Marriage License
A Broward County marriage license is handled by the Broward County Clerk of Courts. This article explains where to apply, how the Clerk’s online application and appointment systems fit together, what information each applicant should prepare, and how to search for a license or request a marriage record later.
The Clerk’s Marriage Division
The Clerk of Courts provides marriage license services at four locations: Marriage Central in Fort Lauderdale, Marriage North in Deerfield Beach, Marriage South in Hollywood, and Marriage West in Plantation. The Clerk’s marriage license page identifies these offices and lists their service hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., excluding holidays.
For Marriage Central, use the Central Courthouse Midrise Building address shown for that office. The Clerk’s website also displays a separate main courthouse address in its general footer. Those are different addresses, so relying on the footer alone could take you to the wrong building for a marriage license appointment. The addresses and direct phone numbers for all four marriage offices appear at the end of this article.
The marriage license process begins online and is completed with the Clerk in person. Both parties must apply in person at the same time. An online submission gives the Clerk the application information; it does not replace the joint visit required by the pre-application system.
Application and Appointment Sequence
The Clerk’s appointment system says applicants must complete the online marriage license application and make an appointment to finish obtaining the license. The practical sequence is to prepare both applicants’ information, submit the online marriage license pre-application, keep the application confirmation number, and then use the marriage license appointment system to arrange the visit.
The appointment system asks for the application confirmation number when scheduling. It also provides options to view or cancel an existing appointment. If you do not have a confirmation number, the system directs you to contact the Clerk’s office by phone. Choose the office location in the appointment system and use that location’s marriage office address for the visit.
Plan for both applicants to attend together. The online form explicitly states that both parties must apply in person at the same time and that each person’s correct legal name must match their identification. Completing the form for both people does not permit only one person to appear on their behalf.
Information for Both Applicants
The pre-application has separate sections for Spouse 1 and Spouse 2. Preparing the same categories of information for each person before opening the form can make it easier to complete all four steps without guessing at names, dates, or identification details. The form marks required fields with an asterisk and identifies additional fields that become required when the number of this marriage is two or more.
For each applicant, the form requests a first and last name, sex, race, date of birth, and state or country of birth. It also asks for the city, county, and state or country where the applicant currently resides. A middle name has its own field. Enter the correct legal name as it appears on the applicant’s identification, rather than substituting a preferred name or an anticipated married name.
Each applicant must select an identification type and enter an identification number. The form also asks whether the applicant has a Social Security number. An applicant who indicates that they have one is prompted to enter and verify the nine-digit number. Review those entries before submission: the form checks that the two Social Security number entries match.
The application asks each person to state the number of this marriage. If that number is two or more, the form requests the maiden or surname field, how the previous marriage ended, and the date it ended. The date fields use the MM/DD/YYYY format. Have the relevant dates available so the application reflects each person’s own history accurately.
Each spouse must also answer the form’s premarital class question and provide an email address and mobile phone number. The form states that correspondence may be sent to the email address entered. It does not accept the same email address for Spouse 1 and Spouse 2, so prepare a separate address for each person. Its mobile phone fields accept numbers and require at least 10 digits.
Names and Dates on the Form
Small entry errors can matter because the Clerk asks applicants to review the information before submission and warns that correcting discrepancies after a license has been recorded can involve an amended license fee, a court order, and associated filing costs. Compare each legal name with the corresponding identification, and check birth dates, prior-marriage details, and identification numbers against the information you intend to provide to the Clerk.
The form’s name fields accept letters and numbers, hyphens, apostrophes, and spaces. If an entry produces an error message, look at the particular field and its stated format instead of changing a person’s legal name to make the form accept a different spelling. The final review step is the point to return to earlier screens and correct an entry before clicking Submit.
Affidavit and Mailing Details
Step three of the pre-application includes a Family Law Handbook affidavit. Both applicants must acknowledge that they obtained, read, or otherwise accessed the information in the Family Law Handbook in English or Spanish before the marriage license is issued. Read the statement presented in the Clerk’s form and respond to its acknowledgment field as part of the application.
The same step asks where certified copies of the recorded marriage license should be mailed. It offers domestic and international address formats and requests an address, city, state, ZIP code, best contact phone number, and phone type. Enter a mailing address that the applicants can review for accuracy. This mailing field is separate from the city, county, and state or country of current residence requested earlier for each spouse.
Another acknowledgment asks the applicants to confirm that they have reviewed the application, including names, birth dates, address, Social Security number, and number of marriages. The Clerk’s form explains that discrepancies discovered after recording can require an amended license fee and a court order with an associated filing fee. Review the spouse information and certified-copy mailing address together on step four before submitting.
The form also displays a notice asking applicants to advise the Clerk if they are exempt under Florida Statute 119.071. Applicants to whom that notice applies should raise it with the Clerk during the license process.
Premarital Course Provider Search
The online application asks each spouse whether they have taken a premarital class. For someone checking a provider named in connection with that question, the Clerk offers a premarital course provider search. The search accepts a provider name or a provider city and also has a View All option.
If searching by name, enter the provider’s name in the name search field; if searching by city, use the city field instead. The search page says the information is for general informational purposes and does not represent it as an official or certified record. Keep the provider search distinct from the marriage license application: finding a provider does not submit an application or reserve an appointment.
Fees and Office Visit Planning
The Clerk has a marriage license fees section for applicants reviewing costs. Consult that section while planning the application and any copies you intend to obtain. The pre-application also warns that corrections after recording can lead to additional costs, which makes the review screen especially useful before the in-person visit.
Marriage office hours end at 3:30 p.m. on weekdays, and the listed offices exclude holidays. Use the office location selected for the appointment, rather than assuming any courthouse address shown elsewhere on the Clerk’s website is the marriage service location. The Marriage Central office, for example, is identified in the Central Courthouse Midrise Building, on the second floor in Room 02460. The North and South marriage offices are each listed in Room 160, and Marriage West is listed in Room 180.
Marriage License Search
The Clerk’s marriage license search is for looking up license information. It offers two different search methods: names and dates, or a marriage license number. This search is separate from the pre-application and appointment systems. Someone applying for a new license should use those application steps rather than treating a search result as an application confirmation.
Search by Names and Dates
For a name search, the Clerk instructs users to enter the full name at the time of the application for at least one spouse. A first and last name for at least one spouse are required. The search also has fields for each spouse’s middle name and birth date. Adding the second spouse’s information or dates can narrow the results when a name alone matches more than one record.
If you know the exact marriage date, the search tips say you can enter it in the From Date field. If you do not know the exact date, use the From Date and To Date fields to enter a range in MM/DD/YYYY format. A current name may differ from the name entered when the application was made, so begin with the name used at the time of application.
Search by License Number
If you already have the marriage license number, use the search page’s license-number method instead of the name fields. The Clerk shows numbers with an ML prefix followed by a location code, a four-digit year, and a number. Its examples include CE for Central, NO for North, SO for South, and WE for West. Enter the components into the designated license-number fields rather than putting a license number into a spouse-name field.
The search page cautions that its online information is for general informational use and is not an official or certified record. A search result can help identify the license you mean, but it is different from a certified copy of a recorded marriage license.
Recorded Marriage Documents
The pre-application asks for a mailing address for certified copies of the recorded marriage license. Review that address when completing the application, especially if the copies need to reach an address different from either applicant’s current residence. The mailing address entered in step three is the one the form identifies for those copies.
The Clerk’s website also has a marriage records request section. Use the marriage records path when seeking a marriage document rather than selecting a court records request merely because both services appear on the Clerk’s website. The court records information discusses civil, criminal, family, and other court case documents; the marriage license search and marriage records request are the relevant paths for the license addressed here.
Common Application Mix-Ups
Submitting online without scheduling: The Clerk’s appointment system says applicants must complete the online application and make an appointment to finish obtaining the license. Save the application confirmation number for scheduling.
Planning for one applicant to attend: Both parties must apply in person at the same time, even though each person’s information is entered online beforehand.
Entering a name that differs from identification: The pre-application requires the correct legal name to match the applicant’s identification. Review both spouses’ names before submission.
Using one email address twice: The form requires an email address for each spouse and does not accept the same address for both.
Confusing an online search with a certified record: The marriage license search provides general information. The Clerk expressly says its search information is not an official or certified record.
Going to the general main courthouse address for Marriage Central: Marriage Central has its own Midrise Building address and room. Match the appointment location to the marriage office details below.
Marriage Division Offices
Central Courthouse Midrise Building (Marriage Central) — 540 SE 3rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Phone: 954-831-7283.
North Regional Courthouse (Marriage North) — 1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442. Phone: 954-831-1453.
South Regional Courthouse (Marriage South) — 3550 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, FL 33021. Phone: 954-831-0320.
West Regional Courthouse (Marriage West) — 100 North Pine Island Road, Plantation, FL 33324. Phone: 954-831-6528.
Marriage License FAQs
Can I apply if I do not have a Social Security number?
Yes. The Clerk’s online pre-application lets each applicant indicate whether they have a Social Security number. Answer that question separately for each person. If you select “I have a social security number,” the form requires you to enter and verify the nine-digit number. If you do not have one, select the corresponding option rather than entering a substitute number.
Can certified copies be mailed outside the United States?
The pre-application provides both domestic and international formats for the address where certified copies of the recorded license should be mailed. Select the format that matches the destination and enter the requested mailing details. This address is separate from the current residence information each applicant enters earlier in the form, so check the certified-copy address on the final review screen even if both applicants’ residence details are correct.
How do I change plans after booking an appointment?
The Clerk’s appointment system offers options to view or cancel an existing appointment. It does not describe a separate rescheduling option on the page provided. If you need a different date or office, check your existing booking first, then use the system’s available options to arrange the visit you need. Keep your application confirmation number handy because the system requests it when you schedule an appointment.
What if an error is found after the license is recorded?
The Clerk’s application acknowledgment says a discrepancy found after recording requires an amended license fee and a court order with an associated filing fee. It directs applicants to the Circuit Civil or Family Division for more information. If you spot an error while still on the pre-application’s review screen, return to the earlier pages and correct it before submitting.