Legal guide · Georgia
How to Legally Elope in Georgia
Marriage license cost, waiting period, witness rules, and the complete process for eloping in Georgia — written by the team that has handled 8,000+ ceremonies in Georgia and across the United States.
The short answer
To legally elope in Georgia: both partners visit any Georgia Probate Court in person with photo ID and Social Security numbers, pay $66 (with premarital counseling certificate) or $86 (without), and the license is issued the same day. No waiting period, no witnesses, no blood test. The license never expires once issued.
License cost
$66 with proof of a state-approved premarital counseling certificate
Waiting period
None
Witnesses
No
Blood test
Not required.
Georgia is one of the simplest states to elope in. There is no waiting period, no witness requirement, no blood test, and the marriage license never expires once issued. The Chatham County Probate Court, where Savannah elopements file their licenses, sits in the historic district within walking distance of Forsyth Park and Davenport House — the two iconic backdrops for our Savannah elopements. The license costs $66 with proof of premarital counseling or $86 without, and is valid statewide. Savannah's location near the South Carolina border makes it a popular pairing destination — couples often combine Charleston and Savannah into a two-state, two-ceremony weekend, though Georgia and South Carolina each issue separate licenses for ceremonies performed in their respective states.
Georgia marriage license at a glance
- License cost
- $66 with proof of a state-approved premarital counseling certificate, $86 without. Paid directly to the Chatham County Probate Court at the time of application — not to Elopements Inc. Both partners must apply for the license in person; Elopements Inc. cannot obtain it on your behalf.
- Waiting period
- None. Georgia has no waiting period — you can elope the same day your license is issued.
- License validity
- Does not expire. Once issued, a Georgia marriage license remains valid indefinitely until used.
- Witnesses required
- No. Georgia does not require witnesses for a marriage license to be valid. Only the couple and the officiant must sign.
- Blood test
- Not required.
- Minimum age
- 18 without parental consent. Couples 17 require notarized parental consent. No one under 17 may marry in Georgia.
- Proxy allowed
- No. Both partners must appear in person to apply.
- Online application
- Yes — Chatham County Probate Court accepts online pre-application, with in-person signing and payment required to receive the license.
Important
The marriage license fee is paid directly to the county clerk's office at the time of application — not to Elopements Inc. Both partners must apply for the license in person; we cannot obtain the license on your behalf. We walk every couple through the process step by step (which clerk to visit, what to bring, when to go), but the application itself has to be signed by you.
The Georgia elopement process, step by step
Every legal Georgia marriage follows the same six steps. Elopements Inc. handles steps 1, 5, and 6 directly. Couples handle the in-person license signing in step 2.
- 01
Visit the county clerk
Chatham County Probate Court, located in downtown Savannah's historic district. The license is valid statewide regardless of which Georgia county issued it.
- 02
Bring required documents
Both partners need a valid government-issued photo ID, Social Security number, and the license fee. If either partner has been previously married, bring the divorce decree or death certificate.
- 03
Pay the license fee
$66 with proof of a state-approved premarital counseling certificate, $86 without. Paid directly to the Chatham County Probate Court at the time of application — not to Elopements Inc. Both partners must apply for the license in person; Elopements Inc. cannot obtain it on your behalf. This fee goes directly to the county clerk's office at the time of application — Elopements Inc. does not collect or pay the license fee on your behalf.
- 04
Observe any waiting period
None. Georgia has no waiting period — you can elope the same day your license is issued.
- 05
Hold the ceremony with a licensed officiant
Witnesses required: No. Georgia does not require witnesses for a marriage license to be valid. Only the couple and the officiant must sign. Elopements Inc. provides witnesses at no extra cost for couples eloping just the two of them.
- 06
Officiant returns signed license
After the ceremony, the officiant returns the signed marriage license to the issuing clerk. The clerk then files it and issues a certified marriage certificate, usually within 1-2 weeks. Elopements Inc. handles this step automatically for every package.
Georgia elopement questions, answered
Same day. Georgia has no waiting period — once both partners appear at any Probate Court office with photo ID and Social Security numbers, the license is issued immediately and can be used for a ceremony that same afternoon. Georgia and Tennessee are the two fastest states in our service area for legal elopement.
No. Georgia removed the witness requirement years ago. Only the couple and the licensed officiant are required to sign the marriage license. This is one of the reasons Savannah is a popular elopement city — you can legally marry with just the two of you and your officiant in Forsyth Park.
A Georgia marriage license costs $66 with proof of a state-approved 6-hour premarital counseling course (completed within 12 months prior to applying), or $86 without. The fee is paid in cash, check, or debit directly to the Probate Court at the time of application — not to Elopements Inc. Both partners must apply for the license in person; we cannot obtain it on your behalf.
Yes. Forsyth Park, the 30-acre crown jewel of Savannah's historic district, allows small ceremonies under a $30 City of Savannah special-event permit. The iconic Forsyth Fountain and the Spanish-moss-draped oak canopies are the most photographed backdrops. Elopements Inc.'s Savannah packages include the permit at no additional cost.
Yes. Davenport House Museum, an 1820s Federal-style home in Savannah's Columbia Square, hosts elopements in its restored interior and walled garden. The home's preserved period rooms are a popular indoor backup for outdoor Savannah ceremonies during summer thunderstorms. Davenport House is part of Elopements Inc.'s Savannah package lineup.
Chatham County Probate Court, located in the historic district at 133 Montgomery Street. The court is open Monday through Friday and processes most applications in under 30 minutes. The license is valid statewide regardless of which Georgia county issued it. Elopements Inc. coordinators include the court timing in every Savannah package.
Georgia allows ordained ministers (any denomination), judges, magistrates, and city/county officials with marriage-authorization authority to officiate. Online-ordained ministers are recognized statewide. Elopements Inc. uses traditionally ordained officiants whose authority is unambiguous across state lines.
Yes. A marriage performed legally in Georgia is recognized in all 50 U.S. states and most countries. After the ceremony, the officiant returns the signed license to the issuing Probate Court, which issues a certified marriage certificate (usually within 1-2 weeks). Elopements Inc. handles the return paperwork automatically.
Couples sometimes book both a Savannah ceremony and a Charleston ceremony on the same trip — but each ceremony requires a separate state marriage license because Georgia and South Carolina each issue their own. Only one ceremony per couple is legally a marriage; the second is a symbolic vow exchange. Most couples choose one as the legal ceremony and treat the other as a portrait/scenery session.
Both partners need: a valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport), Social Security number, and the license fee ($66 with counseling certificate, $86 without). If either partner has been previously married, the divorce decree or death certificate is required.
Where to elope in Georgia
Elopements Inc. operates in one Georgia city. Every package below includes the venue, professional photography, a licensed Georgia officiant, ceremony coordination, and complete marriage license guidance.
Iconic Georgia elopement venues
The most photographed elopement spots in Georgia, covered by our packages:
- Forsyth Park (Savannah historic district)
- Davenport House Museum (Columbia Square)
Ready to elope in Georgia?
Our coordinators handle the marriage license process, the venue, the officiant, the photography, and everything in between. Pick your Georgia city to see venues and pricing.