Applications for marriage licenses may be made in-person at the Probate Court between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays (excluding holidays). The license may be used for ceremonies performed inside South Carolina only. The application fee is $30 for Cherokee County residents. For out-of-county residents the application fee is $50. The application fee is due at the time of applying and the Probate Court cannot take personal checks. Applications may also be made through the mail by following the link below. Please note the Cherokee County Probate Court does not perform marriage ceremonies.
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Certified Copies of Marriage Licenses filed from 1988 to present day are available for purchase online under the âCherokeeâ dropdown option at www.southcarolinaprobate.net/search. Â
Copies of Marriage Licenses filed before 1988 must be requested by mail. Mail your request with a $5 certified check or money order and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Probate Court, P.O. Box 22, Gaffney, SC 29342. We cannot accept personal checks and do not recommend you send cash.
Q:What documents do we need to apply for a marriage license?
A:Â You will need to bring either (1) your Social Security card or some other documentation that confirms your Social Security number (such as your income tax record). If you are a resident alien who does not have a Social Security number, you are required to present your visa, resident alien card, or a statement from the Social Security Office that you do not qualify for a Social Security number.
Additionally, you will need to show proof of age and identity. If you are over 18, the documents we will accept include your driverâs license, state identification card, passport or military identification.
Q: Is there a waiting period for getting a marriage license?
A: Yes, there is a 24-hour waiting period in South Carolina from the time you apply for the license until the time the license can be issued. After the waiting period has expired, you may return to pick up the license (only one party necessary), or the Court will mail your license if you provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Q:Do I have to be a resident of South Carolina?
A: No, however, if you apply for and receive a South Carolina marriage license, your ceremony must take place in South Carolina.
Q:If I get a marriage license in another state, can I be married in South Carolina?
A: No, you must get married in the state that issued you the license.
Q:Who may perform my wedding ceremony?
A: Only ministers of the Gospel, Jewish rabbis, officers authorized to administer oaths in this State, and the chief or spiritual leader of a Native American Indian entity recognized by the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs pursuant to Section 1-31-40 of the South Carolina Code of Laws are authorized to administer a marriage ceremony in this State. Please refer to Section 20-1-20 of the S.C. Code of Laws.
Q:How old do I have to be to get a marriage license?
A: You must be over the age of 18 to marry without parental consent. In South Carolina, applicants ages 16 and 17 may obtain a marriage license upon presentation of an original or a certified copy of birth certificate, parentâs consent, and a state-issued identification. (If a minorâs parents are divorced, the parent with custody must give the consent and produce a certified copy of their divorce decree to prove custody.)
Q:Does Probate Court perform marriage ceremonies?
A: No, Probate Court does not perform marriage ceremonies.