Quick Answer
Getting married at the Denton County Courthouse means two separate stops. First get your marriage license from the Denton County Clerk ($81, or $21 with a premarital course). Then book a short declaration ceremony with a Justice of the Peace for $100 cash. The historic Courthouse-on-the-Square downtown is a separate, rentable space for a fuller ceremony.
When people say they want to "get married at the courthouse" in Denton, they are usually picturing one simple errand. In practice it is two separate stops, at two different buildings, plus a third option most couples never hear about until they start asking around.
Here is what actually happens at each one, what it costs, and how to avoid showing up at the wrong building.
What Does "Getting Married at the Courthouse" Actually Mean in Denton County?
There is no single "courthouse wedding" appointment. You need a marriage license from the Denton County Clerk first, then either a brief civil ceremony from a Justice of the Peace or your own officiant somewhere else. A third, unrelated option is renting the historic Courthouse-on-the-Square downtown for a longer ceremony with your own guests and officiant.
Confusing these three is the single biggest reason courthouse weddings in Denton go sideways on the actual day. Here is how they break down.
| Option | Where | What it is | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage license | Denton County Clerk, Denton County Courts Building, 1450 E. McKinney St. | Legal paperwork required before any wedding | $81, or $21 with a premarital course |
| Declaration ceremony | Justice of the Peace, Denton County Administrative Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Drive | A short civil ceremony performed by a judge | $100 cash |
| Historic Courthouse-on-the-Square rental | 110 W. Hickory St., downtown Denton Square | A rentable historic building and grounds for your own ceremony | Contact the county for current rates |
Where Do You Get a Marriage License in Denton County?
You apply in person at the Denton County Clerk's office, with both of you present together and a valid, government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, or certified birth certificate. Licenses are issued Monday through Friday during business hours at the Clerk's locations across the county, so confirm hours for the office you plan to visit before you go.
The fee is $81, or $21 if both of you complete an approved premarital education course, such as Twogether in Texas, within the year before applying. Once your license is issued, Texas law requires a 72-hour waiting period before you can legally marry, unless that same premarital course exempts you from the wait. The license itself is valid for 90 days, so if you are not marrying immediately, time the appointment around your actual ceremony date rather than getting it too far ahead.
What Is a Marriage Declaration Ceremony, and Where Does It Happen?
This is the part most people mean when they picture a quick courthouse wedding. Denton County's Marriage Declaration Ceremony is a brief, formal acknowledgment in front of a Justice of the Peace that you want to be united under Texas marriage law, with the option to exchange rings if you would like. It is not a traditional ceremony with vows, readings, or a wedding party.
These ceremonies happen by appointment, generally between 9:15 a.m. and 4 p.m. based on availability, at Justice of the Peace offices rather than the pretty downtown building most people picture. Precinct 1 sits inside the Denton County Administrative Courthouse at 1 Courthouse Drive. Your appointment is not confirmed until you have turned in the acknowledgment paperwork, your marriage license, and the $100 cash fee, so bring all three the day you go.
How Far Ahead Should You Book the Declaration Ceremony?
Declaration ceremony appointments are typically scheduled up to about 30 days out, so this is not something you book six months in advance the way you would a wedding venue. That said, popular dates, especially around Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve, and any date with repeating or notable numbers, tend to fill first, so call as soon as you know your target date rather than waiting until the last week.
Because appointments run on judge and courtroom availability, plan for some flexibility in your exact time slot. If you have out-of-town family flying in specifically for the declaration, confirm your appointment is locked in before anyone books a flight.
Is That the Same Building as the Historic Courthouse on the Square?
No, and this is where most of the confusion starts. The building most people picture when they hear "Denton County Courthouse" is the restored 1896 Courthouse-on-the-Square at 110 W. Hickory Street on the Downtown Denton Square. County government offices moved out of it decades ago, and it now operates as a museum and event space rather than the working courthouse.
The county does rent its courtroom, stairways, and grounds for private events, including weddings, seven days a week outside museum hours. If you want a ceremony with your own guests, your own officiant, and a beautiful historic backdrop instead of a two-minute declaration, this is the option to ask about. Reach out to the Aide to Commissioners Court directly, since the county does not publish a fixed rate sheet online. If you would rather compare it against other small local venues first, our guide to small and intimate wedding venues in Denton covers it alongside a few alternatives built for a similarly short guest list.
What Should You Budget and Bring?
Between the two required government steps, plan on roughly $181 total if you skip the premarital course, or $121 if you take it: the license fee plus the $100 declaration fee, paid in cash. That does not include anything for photography, flowers, or a small gathering afterward, since the declaration ceremony itself is intentionally bare-bones.
Bring valid photo ID for both of you to the license appointment, and bring your issued license along with cash for the declaration fee to your ceremony appointment. If either of you was previously married, be ready to state how and when that marriage ended, since Texas marriage applications ask for that information.
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Can You Have a More Traditional Ceremony Instead?
Yes, and plenty of Denton couples do a version of both: the courthouse steps for the legal minimum, then a real ceremony and reception later with their own officiant and vendors. If a two-minute declaration does not feel like enough for your day, renting the historic Courthouse-on-the-Square, or booking one of the area's small and intimate venues, gets you a real ceremony space without the cost of a full wedding venue.
Either way, a day-of coordinator is worth considering even for a small courthouse-adjacent wedding, since someone still needs to manage timing between the license appointment, the ceremony, and everything you have planned around it.
What Should You Do First?
Get your marriage license before you book anything else, since both the declaration ceremony and any private venue rental require it in hand. Once that is scheduled, work backward from your ceremony date using our full Denton wedding planning timeline so photography, flowers, and any small gathering afterward are lined up before the day arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get married the same day you get your marriage license in Denton County?
Only if both of you complete an approved premarital education course, such as Twogether in Texas, within the year before applying. That waives the standard 72-hour waiting period. Without it, you have to wait until 72 hours after the license is issued before any ceremony, declaration or otherwise, is legal.
Do you need an appointment to get a marriage license in Denton County?
Check the current Denton County Clerk hours and locations before you go, since some offices take walk-ins during business hours while others prefer appointments. Both applicants need to be present together with valid photo ID, so confirm the process for your specific location first.
Can a friend or family member officiate at the courthouse instead of a judge?
Not at the official Justice of the Peace declaration ceremony, since a judge performs that one. If you want a friend or ordained family member to officiate, look at renting the historic Courthouse-on-the-Square instead, or another small Denton venue, and bring your own officiant.
How long does the actual declaration ceremony take?
A few minutes. It is a brief, formal acknowledgment that you want to be married under Texas law, with the option to exchange rings, not a traditional ceremony with readings, vows, or a processional.
What happens if your marriage license expires before your ceremony?
A Texas marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued. If you do not marry within that window, the license expires and you have to reapply and pay the fee again, so time your license appointment around your actual ceremony date.
Is the Denton County Courthouse a realistic option for a bigger wedding?
Not the Justice of the Peace declaration, which is built for two people and a witness or two. The historic Courthouse-on-the-Square can host a somewhat larger ceremony on its grounds or steps, but confirm capacity and any restrictions directly with the Aide to Commissioners Court before you plan around it.
Denton Wedding Guide
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