Getting married costs enough already. What most engaged couples never find out is that several states will pay you back for doing something genuinely good for your marriage: completing a premarital counseling or education course before you pick up your marriage license.
We went through the statutes state by state and verified every discount that exists in 2026. Eight states offer a real, statewide discount. A few more have partial or county-level programs. Everything below cites the actual law, so you can bring it to your county clerk with confidence.
The quick answer: every verified discount in 2026#
| State | You save | What it takes | The law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $75 ($115 down to $40) | 12 hours of premarital education | Minn. Stat. 517.08 |
| Texas | $60 plus the 72-hour wait waived | 8-hour Twogether in Texas course | Tex. Fam. Code 2.013 |
| Tennessee | About $60 ($97 down to $37) | 4-hour approved course | Tenn. Code 36-6-413 |
| Oklahoma | $45 ($50 down to $5) | 4 hours of premarital counseling | 43 Okla. Stat. 5.1 |
| Georgia | $40 ($56 down to $16) | 6-hour qualifying course | O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 |
| Florida | About $32.50 plus the 3-day wait waived | 4-hour approved course | Fla. Stat. 741.0305 |
| West Virginia | $20 ($55 down to $35) | 4-hour course from an approved provider | W. Va. Code 59-1-10 |
| Utah | $20 | 6 hours of marriage education or 3 hours of counseling | Utah Code 81-2-206 |
Add it up and couples across these eight states can save roughly $350 in combined license fees, and in Texas and Florida you also skip the mandatory waiting period, which matters more than the money if your ceremony date is close.
States with partial or indirect programs#
South Carolina does not discount the license itself, but couples who complete a 6-hour premarital course together can claim a $50 state income-tax credit (S.C. Code 20-1-230). You get the money at tax time instead of the clerk's window.
Maryland authorizes counties to set their own discount for couples who complete a 4-hour course covering communication, finances, and parenting (Md. Fam. Law 2-404.1). Whether you get a discount, and how much, depends on your county. Call your clerk before you count on it.
California allows counties to knock a small amount, typically up to $7, off the license for course completers (Cal. Fam. Code 358). It exists, but nobody should do a course for $7. Do the course for your marriage and treat the discount as a bonus.
And to save you a search: Arizona has no premarital discount, despite what several wedding blogs claim. We checked.
How to actually qualify, step by step#
- Check your state's rules first. Every state sets its own course length and provider requirements. Our state guides walk through each one: Florida, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Utah.
- Choose an approved provider. Depending on the state, that can be a licensed counselor or therapist, a member of the clergy, or a state-registered course provider. Some states accept online courses; others want live instruction.
- Complete the hours and get your certificate. Most states require the certificate to be dated within a year of your license application, and some (like West Virginia) are strict about it.
- Bring the certificate when you apply. The discount is applied at the clerk's counter. In Texas, the Twogether in Texas certificate also waives the 72-hour waiting period; in Florida, the course waives the 3-day wait for residents.
Why states pay you to do this#
This is not a gimmick. States fund these discounts because premarital education measurably works: couples who complete structured preparation report higher marital quality and lower divorce rates, and divorce is expensive for states. The discount typically covers a meaningful chunk of the course cost, and in Minnesota it can cover all of it.
The bigger win is not the fee. A good premarital course or counseling series is where couples have the conversations that are hard to start on their own: money, family, faith, conflict, expectations. The license discount is the state's way of nudging you toward a stronger start.
The math: course cost vs. discount#
Approved online courses in most of these states run between $15 and $60 per couple. In Minnesota ($75 off), Texas ($60 off), Tennessee ($60 off), and Oklahoma ($45 off), the discount frequently exceeds the course price, which means the state is effectively paying you to prepare for your marriage. Working with a counselor one-on-one costs more than a self-paced course, but many counselors' premarital packages satisfy the same statutes, so you can get real counseling and the discount.
If you would rather do your preparation with a real counselor than a self-paced video course, that is exactly what we are here for. Every counselor in our directory works with engaged couples, and many are approved providers under these statutes. Use the Get Matched button anywhere on this site and we will connect you with someone qualified in your state, free.
Fee amounts reflect the statutes and county fee schedules as of July 2026. Counties sometimes adjust base fees, so treat the exact dollar figures as typical rather than guaranteed, and confirm with your county clerk.
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