Lee County marriage license records are public documents filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Fort Myers, Florida. These records show who got married, when the wedding took place, and where the ceremony happened within Lee County.
Anyone can request a copy of a marriage license record for legal, personal, or family history reasons. The Lee County Clerk of Court keeps the original signed licenses on file at the Fort Myers office. The Florida Department of Health also stores copies of all marriage records statewide from June 1927 to the present day.
This page covers how to get Lee County marriage license records, how to apply for a new license, current fees, virtual and in-person ceremonies, and where to find older records. All details below come from the Lee County Clerk of Court, the Florida Department of Health, and current Florida state law as of August 2026.
Lee County Clerk of Court Marriage Services
The Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court handles every marriage license duty in the county. The main office sits at 2115 Second Street in Fort Myers, Florida 33901. This is the only place in Lee County where you can apply for or get a copy of a marriage license. Every city in Lee County, including Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs, Estero, Sanibel, and Fort Myers Beach, uses this same office for marriage license needs.
Office Location and Contact Details
The Lee County Clerk’s marriage office sits in downtown Fort Myers on Second Street. Parking is available near the building for a small fee. The office phone number for marriage questions is (239) 533-5007. You can also send an email to marriage@leeclerk.org for help with applications, ceremony scheduling, or copy requests. The official website at leeclerk.org lists current forms, fee details, and the latest policy updates.
| Contact Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | 2115 Second Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901 |
| Phone | (239) 533-5007 |
| marriage@leeclerk.org | |
| Website | leeclerk.org |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
Business Hours and Service Times
The clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You do not need an appointment to apply for a marriage license. Walk in during regular business hours and the clerk at the counter will help you. For wedding ceremonies, the office schedules specific time slots each weekday. These slots run at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. The office does not perform ceremonies on weekends or state holidays.
The Marriage License Kiosk System
Lee County uses a self-service payment kiosk in the clerk’s lobby for marriage license fees. After the clerk enters your application, you get a 9-digit kiosk transaction number. Take this number to the kiosk and pay by cash, card, or check. Keep this number safe if you plan to book a virtual ceremony. The clerk needs the same number to schedule your online wedding through the Lee County video system.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Both people getting married must show up at the Lee County Clerk’s office in person. The clerk will not issue a license if one partner is missing. You and your partner must give truthful answers to every question on the application. False answers can void the marriage license later under Florida state law. The whole process takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Who Can Apply
You must be at least 18 years old to marry in Lee County. Both people must be single, divorced, or widowed at the time of the application. Florida law does not require a blood test or physical exam. You also do not need to be a Florida resident to apply in Lee County. Out-of-state residents and foreign visitors can marry in Lee County as long as they meet the age and legal status rules set by Florida Statute 741.04.
Documents You Need to Bring
Bring a valid photo ID for both applicants. A driver’s license, state-issued ID card, or passport all work. You also need to know each person’s Social Security number. The actual Social Security card is not required. If either person was married before, bring the exact date the prior marriage ended, plus the state and county where it ended. The clerk verifies this against state records before issuing the new license.
- Photo ID for each person (driver’s license, state ID, or passport)
- Social Security numbers for both people
- Exact date of any past marriage ending
- State and county where the prior marriage ended
- Cash, check, or card for the license fee
Information About Prior Marriages
The clerk will ask how each prior marriage ended. Options on the form are death, divorce, or annulment. You must give the exact date the court issued the final divorce judgment or the exact date of the spouse’s death. If you do not have this date, the clerk cannot finish the application. The same rule applies in every Florida county under Florida Statute 741.04. Couples with multiple past marriages must list the end date for each one.
Marriage License Fees in Lee County
Marriage license fees in Lee County are set by the Florida legislature. The clerk cannot change these fees. The clerk accepts cash, money orders, and most major credit and debit cards at the kiosk. Part of every marriage license fee goes to the Florida Domestic Violence Trust Fund. Another part goes to the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund. These splits are required by state law and apply in every Florida county.
Standard License Cost
The standard marriage license fee in Lee County is $86.00. This fee includes the license itself plus one certified copy of the marriage certificate after the wedding. You pay the fee at the kiosk in the clerk’s lobby after the clerk enters your application. There are no hidden fees or extra charges at the counter for the basic license.
Discount With Premarital Course
You can drop the fee to $61.00 by completing a four-hour premarital course before applying. This saves you $25.00 on the license fee. The course must come from a registered Florida provider approved by the court. Bring the original certificate of completion to the clerk’s office when you apply. Florida Statute 741.0305 allows this discount statewide, not just in Lee County.
| License Type | Fee | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Marriage License | $86.00 | — |
| With Premarital Course | $61.00 | $25.00 |
| In-Person Ceremony Fee | $30.00 | — |
| Virtual Ceremony Fee | $30.00 | — |
Ceremony Fees
You can have a Lee County clerk perform your wedding ceremony for an extra $30.00 on top of the license fee. The same $30.00 fee applies to both in-person and virtual ceremonies. The clerk does not perform ceremonies outside scheduled business hours. Sunday, holiday, and after-hours ceremonies are not available at the Lee County Clerk’s office. Couples who want a custom time must hire an outside officiant.
Virtual and In-Person Ceremonies
Lee County stands out in Florida because it offers virtual wedding ceremonies. Most other Florida counties only perform in-person weddings. The Lee County Clerk performs the ceremony over a live video call. Both people must be inside the state of Florida during the entire call. Out-of-state or out-of-country virtual weddings are not legal under current Florida law.
Virtual Ceremony Requirements
You need a device with a working camera and a working microphone for a virtual ceremony. A smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer all work. The device must have access to an email account on the same screen. The clerk sends the video link by email, and you click it to join the call. Stable internet helps avoid connection problems during the ceremony itself.
- Device with a working camera
- Working microphone on the same device
- Email account open on the same device
- Stable internet connection
- Both people inside Florida during the call
Scheduling a Virtual Wedding
Email marriage@leeclerk.org to book a virtual ceremony. Your email must include both full names, both email addresses, both phone numbers, the 9-digit kiosk transaction number from your license, and your preferred date and time. The clerk confirms your slot by return email. Slots are open Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.
You can invite guests to join the virtual ceremony through the Zoom link the clerk sends. There is no cap on guest count. Friends and family from any state or country can watch the wedding live. The clerk reads the same legal vows and signs the same license as in a regular in-person ceremony. The recording is not kept by the clerk’s office.
In-Person Ceremony at the Clerk Office
The Lee County Clerk performs in-person weddings at the Fort Myers office. A small room in the clerk’s office serves as the wedding spot. You can bring a few guests to watch in person. Larger groups may need to wait in the lobby. The clerk reads the legal vows, signs the license, and gives you your certified copy. The whole in-person ceremony takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.
After the Wedding
Once the wedding ends, the signed license goes back to the Lee County Clerk’s office. Florida law requires this step within 10 days of the ceremony. The person who performed the ceremony usually files the license. In Lee County, this means the officiant, judge, notary, or clerk sends it back to the Fort Myers office. The clerk then files the record and forwards a copy to the Florida Department of Health in Jacksonville.
Filing the Signed License
The Lee County Clerk files the original signed license in the county records. The clerk also forwards a copy to the Florida Department of Health. The state filing process takes about 60 days from the date the clerk receives the signed paper. After that, your marriage record is part of the statewide database. You can then order certified copies from the Lee County Clerk or the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Who Can Officiate Weddings
Florida Statute 741.07 lists who can perform a legal wedding in the state. Ordained ministers, rabbis, priests, and other religious leaders can officiate. Judicial officers, including judges, can perform weddings. Clerks of the circuit court and notaries public can also officiate. Lee County recognizes all of these officiants for legal weddings. Out-of-state clergy must register with the Florida Secretary of State one time before performing a wedding in Lee County.
License Validity Period
A Lee County marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date the clerk issues it. You must hold the ceremony within those 60 days. If the license expires before the wedding, you must apply for a new one and pay the full fee again. There is no grace period. The date on the license itself is the start date, not the date of the application. Florida Statute 741.041 sets this 60-day rule for every Florida county.
Getting Copies of Marriage Records
You can get copies of Lee County marriage records from three places. The Lee County Clerk’s office in Fort Myers handles local requests. The Florida Department of Health keeps statewide records. The MyFloridaCounty official records portal lets you search for free and view document images. Certified copies cost money, but plain copies do not.
Lee County Clerk Copy Requests
To get a certified copy of a Lee County marriage record, visit the Fort Myers clerk’s office in person. You can also mail a written request to the clerk at 2115 Second Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901. The fee is $3.00 for each certified copy. You must show a valid photo ID to pick up records in person. Mail requests must include a copy of your ID and a check or money order for the fee.
Florida Department of Health Records
The Florida Department of Health stores all marriage records from June 1927 to the present. You can order certified copies online through VitalChek, the state’s official vendor. The fee is $9.00 for each certified copy. You can also order by mail or in person at the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. Mail orders take 2 to 4 weeks to arrive. Online orders through VitalChek are faster and can be delivered by email.
Using the MyFloridaCounty Portal
The MyFloridaCounty official records portal at myfloridacounty.com lets you search marriage records from Lee County and other Florida counties. The basic search is free. You can view scanned images of original documents. The portal does not provide certified copies, only plain copies for personal review. You can search by name, date, or document type. The database goes back to 1978 for most counties, including Lee County.
Lee County Cities and Communities
All cities and towns in Lee County use the same Fort Myers clerk’s office for marriage licenses. There are no satellite offices in other parts of the county. The clerk’s office on Second Street serves every resident, visitor, and couple planning a wedding in Lee County. Below are the main cities and their connection to the marriage license process.
Major Cities Using Fort Myers Office
Cape Coral is the largest city in Lee County by population. All Cape Coral couples get their marriage license from the Fort Myers office. Lehigh Acres, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, and Estero also use the same office. Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, and other smaller communities rely on the Fort Myers location. No city in Lee County has its own separate marriage license office.
| City | Population Rank | Clerk Office Used |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral | 1st | Fort Myers |
| Lehigh Acres | 2nd | Fort Myers |
| Fort Myers | 3rd | Fort Myers |
| Bonita Springs | 4th | Fort Myers |
| Estero | 5th | Fort Myers |
Nearby Counties
Lee County borders Charlotte County to the north, Collier County to the south, Hendry County to the east, and Glades County to the northeast. A marriage license from any Florida county is valid in every other Florida county. So a couple from Lee County can have a wedding in Naples (Collier County) or Punta Gorda (Charlotte County) without getting a new license. The officiant must still file the signed license with the clerk who issued it.
Marriage Laws and Legal Background
Florida marriage laws apply the same way in every county, including Lee County. State law sets the rules for who can marry, who can officiate, and how long a license stays valid. The Lee County Clerk follows these state rules for all license applications and ceremonies. County offices do not have the power to change state law. The clerk’s office can only apply the rules set by the Florida legislature.
Key Florida Statutes for Marriage
Florida Statute 741.04 lists the age and consent rules for marriage. Florida Statute 741.0305 sets the fee discount for premarital courses. Florida Statute 741.07 lists who can officiate a wedding. Florida Statute 741.041 sets the 60-day license validity period. These four statutes cover the basic rules for any marriage in Lee County or any other Florida county. You can read the full text of each statute on the Florida Legislature website.
Reading the Family Law Handbook
Florida law asks every couple to read the Family Law Handbook from The Florida Bar before getting a marriage license. The handbook covers rights, duties, and basic legal points for married couples in Florida. The Lee County clerk will ask if you have read the handbook during the application. The handbook is free to read online at the Florida Bar website. You do not have to prove you read it, but the clerk does ask the question out loud.
Contact Details and Office Location
Use the details below to reach the Lee County Clerk’s marriage office in person, by phone, or by email. The office sits in downtown Fort Myers, with parking available nearby. All marriage license and ceremony questions go through this office. The clerk’s office is the only place in Lee County that handles marriage license records and new applications.
Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court – Marriage Division
Address: 2115 Second Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901
Phone: (239) 533-5007
Email: marriage@leeclerk.org
Website: www.leeclerk.org
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to the most common questions about Lee County marriage license records. These cover how to get copies, how to verify a record, fee questions, and the legal rules that apply in Lee County. Each answer is based on current Florida law and Lee County Clerk procedures as of August 2026. If your question is not covered here, call the clerk’s office at (239) 533-5007 or send an email to marriage@leeclerk.org for direct help from a clerk.
How Do I Get a Copy of a Lee County Marriage Record?
You can get a certified copy of a Lee County marriage record three different ways. First, visit the Lee County Clerk’s office at 2115 Second Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901, and request the record in person at the public counter. Bring a valid photo ID. The clerk will print the certified copy while you wait, often in just a few minutes. Second, mail a written request to the same address with a copy of your photo ID and a check or money order for $3.00 per copy. Mail requests usually take one to two weeks through the regular postal service. Third, order online through the Florida Department of Health’s VitalChek system for $9.00 per certified copy. VitalChek offers electronic and paper delivery options. The MyFloridaCounty portal lets you search and view plain copies for free but does not issue certified copies. A certified copy has a raised state seal and works for legal matters. A plain copy does not have legal standing and only works for personal review.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Certified Copy?
The time to get a certified copy depends on how you order it. In-person requests at the Lee County Clerk’s office give you the certified copy the same day, often within minutes of your request. Mail requests take one to two weeks through regular mail. You can speed up mail requests by using priority or express mail at your own cost. Online orders through VitalChek take 2 to 5 business days for electronic copies that arrive by email. Paper copies from VitalChek take 5 to 10 business days through the mail. Rush options are available through VitalChek for an extra fee. If you need the copy on the same day, the clerk’s office in Fort Myers is your fastest choice. Plan ahead if you need the copy for a court date, immigration filing, or travel booking that has a tight deadline.
Are Lee County Marriage Records Public?
Yes, Lee County marriage records are public records under Florida’s public records law. Anyone can search the MyFloridaCounty portal for free and view scanned document images. Certified copies have a small fee. You do not need to be the person named on the record, a family member, or a Florida resident to get a copy. The clerk will ask for your photo ID to verify you are a real person but will not ask for your relationship to the couple on the record. This rule applies to all marriage records filed in any Florida county. The only exception is for records that are sealed by a court order. Sealed records are rare and usually involve adoptions, minors, or other special cases. Regular marriage licenses are not sealed once filed. You can also hire a private investigator or record retrieval service to order the copy for you, but you can do it yourself for less money.
Can I Get Married in Lee County if I Live Out of State?
Yes, out-of-state residents can apply for a Lee County marriage license. There is no Florida residency rule for marriage licenses. You must show a valid photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport. You also need to know your Social Security number, the actual card is not required. Both people must meet the 18-year age rule and must be legally free to marry. Both people must be inside the state of Florida at the time of the application and during the entire wedding ceremony. After the wedding, the officiant files the signed license with the Lee County Clerk. You can then take your certified copy back to your home state for any legal name changes on your driver’s license, Social Security card, or other records. Many couples travel to Lee County for destination weddings at the beach in Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, or Captiva.
What if My Marriage License Expires Before the Wedding?
A Lee County marriage license expires 60 days after the clerk issues it. The expiration date is printed on the front of the license itself. If the date passes without a wedding ceremony, the license is no longer valid. You must apply for a brand new license and pay the full $86.00 fee again. There is no extension, no grace period, and no refund for the expired license. The 60-day count starts on the issue date printed on the license, not the date you applied. Florida Statute 741.041 sets this 60-day rule for every Florida county. If you have a destination wedding planned far in the future, time the application so the license does not expire before the ceremony. Some couples apply one or two weeks before the wedding to be safe. If you have a multi-part wedding or a long delay, plan for the 60-day window carefully.
Can I Have a Virtual Wedding in Lee County?
Yes, Lee County allows virtual wedding ceremonies over a live video call. Both people must be inside the state of Florida during the entire call. You need a device with a working camera, a working microphone, and email access on the same device. A smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer all work. Email marriage@leeclerk.org to book a virtual ceremony. Your email must include both full names, both email addresses, both phone numbers, the 9-digit kiosk transaction number from your marriage license, and your preferred date and time. The clerk performs the ceremony over Zoom at scheduled times on weekdays only. The slots are 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. You can invite guests to watch the call. The clerk signs your license at the end of the call and files it with the Lee County records.
How Do I Verify a Lee County Marriage Record?
To verify a Lee County marriage record, search the MyFloridaCounty portal at myfloridacounty.com by name and date. The portal shows official document images from the Lee County Clerk. You can view the scanned license without paying a fee. For legal verification, order a certified copy from the Lee County Clerk or the Florida Department of Health. A certified copy has a raised seal, the clerk’s signature, and the official state stamp. This type of copy works for court cases, immigration filings, name change applications, insurance matters, and other legal needs. Plain copies from the portal do not have legal standing and cannot be used for official purposes. The Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics also runs a verification service for government agencies. Most government offices will only accept a certified copy that was issued within the last 12 months. Check the date on your copy before you submit it for any legal matter.