How to Wave the 3-Day Waiting Period

PLEASE NOTE:

State and county marriage license requirements often change. The information below is for guidance only and should not be regarded as legal advice. It is important that you verify all information with your local marriage license office or county clerk before making any wedding or travel plans.

If the parties wish to waive the 3-day waiting period, they may request a waiver application form from the County Registrar. There is a $5.00 fee payable to the County Registrar to waive the waiting period. The parties are responsible for locating a judge within the judicial district of the county in which they are filing the marriage license to grant the waiver.

Iowa Code section 595.4, dealing with waivers of the 3-day waiting period:

A license to marry may be validated prior to the expiration of three days from the date of issuance of the license in cases of emergency or extraordinary circumstances. An order authorizing the validation of a license may be granted by a judge of the district court under conditions of emergency or extraordinary circumstances upon application of the parties filed with the registrar. No order may be granted unless the parties have filed an application for a marriage license in a county within the judicial district. An application for an order shall be made on forms furnished by the county registrar at the same time the application for the license to marry is made. After examining the application for the marriage license and issuing the license, the county registrar shall refer the parties to a judge of the district court for action on the application for an order authorizing the validation of a marriage license prior to expiration of three days from the date of issuance of the license. The judge shall, if satisfied as to the existence of an emergency or extraordinary circumstances, grant an order authorizing the validation of a marriage license prior to the expiration of three days from the date of issuance of the license to marry. The county registrar shall validate a license to marry upon presentation by the parties of the order authorizing a license to be validated. A fee of five dollars shall be paid to the county registrar at the time the application for the order is made, which fee is in addition to the fee prescribed by law for the issuance of a marriage license.

For more information, download this PDF from Johnson County.