baltimore maintains statewide records from 2007 onward, while older records are with the county clerk and the state archives.
Cities in Prince George's County
All cities in Prince George's County use the Upper Marlboro courthouse for marriage license applications. Regardless of where in the county you live or plan to marry, you must apply at 14735 Main Street.
Nearby Counties in Maryland
Maryland marriage licenses are county-specific. If you plan to marry in a nearby county, you must get a license from that county's Clerk of Circuit Court.