Cook County Marriage License

Cook County handles more marriage license applications than any other county in Illinois. The County Clerk's office issues licenses at six locations across Cook County, from downtown Chicago to suburban offices in Markham, Skokie, and Rolling Meadows. Both people must show up in person with valid photo ID. The fee is the same at all six sites. You can search for marriage license records, check current requirements, and find the office closest to you on this page. Licenses are printed while you wait and take effect the next day.

How to Get a Cook County Marriage License

Both you and your partner must go to a Cook County Clerk office together. You cannot send just one person. Bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. The IDPH valid ID page lists all forms the state accepts. You also need your Social Security number and some basic personal details like date of birth, place of birth, and current address. The clerk will ask for your parents' names too.

The main Cook County Clerk office sits at 50 W. Washington St. in downtown Chicago. Five more branch offices serve the suburbs: Markham, Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, and Bridgeview. All six issue marriage licenses. Walk-ins are welcome. The Cook County Clerk marriage license page has the full list of addresses and hours for each site. County Clerk Monica Gordon runs all six offices.

The Cook County marriage license screenshot below shows the clerk's online portal where you can find current hours and location details.

The license costs $60. Cook County accepts cash, checks, and credit cards. Your marriage license is printed while you wait. It takes effect the next calendar day and stays valid for 60 days under 750 ILCS 5/207. After those 60 days, it expires. You would have to start over and pay the $60 fee again if that happens.

Cook County Marriage License Requirements

Illinois law sets the rules for who can get a marriage license. Both people must be at least 18. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, the county clerk issues the license once both people sign the form and pay the fee. There is no blood test. There is no residency rule. Anyone from any state or country can apply for a Cook County marriage license.

If you were divorced in the last six months, bring a certified copy of your divorce decree. Cook County will not issue your marriage license without it. This rule helps the clerk confirm that your prior marriage is fully dissolved before a new license goes out. If your divorce was more than six months ago, you just need to know the date, county, and state where it was finalized.

Under 750 ILCS 5/212, close blood relatives cannot marry. First cousins can marry only if both are over 50. You also cannot get a Cook County marriage license if you are still in a prior marriage or civil union that has not been dissolved.

Note: The one-day waiting period means you cannot use the license on the same day you pick it up at the Cook County Clerk office.

Marriage Equality in Cook County

Cook County led the state on same-sex marriage. The county started issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on February 21, 2014. That was more than three months before the rest of Illinois followed on June 1, 2014. A federal court ruling made Cook County the first in the state to recognize marriage equality.

The Cook County Clerk's marriage equality page has details on this history and confirms that the same rules and fees apply to all couples. All six Cook County offices serve everyone equally. The screenshot below shows the clerk's marriage equality information page.

Today, the process is the same for all couples in Cook County. Same fees. Same forms. Same ID rules. The only thing that changed was who could apply, and that change is now settled law across all of Illinois.

Cook County Marriage Ceremonies

Cook County offers something most Illinois counties do not. The county clerk can perform marriages. Under 750 ILCS 5/209, county clerks in counties with 2,000,000 or more residents can solemnize marriages. Cook County is the only county in Illinois that meets this threshold. That makes it the only place where the clerk's office can both issue your license and perform the ceremony.

Judges, retired judges, religious leaders, and mayors can also officiate. No witnesses are needed under Illinois law. After the ceremony, whoever performed it must fill out the marriage certificate and return it to the Cook County Clerk within 10 days. Late returns can cause delays when you need certified copies later on. This 10-day return rule applies across all 102 counties under 750 ILCS 5/209.

Certified Marriage License Copies in Cook County

After your marriage is recorded, you can get certified copies from the Cook County Clerk's office. You need to go to the same office that issued the original license, or to the main downtown location. The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders lists Cook County and all other county clerk offices across the state. Certified copies are the official proof of your marriage. Banks, insurance companies, and government agencies all ask for them.

The IDPH marriage records page makes clear that certified copies come from the county clerk, not from the state. IDPH can only verify basic facts about a marriage that took place from 1962 onward. A verification costs $5 and confirms names, dates of birth, date of the event, and the county. For a full certified copy of a Cook County marriage license, go to the Cook County Clerk. You can request one by mail or in person at any of the six office locations.

Note: A marriage license used in Cook County can only be used for a ceremony held inside Cook County borders.

Cook County Marriage License Filing Details

The Cook County Clerk records the completed marriage certificate after your officiant returns it. Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), the clerk then sends a copy to the Illinois Department of Public Health within 45 days after the close of the month. This is how the state builds its central index of marriages. But the full marriage license record stays with Cook County.

If you need a copy of the verification form from IDPH, you can mail it to Springfield with a $5 fee. That gives you a verification, not a certified copy. For most legal uses, you want the certified copy from the Cook County Clerk. The form asks for names, date of the marriage, and the county where it took place. Include a readable photo ID or IDPH will send your request back.

Cities in Cook County

Cook County is the most populated county in Illinois. These major cities are all within Cook County and use the Cook County Clerk's office for marriage licenses.

Nearby Counties

If your ceremony is outside Cook County, you need a license from that county instead. These neighboring counties each have their own clerk's office and fee schedule.