How to Get a Marriage License in Abilene (Taylor County, TX)

Who issues the license

In Texas, marriage licenses are issued by the county clerk, not by a city. Abilene is the county seat of Taylor County, so if you searched for an Abilene marriage license, the Taylor County Clerk is the office you are looking for.

Where you can apply

You do not have to apply in Taylor County. You can apply at any county clerk's office in Texas, and the license is valid statewide. There is no residency requirement, so you do not need to live in the county where you apply. That means you can get the license in Taylor County and marry somewhere else in Texas, or the other way around.

Both of you normally need to appear in person, and each of you should bring valid photo ID. Plan for both of you to be there at the same time rather than sending one person ahead.

Confirm the details with the clerk first

We do not have verified information on this office's street address, phone number, hours, appointment policy, accepted payment methods or exact fee. Please do not rely on a guess, including ours. Contact the Taylor County Clerk before you go and ask:

•Where exactly do we go, and what are the current hours?

•Do we need an appointment, or can we walk in?

•What is the exact fee today?

•Which payment methods do you accept?

•Is there anything besides valid photo ID that we should bring?

A short call or a check of the county's official website can save you a second trip.

What the license costs

Each county sets its own fee. Across Texas it is typically about $70 to $85, but the number for Taylor County is the one the clerk gives you.

There is a way to pay less. If you complete a Twogether in Texas premarital education course, the certificate removes up to $60 of the fee. The certificate also waives the 72-hour wait, which matters if your timeline is tight. If you plan to use it, finish the course and have the certificate in hand before you go to the clerk. Ask the clerk how they want to receive it.

The 72-hour wait

Texas requires 72 hours between the day the license is issued and your ceremony. You cannot get the license in the morning and marry that afternoon unless one of the exceptions applies. The wait is waived in three situations:

•One of you is on active-duty military.

•You have a judge's written waiver.

•You have a certificate from the Twogether in Texas premarital course.

If none of those applies to you, count 72 hours forward from the moment the license is issued, and schedule your ceremony for after that.

How long the license lasts

The license is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued. If you do not marry within that window, it expires and you would have to apply again. Pick your ceremony date first, then work backward. Getting the license too early can leave you without enough time if plans change, and getting it too late can run into the 72-hour wait.

A simple checklist

1.Decide whether you will take the Twogether in Texas course, since it affects both cost and timing.

2.Contact the Taylor County Clerk and confirm the address, hours, appointment rules, payment methods and fee.

3.Both of you bring valid photo ID, and appear in person together.

4.Note the issue date, and keep the 72-hour wait and the 90-day limit in mind when you set the ceremony date.

Once you have confirmed the local details with the clerk, the rest of the process is straightforward.

Taylor County marriage licenses, by the numbers

73 marriage licenses were filed in Taylor County in the last 30 days and 1,196 in the last 12 months; the newest filing we hold is dated 2026-10-21. Month-by-month counts and the public record are on the Taylor 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.