Las Vegas Weddings · Legal & Logistics
Las Vegas Courthouse Wedding: The Complete Guide
The cheapest legal way to get married in Las Vegas, step by step — plus the one alternative worth knowing about before you book the courthouse.
Updated September 2026
$77.75
Civil ceremony fee (card only)
$102
Marriage license, separate
8
Guests allowed, plus your witness
Appt. only
Book online in advance
The Basics
Yes, You Can Get Married at the Courthouse in Las Vegas
Most couples searching for a “Las Vegas courthouse wedding” mean the Clark County Office of Civil Marriages. It’s a small downtown office run by the County Clerk, who serves as the county’s Commissioner of Civil Marriages. It performs short, simple civil ceremonies by appointment. There’s no chapel, no package, and no upsell, and at $77.75 it’s the least expensive way to get legally married in Nevada.
There’s a catch. The courthouse ceremony is a second stop. You still get your license first at the Marriage License Bureau a short walk away, then return for an appointment at the civil marriage office, with your own witness, inside its booking hours. This guide walks through the whole process, the real cost, the rules that trip couples up, and when a Sign & Go appointment at your hotel is the easier path to the same legal marriage.
Step by Step
How a Las Vegas Courthouse Wedding Works
Pre-apply for your license online
Fill out the Clark County online marriage license application before you arrive. It saves real time at the counter. Both of you will need valid government photo ID. Full requirements are in our marriage license guide.
Pick up your license at the Marriage License Bureau
201 E. Clark Avenue, downtown. Open 8 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, every holiday included. The license is $102, and there's no waiting period, so you can marry the same day.
Book a civil ceremony appointment
Ceremonies are by appointment only, booked through the county's online system. Only open times appear, so weekend evenings and meaningful dates go first. Book as soon as your date is set.
Arrive with your witness and ID
330 S. 3rd Street, 6th floor, Suite 660. Check in five minutes early, because late arrivals must reschedule. Bring your license, your witness, and a credit or debit card for the $77.75 fee.
Say your vows and order certified copies
The ceremony itself is brief. Once it's recorded, order certified copies of your marriage certificate from the County Clerk. You'll need one for a name change, insurance, or immigration paperwork.
Know Before You Go
The Rules That Catch Couples Off Guard
Bring your own witness
Nevada requires one witness, and the civil marriage office doesn't supply one. Couples traveling alone often don't realize this until they're downtown. More on witness rules.
Card only
The $75 fee plus $2.75 processing is credit or debit only: MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express. No cash, no checks.
Eight guests, maximum
You can bring up to eight guests in addition to your witness. The county says no exceptions.
Appointment only
There are no walk-ins. If the online calendar shows nothing on your date, the office is booked.
Late means rebook
Check in five minutes early. Arrive late and you'll be asked to reschedule, which can be a problem on a tight travel itinerary.
The license is a separate trip
The civil marriage office doesn't issue licenses. Get yours at the bureau on Clark Avenue first, then head to 3rd Street for the ceremony.
Hours
Office of Civil Marriages Schedule
By appointment only. Confirm current hours on the Clark County Clerk's website before you travel.
Planning around a special date?
Courthouse appointments on numerically special dates — 11/11, 12/12, palindromes — disappear fast, and the office’s evening hours end at 7:30 p.m. even on Friday and Saturday. If your date matters, lock in the appointment the day booking opens, or skip the queue entirely with a ceremony at a time you choose. See our special wedding dates guide for the dates couples chase.
Side by Side
Courthouse Wedding vs. Sign & Go
Both give you the same legal Nevada marriage. The difference is where it happens, who handles what, and how much of your day it takes.
The Honest Answer
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose the courthouse if the lowest possible cost is the priority, you already have a witness with you, your group is eight people or fewer, and there’s an open appointment that fits your schedule. It’s quick, official, and costs about $180 all in, license included.
Choose Sign & Go if you’re traveling as just the two of you and need a witness, want to marry in your suite or at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign instead of a county office, can’t find a courthouse slot on your date, or would rather not spend part of your trip in a downtown waiting room. For $299 all-inclusive, the officiant, witness, and filing come to you.
Want an actual ceremony, not just the legal step? You don’t need the courthouse at all. Every LVWC desert package includes the licensed officiant, a witness, and the Clark County filing, so the ceremony you picture at Valley of Fire or Nelson Ghost Town is your legal wedding. Compare them all in our wedding packages guide.
The Real Cost
What a Courthouse Wedding Costs, All In
Certified copies of your marriage certificate are ordered separately from the County Clerk either way. For a full breakdown of what else couples spend — photos, flowers, venue upgrades — see how much it costs to get married in Las Vegas.
Tips
Making the Courthouse Day Go Smoothly
Budget two separate stops. Even with an online pre-application, the license bureau can have a line on weekends and around popular dates. Give yourself a comfortable gap between picking up the license and your ceremony appointment.
Sort out the witness before you fly. If a friend isn’t coming, decide who your witness will be before you arrive. Otherwise a Sign & Go appointment, which includes one, may be simpler than hunting for a stranger downtown.
Plan photos separately. The civil office is a working county office. It isn’t set up as a photo backdrop. Many couples do the legal ceremony, then head to the Welcome sign or the desert for a photo session afterward.
Keep the paperwork moving. Order certified copies once your marriage is recorded. International couples in particular should read our international couples guide for apostille and recognition steps back home.
Common Questions
Courthouse Wedding FAQ
Can you get married at the courthouse in Las Vegas?
How much does a courthouse wedding cost in Las Vegas?
What are the Office of Civil Marriages hours?
Does the Las Vegas courthouse provide a witness?
How many guests can we bring to a Las Vegas courthouse wedding?
Do we need a marriage license before the courthouse ceremony?
What happens if we're late to our courthouse appointment?
Is a courthouse wedding legally the same as a chapel or Sign & Go wedding?
Skip the Second Line
Get Married at Your Hotel Instead
Pick up your license downtown, then let us come to you. Sign & Go is $299 all-inclusive — a licensed officiant at your hotel, home, or the Welcome sign, a free witness if you need one, and Clark County filing handled for you.
