Valencia County raises marriage license fee to $55 starting June 20

Valencia County set the marriage license fee at $55 effective June 20, 2025, a jump that can catch couples off guard when they are trying to finish paperwork before a ceremony. The county’s clerk page says both interested parties must be present and both applicants must appear in person, with marriage licenses handled through the Valencia County Clerk’s Office.

That makes the county’s online instructions especially important for people in Los Lunas, Belen, Bosque Farms, Rio Communities, Tome and the unincorporated communities that rely on Valencia County services. The county’s broader Apply For page says residents can view marriage license requirements and the fees due at time of application, which is the detail that matters most before taking time off work for a trip to the clerk.

Valencia County also keeps a separate section for applicants who are 16 or 17 years old, signaling that younger applicants face different rules than adults. Similar guidance elsewhere in New Mexico shows why that matters: San Juan County says both applicants need to be present, applicants must be at least 18 unless consent is provided, and a 15-year-old needs a court order, while Los Alamos County says 16- and 17-year-olds need an original or certified birth certificate and written consent of each living parent listed on the certificate.

The $55 fee was part of a broader New Mexico change that took effect the same day and raised the marriage license cost from $25 to $55 statewide. Colfax County said the increase followed Senate Bill 290, and other county notices, including those from Los Alamos County, Torrance County, Doña Ana County, Grant County and San Juan County, reflected the same June 20 change. For couples in Valencia County, the practical risk is simple: show up without both applicants, miss the in-person requirement, or overlook the new fee, and the trip ends with a second visit.