Once you are married, the official who performed your marriage ceremony must complete the Certificate of Marriage section of the marriage license. Either you or the official must return the completed marriage license record to the Clerk's office in the county that issued the license within 10 calendar days so that it can be recorded. Most Clerk's offices provide written instructions and a self-addressed envelope for this task. If you were married by a clerk at the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court, our office will record the marriage if we issued the license or we will send it to the county clerk that issued it. Once the marriage is recorded with the county clerk, a certified copy of the marriage record will be mailed to the couple within 7 business days. For Hillsborough County records, there is no charge for the first certified copy; however, additional certified copies are $3 each.

You can choose whether or not to change your name once you get married. If you choose to change your name as a result of marriage, you do not have to file anything with the court to do so. Just send a certified copy of your marriage license to any agency or place of business that you wish to notify of your name change. For example, bring your certified copy to the Social Security Administration to change your name on your social security card, or to the Department of Motor Vehicles to change your name on your driver's license. Individual agencies might charge a fee to make the name change.

Find out more about commemorative marriage certificates