Arizona Marriage License: What Eloping Couples Need

Arizona marriage-license rules from state statute and county clerks, including Maricopa County fees and how a license works statewide.

If you are getting married in Arizona — whether that is a courthouse ceremony in Phoenix or an elopement on the South Rim — you need an Arizona marriage license. The rules below come from state statute and official county clerk pages. County procedures and fees differ, so use the clerk in the county where you will apply.

What Arizona law requires

A.R.S. § 25-121 says you may not be joined in marriage in this state until a license has been obtained from the clerk of the superior court in any county of this state. The statute also says the license expires one year from the date it is issued. Applicants complete an affidavit with name, age, and residential address, and provide Social Security numbers to the clerk separately when they have them.

County clerk pages consistently describe the practical effect:

A license issued in one Arizona county can be used for a ceremony anywhere in Arizona.
There is no waiting period and no blood test.
You can often be married the same day the license is issued, if you already have an officiant.
The officiant must return the signed license for recording, generally within 30 days after the ceremony (see the clerk pages cited below).

Maricopa County (Phoenix metro) — official process and fee

The Maricopa County Clerk marriage license page, read on November 9, 2026, states:

The fee for a marriage license is $98.00, payable by cash, money order, debit, or credit card. Justice courts that issue licenses accept money orders only.
Both parties must be present for an in-person license and must show a valid government-issued photo ID.
Arizona residents can use the clerk’s Online Marriage License Program with no office visit. The clerk states that online service is for Arizona residents only.
In-person appointments are offered at Downtown Phoenix (601 W. Jackson St.), Northeast (18380 N. 40th St.), Northwest/Surprise (14264 W. Tierra Buena Ln.), and Southeast/Mesa (222 E. Javelina), plus some deputized justice and municipal courts.
A copy of a divorce decree is not required; blood tests are not required.
A certified copy of the recorded license can be requested for an additional $43.50, or $35.50 with a business-size self-addressed stamped envelope, per that page.
People under 16 cannot marry. Applicants who are 16 or 17 have additional consent and age-gap requirements described on the clerk’s page and in state law.

Uncertain / confirm: The $98 Maricopa fee, certified-copy amounts, and office list are as published on the clerk’s site on November 9, 2026 (America/Phoenix). Fees change. Confirm on the official page or at 602-372-5375 before you go.

Getting married in Sedona, Flagstaff, or Grand Canyon (Coconino County)

You do not have to get the license in Coconino County, but you may. The official clerk page is Coconino County Marriage Licenses. The Grand Canyon NPS wedding page also points couples to Coconino County license information for Page, Williams, Flagstaff, and the Fredonia courthouse (928-643-7472).

Uncertain / confirm: We are not quoting a Coconino County dollar amount here because we did not capture a clear, current fee statement from the official clerk page in this build. Confirm the fee, ID rules, and whether both applicants must appear when you contact that office.

Southern Arizona (Pima County and others)

The Pima County Clerk marriage license page likewise states that there is no blood test and no waiting period, that the license is valid for 12 months and usable anywhere in Arizona, and that the officiant must forward the record of marriage within 30 days. Other counties publish similar statewide rules with their own office hours and payment methods.

Uncertain / confirm: Witness-signature practice should be taken from the license you are issued and your officiant, not from a blog. Some county pages describe the officiant, both applicants, and two witnesses over 18 signing the license. Follow the instructions on your license.

Who can officiate

A license is not a marriage until an authorized person solemnizes the ceremony and the license is signed and returned. Arizona law on who may solemnize a marriage is in A.R.S. Title 25 (see also your clerk’s guidance). Our directory lists Arizona officiants who work with small weddings, but you should confirm they are authorized to solemnize in Arizona.

This is general information from official publications, not legal advice.