Marriage Licenses may be applied for at the Probate Court between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Probate Court is located in the Peachtree Centre at 1434 North Limestone Street in Gaffney, South Carolina.
Both parties must be present to apply for a Marriage License. If you are over the age of eighteen (18) you must bring two forms of identification.
The first form of identification you both are required to bring is your Social Security Card or Alien Identification number. If you can not find your Social Security Card, you must provide another legal document containing your Social Security Number. This can be your Voter Registration card, a paycheck stub, tax records, etc.
The second form of identification may be one of the following:
If you are between the ages of 16 and 18 you must bring a Certified Copy of your Birth Certificate which will be kept on file and a parent or guardian must accompany the minor and give consent.
The fee for applying for a marriage license is $30.00 (CASH) for Cherokee County residents and $50.00(CASH) for applicants who live outside of Cherokee County. There is a 24-hour waiting period before you can receive your marriage license. You must have your receipt in order to pick up the marriage license. The Cherokee County Probate Court staff is available to perform marriage ceremonies. A ceremony fee of $30.00(CASH) is due at the time of the marriage application if you wish to be married in the Cherokee County Probate Court. You do not have to be a resident of this state to apply for a marriage license but the ceremony must be performed in South Carolina by ministers of the Gospel, accepted Jewish Rabbis or officers authorized to administer oaths in South Carolina (Notary Public). A blood test is not required. For additional information you should contact the Probate Court at (864) 487-2583.
For your convenience, The Probate Court can have your license returned to you by mail once the twenty-four(24) hour waiting period is up. You will need to provide the court with a sixty cent ($0.60) self-addressed envelope at the time of making the application for the marriage license.
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1. |
Q: |
Do you issue marriage licenses to inmates? |
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No, both parties must be present to apply for a marriage license. |
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2. |
Q: |
Does the marriage application expire? |
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Once the 24-hour waiting period has expired, you have 6 months from the time the marriage application is filed to pick up your marriage license. Once the 6 month time period has expired, you will need to re-apply. |
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3. |
Q: |
What is the legal age to marry without parental consent? |
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You must be over the age of 18 to marry without parental consent in South Carolina. |
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4. |
Q: |
Is a blood test required? |
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A: |
A blood test is not required in South Carolina. |
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5. |
Q: |
Do you have to be a resident of South Carolina to get married in South Carolina? |
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No, however, if you apply for and receive a South Carolina marriage license you must marry in South Carolina. |
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6. |
Q: |
If you get a license in another state, can you be married in South Carolina? |
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No, you must marry in the state that issues you the marriage license. |
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7. |
Q: |
If you have a South Carolina marriage license, can you get married in another state? |
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No, you must marry in the state that issues you the marriage license. |
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8. |
Q: |
Is there a waiting period from the time you apply for your license to the time that you can get married? |
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There is a 24-hour waiting period from the time of application for the license to the time the marriage license can be issued. You must apply no later than Thursday for a Saturday wedding. You can not pick up a marriage license on Saturday. Once you have received your marriage license, there is no further waiting period. However, you must pick up your marriage license within 6 months of the marriage application being filed. |
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9. |
Q: |
Is the Probate Judge available to do marriage ceremonies? |
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The Cherokee County Probate Judge is available to perform marriage ceremonies for Cherokee County residents. The Probate Court Staff can marry out-of-county residents. To get married at the Probate Courthouse you must make an appointment, Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 a.m.--10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.--4:00 p.m. A ceremony fee of $30.00(CASH) is required at the time of the marriage application if you are planning on being married in the Probate Court. |
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10. |
Q: |
What type of identification is required when applying for a marriage license? |
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You will need a Social Security Card or Alien Identification number along with one of the following types of identification: a Department of Transportation Issued ID, a driver's license, a military ID, a birth certificate, or a passport. |
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11. |
Q: |
Who can perform a marriage ceremony? |
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Only Ministers of the Gospel or accepted Jewish Rabbis and Officers authorized to administer oaths in the state are authorized to administer a marriage ceremony in this state. Please refer to South Carolina Code of Laws Section 20-1-20. |
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12. |
Q: |
What are your business hours? |
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We take applications from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. |