How to Get a Tennessee Marriage License: What Every Couple Needs to Know Before the Wedding
- Aug 13
- 9 min read
You've chosen the venue. You're planning the flowers, the food, the music, and all those small, beautiful details that will make your wedding day feel unmistakably like you.
But there's one item on your wedding checklist that isn't nearly as lovely as your flowers — and it's the one thing your entire day legally depends on.
Your Tennessee marriage license.
If you're planning a wedding in Tennessee — especially a destination wedding near Center Hill Lake, Cookeville, or anywhere in the Upper Cumberland — here's everything you need to know before you say "I do."
When Should You Get Your Tennessee Marriage License?
This is one detail you don't want to handle too early.
In Putnam County, your Tennessee marriage license is valid for 30 days from the date it is issued. That means you should obtain it sometime within the 30 days leading up to your wedding day — not months in advance.
For our couples, we recommend placing this on your wedding planning timeline well ahead of time so it doesn't become one of those last-minute realizations that surfaces while you're welcoming family, finishing décor, attending your rehearsal, and actually trying to enjoy your wedding weekend.
Wedding Planning Tip: Don't wait until the very last moment, either. County offices keep specific business hours and close for holidays. Give yourselves a little breathing room
Where Do You Get a Marriage License in Tennessee?
Marriage licenses in Tennessee are issued through a County Clerk's office.
Here's something many couples don't realize: you may obtain your license from any county clerk in the state of Tennessee- it does not have to be the county where your ceremony takes place. However, after your ceremony, the signed license must be returned to the same county clerk's office that issued it.
For couples marrying with us at Leeric Lodge on Center Hill Lake, the local office is the Putnam County Clerk's Office in Cookeville, Tennessee.
Putnam County Clerk 121 S. Dixie Avenue Cookeville, TN 38501 Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM 931-526-7106
Putnam County also lists annex locations in Baxter and Monterey, though those offices keep more limited hours. Always verify current hours before making the trip.
Do Both People Have to Be Present to Get a Marriage License in Tennessee?
Yes.
Putnam County currently requires both individuals to be present to obtain the marriage license.
This is an important scheduling detail for destination-wedding couples, because it directly affects when you need to arrive in Tennessee.
If your wedding is on Saturday and you're traveling in from another state, don't plan to arrive late Friday evening and then discover you still need your license.
Give yourselves enough time to settle in, handle the legal paperwork, and then begin enjoying your Tennessee wedding weekend the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
(Tennessee does allow limited exceptions — for example, for an applicant who is incarcerated or unable to appear due to a disability — through a sworn, notarized statement. If your circumstances are unique, contact the County Clerk directly.)
How Much Does a Tennessee Marriage License Cost?
In Putnam County, the current marriage license fee for two applicants age 18 or older is:
$99.00 — without a premarital counseling certificate
$41.00 — with a completed, notarized premarital preparation certificate
Tennessee offers this incentive to couples who complete a qualifying four-hour premarital preparation course, conducted by a minister or licensed counseling professional, with the certification form properly signed and notarized. Both applicants must be documented on the certificate, and the course must be completed within one year of your license application date.
That's more than simply saving a few dollars.
There is something quietly beautiful about intentionally spending a handful of hours talking about the marriage you're building — right in the middle of planning the wedding that celebrates it.
Getting Married in Tennessee From Out of State? You May Qualify for the Same Discount
Here's the detail that surprises most of our destination-wedding couples.
Tennessee law provides that $60 of the additional marriage license fee may be waived if the applicants are out-of-state residents- the same reduction offered to couples who complete a premarital preparation course. Who can do this Scott Spradley
In other words, if you're traveling to Tennessee to marry at a lake estate an hour east of Nashville, you may qualify for the reduced fee simply by showing the county clerk documentation establishing that you are not Tennessee residents.
This provision can be applied differently from county to county, and clerks may ask for specific proof of residency. So before you travel, call the County Clerk's office where you plan to obtain your license and ask directly:
"We're out-of-state residents — do we qualify for the reduced marriage license fee, and what documentation do you need from us?"
One phone call. Potentially $60 back in your honeymoon fund.
What Information Will You Need for Your Tennessee Marriage License?
Before heading to the County Clerk's office, make sure you're prepared. Both applicants will need to provide information for the marriage license application, and Tennessee requires that you swear to its accuracy under penalty of perjury.
Be prepared to provide:
Your full legal name
Current address
Date and place of birth
Social Security number, if one has been issued to you
Information regarding any previous marriages, when applicable
Your parents' names and other information requested on the application
Valid identification as required by the County Clerk
Because documentation requirements can vary depending on your circumstances — particularly if you're coming from another state or another country — contact the County Clerk's office before you go to confirm exactly which identification and documents you need to bring.
How Long Is a Tennessee Marriage License Good For?
Your Putnam County marriage license is valid for 30 days after it is issued.
If you obtain it more than 30 days before your ceremony, it will expire and become void — and you'll be starting the process over during the worst possible week to be starting anything over.
So add this simple reminder to your wedding planning calendar:
What Happens to Your Marriage License After the Wedding?
Your officiant will sign your license following your ceremony, and the completed license must be returned to the same county clerk's office that issued it.
Assign this task to someone before the wedding weekend begins - a parent, a wedding planner, a trusted friend, your day-of coordinator. On the morning after your wedding, when you are blissfully unfocused and packing the car, this is the last thing you want to be tracking down.
Take one minute now. Decide who's responsible. Write it down.
Tennessee Marriage License Tips for Destination Wedding Couples
This part matters most for couples traveling into Tennessee for their wedding.
Your wedding weekend should feel like a celebration — not a scavenger hunt for government paperwork.
Before you travel, contact the County Clerk's office where you plan to obtain your license and verify:
Current marriage license requirements
Identification and documentation you should bring
Current fees and accepted payment methods
Whether you qualify for the out-of-state fee reduction
Office hours and holiday closures
Any circumstances unique to either applicant
Requirements can change, and individual situations differ, so we always recommend confirming everything directly with the County Clerk before your trip.
Check the requirements before leaving home. Bring your identification and documents with you. Take care of the paperwork, tuck that license somewhere safe, and then get back to enjoying Tennessee and celebrating exactly why you came - to get married.
Your Tennessee Marriage License Checklist
Confirm current requirements with the County Clerk's office
Ask whether you qualify for the out-of-state fee reduction
Decide whether you're completing a premarital preparation course
Complete the online pre-application, if available in your county
Gather identification and required documentation
Schedule your Clerk's office visit within 30 days of the wedding
Plan your travel so both of you arrive with time to spare
Confirm office hours and holiday closures
Assign someone to return the signed license after the ceremony
Getting Married Near Nashville?
One of the things we love most about Tennessee weddings is that your wedding can become so much more than a single day.
Imagine your family traveling in for a weekend surrounded by rolling Tennessee hills, morning mist rising off the water, and the quiet beauty of Center Hill Lake.
Instead of everyone rushing into town for a few hours and immediately scattering again, your wedding becomes a reason to slow down.
Spend time together.
Explore waterfalls.
Get out on the lake.
Sit around the fire.
Wake up to the Tennessee hills.
And somewhere in the middle of all of it - gather the people you love and marry your person.
At Leeric Lodge on Center Hill Lake, our private estate was designed for couples who want their wedding to feel less like an event being pushed through a venue, and more like an experience they're actually able to enjoy.
Who Can Marry Us?
Who can solemnize a marriage? The rite of matrimony may be solemnized by any of the persons listed in T.C.A. § 36-3-301: Scott Spradley
All regular ministers, preachers, pastors, priests, rabbis and other religious leaders of every religious belief, more than eighteen (18) years of age, having the care of souls.
Current and former members of county legislative bodies.
County mayors/executives and former county mayors/executives.
Current and former judges and chancellors of this state, including federal judges and federal administrative law judges.
Current and former judges of general sessions courts.
Municipal court judges.
The governor.
The county clerk of each county, and former county clerks who occupied the office on or after July 1, 2014.
Current and former speakers of the senate and speakers of the house of representatives.
Mayors of municipalities.
Current and former members of the general assembly who have filed notice with the office of vital records. Former members must have filed notice with the office of vital records while serving the general assembly.
Law enforcement chaplains duly appointed by the heads of authorized state and local law enforcement agencies.
Members of municipal legislative bodies.
Notaries Public.
Tennessee Marriage License FAQs
Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Tennessee? Tennessee does not impose a waiting period for applicants 18 and older — couples may typically marry the same day the license is issued. Confirm with your County Clerk, as circumstances can vary.
Do you need a blood test to get married in Tennessee? No. Tennessee does not require a blood test for a marriage license.
Can we get our license in a different county than our wedding? Yes. You may obtain your license from any Tennessee county clerk. The signed license must be returned to that same issuing office after the ceremony.
How much is a marriage license in Putnam County, Tennessee? Currently $99.00, or $41.00 with a completed and notarized four-hour premarital preparation certificate. Out-of-state applicants may also qualify for a reduced fee.
How long is a Tennessee marriage license valid? Thirty days from the date of issuance.
Do both people have to be present to get a Tennessee marriage license? Yes, in Putnam County both applicants must appear in person, with narrow exceptions available through sworn, notarized statements.
Do we need witnesses at our Tennessee wedding ceremony? Requirements can vary by circumstance and officiant. Confirm with your County Clerk and your officiant while you're planning.
One Last Piece of Advice
Your marriage license may be the smallest, plainest piece of paper involved in planning your entire wedding.
It's also one of the most important.
So don't leave it sitting at the bottom of the checklist. Plan for it. Take care of it. Then get back to the far better part- celebrating the beginning of your marriage, surrounded by the people and the place you love.
Planning a Tennessee wedding in Tennessee and your looking for Mountain and Lake Views?
Come experience what a private-estate wedding weekend can feel like at Leeric Lodge on Center Hill Lake, just about an hour east of Nashville.
Because you're not just choosing where you'll have your wedding.
You're choosing where your wedding memories begin.
This article is provided for general informational purposes and reflects requirements as understood at the time of writing. Marriage license requirements, fees, and office hours are set by county and state authorities and can change. Always verify current requirements directly with the County Clerk's office.
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