Marriage Licenses

Marriage License

Am I eligible to get a marriage license in Multnomah County?

You must meet these requirements to have a marriage license issued from Multnomah County:

How do I get a marriage license?

Appointments are not needed to get a marriage license. Service hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30-4pm.

Both parties must be in our office, with a completed application, by 4pm in order to purchase a marriage license that day.

Instructions

  1. Fill out your marriage application at www.multcomarriage.org
  2. Bring photo identification for both parties (driver's license, state id card, passport, etc.). The name on the application should match the identification provided. Note: Both parties must appear in person to issue a license. If you cannot appear together, please contact our office for assistance.
  3. Bring $60 (cash, credit/debit card, or cashier's check or money order made out to "Multnomah County Marriage Licenses"). If you are requesting a waiver of the three-day waiting period, please bring $65 instead.

If You Don’t Have A Computer

Please contact our office, 503-988-2273, option 4, to speak with one of our Customer Service Representatives.

COVID-19 Protocols

Masks are welcome, but not required, for in-person service.

Parking is very limited at the Multnomah Building. Please review our parking and transportation suggestions.

Note about Parents Information

Parental names should be complete (first, middle, last) and should be reflective of the name they were born with.

Note about Last Name Taken After Marriage

Oregon law limits the possible name change options when getting married. Please review the options below before selecting your name taken after marriage.

(a) Retain the party’s middle name, if any, and surname prior to the marriage;

(b) Retain the party’s middle name, if any, and change the party’s surname to the surname of the other party;

(c) Either retain or remove the party’s middle name, if any, and change the party’s surname to one surname or a combination of surnames, or names within the surnames, of either or both parties, with or without a hyphen;

(d) Change the party’s middle name, if any, to the party’s surname at birth or prior to the marriage; or

(e) Add to the party’s middle name, if any, the party’s surname at birth or prior to the marriage and change the party’s surname to the surname of the other party.

Frequently asked questions:

I want to change my name. What are my options?

As part of the marriage license application, each party must pick the name taken after the marriage ceremony. However, the State of Oregon limits your name change options. If your desired name is not listed when applying, please ask the clerk at the window for allowable name options.

I need to have the waiting period waived. How do I do that?

We will waive the three day waiting period for an extra $5.00. You must intend to have a ceremony within three days of the issue of your license, before we can issue the waiver.

Who can marry us?

The following people can perform ceremonies:

Courthouse Ceremonies (Multnomah County)

Wedding availability at the Multnomah County Courthouse varies. Individual judges may or may not perform ceremonies.

To find out which judges perform ceremonies and their hours, please complete the following instructions:

  1. Visit https://www.courts.oregon.gov/courts/multnomah/go/Pages/judges-home.aspx
  2. Click on the individual judge’s names to open their biography. If the judge performs ceremonies, the scheduling information will be listed in the section labeled Weddings. (This site will continuously be updated, please check back for updated information.)
  3. Contact the judge using the preferred contact information listed on the biography.

(Note: Judge’s biographies will open in a new browser tab. Close the new browser tab to return to the list of judges.)

Alternate Method
A Judicial Availability for Weddings is also available. Please call each office and inquire about wedding availability.
Judicial Avaialability For Weddings (109.65 KB)

What if our officiant got ordained online?

As long as the online ordination meets the requirements from the State of Oregon, it is just as official as a traditional religious ordination.

What about witnesses?

You need two witnesses who are 18 years or older to make a ceremony valid in Oregon. Neither the minister or partners involved can act as a witness. Witnesses will print their names on the license as verification of their presence.

What happens after the ceremony?

The officiant will fill in the required information and sign the license. Once complete, the officiant is responsible for returning the license to Multnomah County within five days of the ceremony.

I’ve changed my name on my marriage license. What do I do now?

Now that your name has changed, you will need to update all your information, such as your driver’s license, passport, etc. with the new name. Here is the Name Change information Changing Name after Marriage_Domestic Partnership (38.3 KB) that can help you through the process. Most organizations will want to see a certified copy of your marriage license as proof of your new name.

How do I get a certified copy of my marriage record?

Order Online

You may order a certified or non-certified copy of your marriage record via our Digital Research Room. Once ordered, it takes 1-2 business days for our office to mail the certified copies. Non certified copies will be available online at the time of purchase. Marriage records are digitally available from 1990-present.
Marriage records from 1980 - 1989 are viewable by index only. If you are looking for a pre-1980 marriage record, you may visit our office in person, or submit a Request for Certified Copies form by mail or in our dropbox with payment.

Through the Mail

You can get a certified copy by mailing in the Request For Certified Copies (78.64 KB) Request For Certified Copies (32.91 KB) . Once received, we process requests within 1-2 business days. We only accept checks for mailed requests. Payments must be in US dollars.

In Person