Okeechobee County Marriage License

Okeechobee County marriage license records are kept by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the city of Okeechobee. This small, rural county in south-central Florida sits along the north shore of Lake Okeechobee. The clerk's office on NW 3rd Street handles every marriage license application in the county. Both people must visit in person to apply, and the staff guides you through the steps. All Okeechobee County residents use this one office for marriage license services, and the process follows the same state rules as every other Florida county.

Okeechobee County Clerk of Court for Marriage Licenses

The Okeechobee County Clerk of the Circuit Court handles all marriage license services from the courthouse in the city of Okeechobee. This is the only office in the county that processes marriage license applications. Under Florida Statute 741.01, the clerk has the sole authority to issue marriage licenses. The staff can answer your questions, check your documents, and collect the fee.

Okeechobee County is a smaller county, so the clerk's office handles a lower volume of applications compared to the larger coastal counties. This often means shorter wait times when you visit. The office is easy to find on NW 3rd Street in the city of Okeechobee, near the courthouse building.

The Find a Clerk tool from the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers can help you locate the Okeechobee County Clerk and get contact details for the office.

Call the office before your visit to confirm hours and ask about anything you need to bring. The staff is helpful with planning ahead.

How to Get a Marriage License in Okeechobee County

Both applicants must appear at the Okeechobee County Clerk's office in person. Bring a valid photo ID like a driver's license, state ID, or passport. You need your Social Security number, though the card itself is not required. Under Florida Statute 741.04, both people must be at least 18 years old. A 17-year-old can apply with parental consent, provided the other person is not more than two years older.

If either person was married before, you need the date it ended. The clerk asks if the marriage ended by divorce, death, or annulment and needs to know the state and county where the dissolution happened. Bring this info to the Okeechobee County courthouse so the process goes smoothly.

You should also read the Family Law Handbook before you apply. The Florida Bar publishes this resource, and the clerk will ask if you have reviewed it.

Note: A marriage license from Okeechobee County can be used for a ceremony anywhere in Florida.

Okeechobee County Marriage License Fees

The standard fee for a marriage license in Okeechobee County is $86. All Florida counties charge the same amount. Both people can lower the fee to $61 by completing a four-hour premarital preparation course before they apply. Florida Statute 741.0305 provides this $25 reduction. You must present the original certificate at the clerk's office.

The Okeechobee County Clerk accepts cash, checks, and credit cards. Part of the fee goes to the Domestic Violence Trust Fund, and part goes to the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund. These are state-mandated allocations. Certified copies of recorded marriage licenses cost about $3 per copy from the clerk's office.

The Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers website provides a full overview of the marriage license fee structure used across all Florida counties.

Waiting Period for Okeechobee County Marriage License

Florida residents must wait three days after getting a marriage license in Okeechobee County. The license is not valid until three full days pass. This waiting period comes from state law and applies across all 67 Florida counties.

Take a four-hour premarital course to skip the wait. The course needs to be from a provider registered with the clerk. Bring the original certificate when you apply at the Okeechobee County Clerk, and the license will be valid immediately. The fee drops to $61 as well. Out-of-state residents have no waiting period at all, no course required.

After the Wedding in Okeechobee County

Once the ceremony takes place, the signed license must go back to the Okeechobee County Clerk within 10 days. The person who performed the ceremony usually handles this. The clerk records the license and sends a copy to the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. It takes about 60 days for the state to file the record.

Under Florida Statute 741.07, ordained ministers, judicial officers, clerks of the circuit court, and notaries public can perform a marriage in Okeechobee County. Florida Statute 741.041 sets the license validity at 60 days from the issue date. If no ceremony happens, the license expires and you have to apply again with a new fee.

You can look up recorded Okeechobee County marriage records through the MyFloridaCounty official records portal. Certified copies of state marriage certificates are also available from the Florida Department of Health, which holds records from June 6, 1927 forward.

Note: The officiant must return the signed license to the Okeechobee County Clerk, not to any state office.

Cities in Okeechobee County

Okeechobee County is a small, rural county. The city of Okeechobee is the county seat and the only incorporated city in the county. All residents use the clerk's office in the city of Okeechobee for marriage license services. The county surrounds the north shore of Lake Okeechobee, the largest freshwater lake in Florida.

Nearby Counties

Okeechobee County is surrounded by several other Florida counties. A marriage license from any county in the state is valid for ceremonies anywhere in Florida.