​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Couples getting married in Kane County must obtain a marriage license from the Kane County Clerk's office.  Call 630-232-5950 if you have any questions.

Timelines and restrictions

Marriage licenses are:

  • effective only in Kane County
  • issued while you wait
  • effective the following calendar day after they are issued
  • valid for 60 days

Eligibility

Under Illinois law, only eligible persons can marry. Couples must:

  • be 18 years of age or older
  • not be blood relatives
  • Individuals who reside out of state may not apply for a marriage license in Illinois if such a marriage would not be legal in their home state.
  • Not enter into a marriage prior to dissolution of a marriage or civil union or substantially similar legal relationship

Exceptions

  • Under state law, first cousins older than 50 years of age may marry.
  • Under state law, applicants who are 16 and 17 years old may obtain a marriage license with parental consent.

Both parents or legal guardians must:

  • appear in person
  • provide sworn consent of the marriage at that time
  • provide a government issued photo I.D., or call our office for forms of acceptable identification.
  • If a court appointed legal guardian is providing consent, a certified copy of the appointment is required

Applicants who are 16 or 17 must present the following:

  • a certified copy of their birth certificate
  • a second form of identification showing their date of birth

Applying


Keep in mind, marriage license applications can take up to 30 minutes to process. Please plan accordingly.
Couples must appear together at:
The Kane County Clerk's office either in Geneva at:
719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. B
Geneva, IL 60134,

Or at the Clerk's office in Aurora:

5 E. Downer Place, Unit F (facing the GAR Museum)

Aurora, IL 60505

Both offices are open Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8:30am-4:30pm  (for marriage applications you need to be in the office by 4:00)
Wed: 8:30am-8:00pm (for marriage applications you need to be in the office by 7:30 on Wednesday nights)

They must:

  • Fill out and sign a marriage license application
  • Present valid identification with proof of age
  • Pay a $32 fee (CASH ONLY)

The license will be effective the following calendar day after the couple signs in one of the two offices and will be good for 60 days thereafter.​

Online  Marriage Application Process

Couples can begin the application process here by pre-registering your information through our secure online application.  This will save time when you come into our office to complete the process, pay your $32 fee (in cash), and pick up your marriage license.  Please go to this site to apply only if you plan on coming into our office within 2 weeks to complete your application:  https://kaneil_marriage.devnetwedge.com/  

Applications finished online less than one hour before coming into the office may not be available.

NOTE: The couple should bring a printout or a screenshot on their mobile device of the confirmation email they receive with them when they finalize the application in person at either of our two offices.  

NOTE also: No underage (applicants under the age of 18) can use the online application.  Please call 630-232-5950 for further instructions regarding underage applicants

Marriage

  • Marriage in Illinois may be performed by either a person of the clergy or a judge
  • Witnesses are not required by Illinois law
  • Couples wishing to have a judge perform their marriage outside the court system, must make special arrangements in advance. Please contact the clerk’s office for a list of retired judges

Court House Ceremony Instructions:

A marriage/civil union license must be issued to the couple and is required to make a ceremony appointment at the courthouse.  If an appointment is made without a license, the appointment will be cancelled, and the couple will have to reschedule.

  1. Couples will have to come to the county clerk's office, show valid IDs, sign the applications and pay the fee.  At that time, the paperwork needed to schedule your ceremony at the courthouse will be issued to you.
  2. Once you have the marriage packet from our office:  Click the link below to schedule your appointment at the courthouse.  Make sure you have your marriage license number ready to put into the system.  It is required in order to make the court house appointment. You cannot make an appointment without having been​ issued a license
  3. Go to the Courthouse website for appointments​  ​​
  4. Ceremonies are available at the Judicial Center located at 37W777 Rte. 38,  St. Charles, IL 60175 Monday through Thursday.  ​Ceremonies are held at the Courthouse at 100 S. Third St. in Geneva IL 60134 on Fridays.  Locations vary so make note when making your appointment. 
  • Ceremony times available are:  Monday – Thursday starting at 3:30 p.m. and on Friday 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. depending on location.  


After the marriage ceremony occurs

The individual(s) performing the ceremony must complete the bottom portion of the marriage license and mail or deliver it within 10 days of the date of marriage to:
Kane County Clerk
719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. B
Geneva, IL 60134
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 8:30am-4:30pm
Wed: 8:30am-8:00pm
630-232-5950


PLEASE NOTE: If, for any reason, you do not get married within the 60 day time period, your license may be void and it will be your responsibility to return the license to the Clerk's office to be filed.  Contact the Clerk's office at 630-232-5950 for more details.

Under no circumstances should a license be destroyed after it is issued.

You may obtain a copy of your marriage certificate upon request.