LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Those hoping to tie the knot in Michigan should save a few extra dollars in the marriage budget as legislators consider increasing the cost of marriage licenses. 

Under House Bill 4547, the state would increase the cost of marriage licenses for in-state residents from $25 to $50. 

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“The county clerk shall deposit the fee into the general fund of the county,” the bill says. “The county board of commissioners shall allocate $15.00 of each fee collected to the circuit court for family counseling services, which must include counseling for domestic violence and child abuse.” 

Additionally, the fees for out-of-state residents hoping to get hitched in the Wolverine State also will increase, it is currently an additional $10.00.   

“If both individuals named in the application are nonresidents of this state, the individual applying for the marriage license shall pay an additional fee of $25.00, which the county clerk shall deposit into the general fund of the county,” according to the bill. 

There is a clause in the bill that permits the fees to be waived in some situations deemed necessary by the court. 

“A probate court may order the county clerk to waive the marriage license fee in cases in which the fee would result in undue hardship,” according to the bill. 

From 2016 until 2020, marriage rates in the state of Michigan plummeted from 59,383 to only 41,977.  However, the comeback began in 2021 with 51,393 marriages occurring in the state, and nearly 51,000 in 2022. 

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Indiana currently charges only $25.00 for Indiana residents, but hikes the fee up for out-of-state residents to $65.00. Ohio has varying marriage license costs depending on the county, but can range from $40.00 to $75.00 depending on the area. 

According to a House Fiscal Analysis, it acknowledges that the bill would result in an increase in funding for local units, “it is not possible to determine the number of residents and nonresidents marriage licenses that would be applied for and paid for at the new few amounts.” 

The Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors will hear testimony on the bill and consider making a recommendation to pass it onto the house floor for a vote on Tuesday afternoon.