How to Apply for a Multnomah County Marriage License
Marriage licenses come from Multnomah County Recording and Customer Service, not the court. You complete the application online, but both parties must appear in person to buy and pick up the license. Appointments are not needed. Service hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and both parties must be in the office with a completed application by 4:00 p.m. to buy that day.
The online application is the starting point.
Begin at the online marriage application, then visit the office to finish.
- Complete the online marriage application.
- Both parties bring photo ID to the Recording office.
- Pay the license fee at the counter.
- Decide whether to pay for the three-day waiting-period waiver.
- Receive the license and arrange an officiant and two witnesses.
Plan the timing with care. The office stops new same-day applicants before the 4:00 p.m. cutoff, so arriving early in the afternoon is safer than cutting it close. Both people must be present together, because the license cannot be issued to one party alone. Bring valid photo ID that matches the names on the application, since a mismatch can stop the process at the counter.
Marriage License Eligibility
Oregon sets clear rules for who can marry. Both parties must be at least 18. The ceremony must occur in Oregon, and the couple must marry within 60 days of the license. Neither party can be currently married, and the parties cannot be first cousins or nearer kin.
Some rules ease the process. Blood tests and medical exams are not required. A license can be issued one day after a final divorce, but if the divorce was within one month, the exact divorce date must be given. These checks protect the validity of the marriage.
The 60-day rule catches some couples off guard. The license is only good for 60 days, so applying far in advance of a wedding does not help. Plan the application close to the ceremony date. If a recent divorce is involved, keep the exact final date handy, because the office may ask for it.
Multnomah County Marriage License Fees
The license has a set fee, with a small add-on if you want to skip the waiting period. The office takes cash, a credit or debit card with a processing fee, or a cashier's check or money order payable to Multnomah County Marriage Licenses. The table lists the current fees.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60 |
| Three-day waiting-period waiver | $5 extra, total $65 |
| Certified marriage copy, first copy | $7.75 |
| Additional certified copies, same order | $4.00 each |
| Marriage amendment | $20 |
| Card convenience fee | 2% for debit or credit copy orders |
Note: a license issued without the waiver carries a three-day waiting period before the ceremony.
The waiver is worth weighing if your wedding is close. For an extra five dollars, the three-day wait is removed, and the ceremony can happen right away. Couples planning weeks ahead rarely need it, while last-minute couples often do. Either way, the ceremony still must occur within the 60-day window.
Marriage Application Fields
The online application asks for identity and eligibility details. Names must match each party's photo ID. The table shows the fields you will complete.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Language | English or Español. |
| Party A and Party B legal name | Must match photo ID. |
| Date of birth / age | Must establish age 18 or older. |
| Address and contact | Applicant contact details. |
| Prior marriage / divorce date | Exact date required if a divorce was final within one month. |
| Name after marriage | Oregon limits name-change options. |
| Waiting-period waiver | Optional $5 add-on; ceremony must occur within three days. |
| Certification / signature | Applicant attests to eligibility. |
Officiants and Witnesses
Oregon allows several kinds of officiants. A ceremony may be performed by anyone authorized by an active religious congregation or secular organization, by active federal judges, by active U.S. magistrate judges, and by Oregon judicial officers. Two witnesses age 18 or older are required, and they sign the license alongside the couple and the officiant. Choosing the officiant early avoids a scramble, since the person must be authorized under Oregon law for the marriage to be valid.
The officiant has a duty after the ceremony. The completed license must be returned to Multnomah County within five days. The county posts instructions for officiants.
The officiants information page explains how to complete and return the license correctly.
Ordering Certified Marriage Copies
After the marriage is recorded, you can order a certified copy. The county's Digital Research Room offers a MarriageSearch tool for copy orders. The county notes that records from 1990 to the present are available digitally, while 1980 through 1989 records are index only. Older marriage records may take longer to locate, since they predate the digital system and may need a staff search of the paper index.
Order through the MarriageSearch tool, mail a certified-copy request form, or go in person. The Recording and Customer Service office handles these requests, whether you order online, by mail, or in person at the counter. A certified copy is the version most agencies accept as proof of marriage.
The Recording and Customer Service office is the place for marriage copies and recorded documents. For its records role, see the County Clerk page.
Divorce Decrees vs Divorce Certificates
Divorce records come in two forms, and people mix them up. A divorce decree, also called a judgment of dissolution, is a court record held by the Circuit Court. A divorce certificate is a vital record kept by the state, and the county notes a 50-year access restriction on it. They are not the same document.
Which one you need depends on the use. For proof of the terms of a divorce, you want the court decree. For a simple vital-record certificate, you go to state vital records, which keeps the certificate under its own access rules. To order a decree, use the court records office. The decree holds the real substance of the divorce, including property division, support, and any parenting terms. The certificate, by contrast, simply records that the divorce happened. Most legal and financial needs call for the decree, so start there if you are unsure.
| Point | Divorce Decree | Divorce Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The court judgment of dissolution | A state vital record of the divorce |
| Held by | Multnomah County Circuit Court | State vital records |
| Access | Court record, public unless sealed | 50-year access restriction |
Filing for Divorce in Multnomah County
Oregon is a no-fault divorce state and uses the term dissolution of marriage. Filing requires meeting state residency rules, completing court forms, paying a filing fee, serving the other party, and giving financial and custody disclosures when they apply. A judge enters the judgment that ends the marriage. No-fault means neither spouse has to prove wrongdoing; the court can dissolve the marriage based on irreconcilable differences. The process can be simple for a short marriage with no children, or complex when property, support, and custody are in dispute.
Self-represented people can get forms and procedural help, though staff cannot give legal advice. The court's Legal Resource Center and the statewide forms library are good starting points, and fee waivers may be available for people who cannot afford the filing cost. For referral and aid, see the legal help page.
Copy and Research Fees
Beyond the marriage copy fees, the county charges for copying and research assistance on recorded documents. These fees apply when staff pull or research records for you. The amounts are posted so you can budget before you order. A mailed certified-copy request accepts a check in U.S. dollars, and a card order adds the convenience fee. Knowing the fee in advance keeps a copy order from stalling over payment.
The copying and research fees page lists current charges. For court-file divorce copies, the court records page covers court copy fees.