Congratulations on your decision to get married on beautiful Galveston Island! 

To obtain a marriage license, you need to go to the Court of the County of Galveston, located at 600 59th Street, Suite 2001, here in Galveston. The office is open Monday through Friday 8am-5pm. You may reach the office by phone at (409)766-2200.
A blood test is not required to obtain a marriage license.

If you are over 18 years of age, there is no parental consent required. Acceptable form of identification includes an original or certified copy of your Birth Certificate, a valid Driver License, Military ID, ID issued by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas, a valid Passport, etc.

If you are age 16 to 17, you must have consent of a parent, managing conservator or legal guardian or judicial approval. The County Clerk can provide a parental consent form.

Both parties must appear together to apply for a marriage license. However, a portion of the application process may be completed by filing an Absentee Affidavit if one party is unable to appear in person. License must be obtained 72 hours prior to wedding. Only a District or County Court at Law Judge can waive this requirement. An applicant who is on active military duty is exempt from the 72 hour waiting period. License is valid up to 30 days after date of issuance. License is valid in any county in Texas. License fee is $71, and must be paid in cash. (The license fee will be waived if a couple takes an 8-hour premarital preparation course that covers important marital skills and issues such as conflict management and communication.)
  • a licensed or ordained Christian minister or priest
  • a Jewish rabbi
  • a person who is an officer of a religious organization and who is authorized by the organization to conduct a marriage ceremony
  • a Justice of the Peace, County Judge, District Judge, or retired Judge
  • If either person is divorced, he/she will need to provide the date of the divorce. (If the divorce occurred within the previous 30 days, the person must provide a certified copy of the divorce decree).
Couples living together may wish to make a matter of record their marriage without formality. Call (409)766-2200 for information concerning a Declaration of Informal Marriage.
Witnesses are not required.

Beach Weddings - The Facts

​Do I need a permit to host my wedding at the beach?
Basic ceremonies involving no setup - music, chairs, decorations, etc. - can be held on any public beach without a permit, but restricting access to the public is not allowed. If you are requesting to host a wedding in any of the areas managed by The Galveston Park Board of Trustees, you must obtain prior approval. Please contact Parks Superintendent, Chris Saddler, at (409) 797-5182 or csaddler@galvestonparkboard.org.

Which areas are managed by the Park Board of Trustees?
Galveston's public beach parks are managed by the Galveston Park Board of Trustees, a non-profit government entity funded solely by Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue and beach-user fees. Areas managed by the Park Board include: R.A. Apffel Park (East Beach), Stewart Beach, Dellanera RV Park, the three West End County Pocket Parks and Seawall beaches between 10th and 61st streets.

Can I request to host a wedding outside of the Park Board managed areas?
You do not need approval from Park Board staff to host a wedding outside of the areas under its jurisdiction. However, any organized activity with 75 or more participants, involving the use of, or having impact upon, public property, facilities, public parks, beaches, sidewalks or street areas requires a permit from the City of Galveston. Please contact the City of Galveston's special events coordinator, Megan Pierce at (409)797-3700 or piercemeg@cityofgalveston.org.

Can I rope off an area of beach for my wedding?
Areas under the jurisdiction of the City of Galveston may not be sectioned off for a private event. The Galveston Park Board offers two areas that are designed specifically for weddings and special events. They are decoratively fenced areas near the shoreline - one at Stewart Beach park and one at East Beach park. These areas are available for rent. For more information or to reserve a space, please visit www.galvestonparkboard.org/specialevents.

Can I play music at my beach wedding?
You may play music at your beach wedding; however an application for a Loudspeaker and Amplifier permit must be submitted to the City of Galveston. Please contact the City of Galveston's special events coordinator, Megan Pierce at (409)797-3700 or piercemeg@cityofgalveston.org.

Who is the Galveston Park Board of Trustees?
The Park Board of Trustees oversees beach maintenance and tourism development on Galveston Island, including operations for beach cleaning, the Galveston Island Beach Patrol and the Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more information on the Park Board of Trustees, please visit www.galvestonparkboard.org.

Galveston East Beach

Stewart Beach Park
Information courtesy of galveston.com