Steps to obtaining a marriage license in Charleston
Both the prospective bride and groom must apply at the same time at a South Carolina County Courthouse Marriage License Bureau. Courthouses are usually open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm weekdays only.
There is a 24-hour waiting period before the license can be picked up (by either the bride or the groom). When applying for the license, a fee, which may vary according to location, is collected. The Courthouse will accept CASH only; not a check or credit card. The fee is $70 in Charleston County.
In South Carolina, no blood test or physical is required. No proof of divorce is required, though instances are known where a clerk of court asked for proof of divorce if it had been less than a year. A driver's license and social security number are generally all that is needed. A birth certificate is not required. You do not need to be a resident of South Carolina OR the United States to marry in South Carolina., except in Myrtle Beach, which will not issue a marriage license to foreign nationals. Go to Georgetown or Charleston counties. Remember, if you wish to get married on a Saturday, you will need to apply for your license on Thursday. You may also apply earlier, licenses don't expire. Contact any South Carolina County Courthouse Marriage License Bureau for more information. You may obtain your license from any SC courthouse and use it in any other county.
Finding the Charleston County Courthouse
The Marriage License Bureau is located at 100 Broad Street, Suite 469, in the Judicial Center. The phone number is 843-958-5183. For visitors to Charleston, this is near the intersection of Meeting and Broad streets, often called “The Four Corners of Law.” Take East Bay, Meeting Street or King Street south; this will intersect Broad Street.
If you are under 18 years of age, contact the Marriage License Bureau for further information about the requirements.
Your marriage license must accompany you and must be given to the officiant before the wedding ceremony or the wedding can not be performed.
Charleston's Finest
City Guide
