How to Get a Marriage License in San Antonio (Bexar County, TX)

Who issues the license in Bexar County

In Texas, marriage licenses are issued by the county clerk. A city does not issue them. San Antonio is the county seat of Bexar County, so if you searched for a San Antonio marriage license, the Bexar County Clerk is the office that handles it.

The license is the legal permission to marry. It is not the ceremony, and it is not the record of your marriage. You get the license first, hold your ceremony within the allowed window, and then the marriage is recorded.

You can apply in any Texas county

You do not have to use the Bexar County Clerk. You can apply at any county clerk in Texas. The license is valid statewide, and there is no residency requirement. A couple living in San Antonio can get a license in another county, and a couple from out of state can get one in Bexar County.

Both of you normally need to appear in person, and each of you should bring valid photo ID. If one of you cannot make it, call the clerk before you go and ask what your options are. Don't assume anything about substitutes.

What it costs

Each county sets its own fee. It is typically about $70 to $85. We can't give you the exact Bexar County amount, so ask the clerk when you confirm the other details.

A Twogether in Texas premarital education certificate can lower the cost. It removes up to $60 of the fee. If you are already thinking about taking the course, check the price of the license with and without the certificate before you decide.

The 72-hour waiting period

Texas requires 72 hours between the day the license is issued and your ceremony. Plan around this. If you pick up the license on the morning of your wedding, you will be too early.

The wait is waived in three situations:

•One of you is active-duty military.

•You have a judge's written waiver.

•You have a Twogether in Texas premarital course certificate.

The certificate does two things. It reduces the fee and it waives the wait. If your timeline is tight, it is the option most couples can arrange themselves. The other two depend on military status or on a judge.

How long the license lasts, and what to confirm first

The license is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued. Hold your ceremony inside that window. If the 90 days pass, the license expires, and you would have to apply again.

In practice, get the license after you have a firm date. Pick it up at least 72 hours before the ceremony, unless you qualify for a waiver. Don't pick it up so early that the 90 days run out first.

Before you make the trip, contact the Bexar County Clerk directly and confirm these things:

•The office address you should go to

•The phone number to call with questions

•The hours the marriage license counter is open

•Whether you need an appointment or can walk in

•Which payment methods they accept

•The exact fee

•Whether they need anything beyond valid photo ID from each of you

•How they want to receive a Twogether in Texas certificate, if you have one

These details can change, and this guide does not list them. A short call or a visit to the clerk's official website will tell you what applies today. That check can save you a second trip.

Bexar County marriage licenses, by the numbers

628 marriage licenses were filed in Bexar County in the last 30 days and 11,314 in the last 12 months; the newest filing we hold is dated 2026-09-18. Month-by-month counts and the public record are on the Bexar County marriage license page.

State rules checked against [Texas Family Code, Chapter 2](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/FA/htm/FA.2.htm). Fees and procedures change — the county clerk has the final word. General information, not legal advice.