Georgia Premarital Course Online
Take Georgia's 6-hour premarital education course together, online, and stop paying the marriage license fee. One enrollment covers both of you, and your signed, notarized certificate comes in the mail.
- Waives the Georgia marriage license fee: save up to $40 in most counties
- $17.49 per couple, not per person
- 100% online and self-paced, progress saves
- Original notarized certificate mailed by USPS
- Money-back guarantee with no time limit
The course pays for itself: Georgia waives the marriage license fee for couples who finish premarital education, which saves up to $40 in most counties.
Start the course – $17.49 per coupleOne price covers both of you. Signed, notarized certificate mailed to your door. Standard, Faith-Friendly or Inclusive version.
Georgia premarital course: the facts
Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1, Georgia couples who complete at least 6 hours of premarital education within 12 months before applying, and who are both 18 or older, are not charged the marriage license fee. That saves up to $40 in most counties. Our online course costs $17.49 per couple, so it pays for itself and leaves money over.
| The law | O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 (premarital education; explained) |
|---|---|
| What you save | The marriage license fee, up to $40 in most counties (other court charges may still apply) |
| Length | At least 6 hours, online, self-paced, progress saves |
| Who takes it | Both partners, together, on one enrollment |
| Timing | Finish within 12 months before your license application |
| Certificate | Original, signed and notarized, mailed by USPS (usually 3 to 7 business days) |
| Where to use it | The probate court in any of Georgia's 159 counties |
| Price | $17.49 per couple, money-back guarantee with no time limit |
| Instructor | Kristen Franzen, ordained minister (Georgia's clergy provision) and Florida LMHC (MH22317) |
| Versions | Standard, Faith-Friendly, Inclusive (LGBTQ+ couples) |
Save up to $40 in 3 steps
Take the course together
Enroll once for $17.49. Work through the 6 hours as a couple, in one weekend or over a few weeks.
Get your certificate in the mail
Kristen signs your original certificate, it is notarized, and we mail it to your home by USPS.
Apply at the probate court
Bring the certificate and your photo IDs to any Georgia probate court. The license fee is not charged.
Why couples finish this course
Most couples take it for the fee waiver and come away with more than that. The course covers the topics Georgia's law lists for premarital education, taught as skills you practice together, not lectures to sit through.
It works the same in every county, from Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb and DeKalb to Chatham, Richmond and Bibb. The probate court in the county where you apply is the one that issues your license.
Want the legal detail? Read O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 explained.
Fees by county: Cobb County (Marietta) · Gwinnett County (Lawrenceville) · Fulton County (Atlanta) · DeKalb County (Decatur) · Chatham County (Savannah)
What you will cover
- Communication that keeps hard talks calm
- Conflict management and repairing after a fight
- Money: budgeting, debt and shared goals
- Children and parenting expectations
- Extended family roles and boundaries
Pick the version that fits you
Every version is 6 hours and gives you the same mailed, notarized certificate.
Standard
Evidence-based, secular curriculum: communication, money and conflict resolution.
Faith-Friendly
Christian principles and biblical foundations alongside clinical relationship tools.
Inclusive
An affirming curriculum written for LGBTQ+ couples and their relationship dynamics.
Taught by a counselor who signs your certificate
Kristen Franzen, MA, LMHC, LPC, NCC, wrote and teaches the course. She is an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church and teaches Georgia couples under the clergy provision of O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1. She is also a Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor (MH22317), a Texas Licensed Professional Counselor (97926) and a National Certified Counselor, and the founder of Cadenza Counseling LLC.
She reviews each Georgia completion and signs every certificate herself; each one is then notarized.
Read Kristen's full bio and check her license
Facts checked against O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 and the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia. Last updated .
Georgia premarital course FAQ
How does the premarital course save us money in Georgia?
Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1) says couples who complete a qualifying premarital education program, and are both 18 or older, are not charged the marriage license fee. In most counties that is about $40 off. The probate court may still collect its other charges, so the exact saving depends on your county.
Do both of us need to pay?
No. One enrollment at $17.49 covers both partners. Georgia asks couples to take premarital education together, so you go through the course as a couple and we issue a certificate for each of you.
How long does the course take?
Georgia requires at least 6 hours. The course is self-paced: log in and out over several days if you like. Once you reach 6 hours and finish, we prepare your certificate.
Why is the certificate mailed instead of emailed?
Georgia probate courts expect an original, physically signed certificate to apply the fee waiver, and they turn away printed PDFs. To protect you from being sent home, Kristen Franzen signs your original certificate, it is notarized, and we mail it to you by USPS, usually within 3 to 7 business days.
When do we have to take the course?
Within 12 months before you apply for your marriage license. If you finish in the spring for a fall wedding, you are fine. Leave enough time for the mailed certificate before your probate court visit.
Is there a waiting period to get married in Georgia?
No. For adults 18 and older, Georgia has no waiting period. You can get your license at the probate court and marry the same day.
Where do we get our marriage license?
At the probate court in any of Georgia's 159 counties (not the county clerk). Both of you apply together in person with photo ID and your original certificate. See our step-by-step license guide.
Who teaches the course?
Kristen Franzen, an ordained minister who teaches the course under Georgia's clergy provision for premarital education, and a licensed counselor in Florida (LMHC MH22317), Texas and several other states. She signs every Georgia certificate herself.
What if it does not work for us?
Every enrollment comes with a money-back guarantee with no time limit.