The Military Waiver (Marriage License) is a one-page statement declaration published by the Travis County Clerk in Austin, Texas. An active-duty member of the armed forces of the United States signs it to declare that, under Section 2.204(b) of the Texas Family Code, the marriage may be conducted during the 72-hour period immediately following issuance of the license. It is a companion to a Travis County marriage license and is kept with that license. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published by the county at countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov.
Last updated
What is Military Waiver (Marriage License) – Travis County, TX?
The Military Waiver (Marriage License) is a Travis County Clerk statement in which an active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces declares, under the Texas Family Code, that the marriage may be conducted in the 72 hours after the license is issued.
The printed text cites Section 2.204 of the Texas Family Code, Subsection (b). It is titled "Statement Declaration" and is printed in English with a Spanish translation of each statement and label, so the same page serves English- and Spanish-speaking applicants.
The form has four signature-block lines: the signature of the service member, the service member's printed name, the service member's address and the printed name of the other applicant. It also has a line for the Marriage License Document #, which ties the declaration to one specific marriage license.
The document is not the marriage license itself. A header on the form tells you to keep it with your marriage license, and after the ceremony it goes back to the Travis County Clerk together with the license. The Travis County Clerk's Recording Forms page lists this form as "Military Waiver" and lists a separate "72-Hour Waiver Form"; this page covers only the military statement.
Who needs to file Military Waiver (Marriage License) – Travis County, TX?
The form is for a member of the armed forces of the United States who is on active duty and is marrying under a Travis County marriage license, when the ceremony will take place during the 72-hour period immediately following issuance of the license. The service member signs the declaration and names the other applicant on the license.
The statement says "I am a member of the armed forces of the United States and am on active duty," so it applies only to a person who can truthfully make that declaration. The form does not provide for anyone else to sign on the service member's behalf.
The other applicant does not sign this form; the document asks only for that person's printed name. Couples in which neither applicant is an active-duty service member have no use for this declaration. The Travis County Clerk's Recording Forms page lists a separate "72-Hour Waiver Form" for other situations; contact the Clerk at (512) 854-9188 to ask which form applies to you.
When to file Military Waiver (Marriage License) – Travis County, TX
The triggering event is a marriage that will take place during the 72-hour period immediately following issuance of the marriage license, with at least one applicant on active duty in the U.S. armed forces. The form sets no separate due date. Keep the signed declaration with the license until the ceremony has been performed.
After the ceremony, return the declaration together with the marriage license to the Travis County Clerk at the address given under How to submit. The form does not print a deadline for that return; call the Clerk's office at (512) 854-9188 if you need to confirm timing.
Documents you need
- The marriage license issued in Travis County: the form says to keep the declaration with it, and to return both to the Travis County Clerk after the ceremony.
How to fill out Military Waiver (Marriage License) – Travis County, TX
Read the statement declaration
The text states that you are a member of the armed forces of the United States on active duty and that, under Section 2.204 of the Texas Family Code, Subsection (b), the marriage may be conducted during the 72-hour period immediately following issuance of the license. The Spanish text below it says the same.
Enter your printed name
On the Printed Name (Nombre en letra molde) line, print your full name as the service member making the declaration.
Enter your address
On the Address (Dirección) line, write your address.
Enter the other applicant's name
On the Printed Name of Other Applicant (Nombre del Otro Solicitante en letra molde) line, print the name of the person you are marrying, as the applicant on the license.
Add the marriage license number
On the Marriage License Document # line at the bottom, enter the document number of your marriage license.
Sign the declaration
Sign on the Signature (Firma) line after printing the form. The signature is yours as the active-duty service member.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check each name, the address and the license number, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Keep it with your marriage license and return both as described under How to submit.
How to submit Military Waiver (Marriage License) – Travis County, TX
The form names one return channel: mail to the Travis County Clerk, sent after the ceremony together with the marriage license.
- By mail: Dyana Limon-Mercado, Travis County Clerk, P.O. Box 149325, Austin, Texas 78714-9325.
Until the ceremony, keep the declaration with your marriage license, as the form instructs. Write the number of the license on the Marriage License Document # line.
The letterhead lists the Clerk's phone, (512) 854-9188, and two physical locations: 5501 Airport Blvd, Austin, Texas 78751, and the Travis County Courthouse, 1000 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas 78701. The form does not say that the declaration can be returned in person at either place, so call the Clerk before delivering it by hand. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing the declaration when you are not a member of the armed forces of the United States on active duty; the statement says that is what you are declaring.
- Leaving the Signature (Firma) line blank; the declaration is a signed statement.
- Omitting the printed name of the other applicant, which the form asks for in addition to your own printed name and address.
- Leaving the Marriage License Document # line empty, so the declaration cannot be matched to one marriage license.
- Separating the declaration from the marriage license; the form says to keep it with the license.
- Forgetting to return the declaration with the marriage license to the Travis County Clerk after the ceremony.
- Mailing the return to an address other than the Travis County Clerk's P.O. Box 149325, Austin, Texas 78714-9325.
- Mixing it up with the separate "72-Hour Waiver Form" that the Travis County Clerk's Recording Forms page lists next to the Military Waiver.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Military Waiver for a Travis County marriage license?
It is a Travis County Clerk statement declaration for an active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces. It says that under Section 2.204(b) of the Texas Family Code the marriage may be conducted during the 72-hour period immediately following issuance of the license.
Who signs the Military Waiver?
The active-duty service member signs it, on the Signature (Firma) line. The form also asks for that person's printed name and address, and only the printed name of the other applicant, who does not sign this document.
Do I keep the Military Waiver with my marriage license?
Yes. The form says to keep it with your marriage license, in English and in Spanish. After the ceremony, return it with the license to the Travis County Clerk.
Where do I send the Military Waiver after the ceremony?
Mail it with the marriage license to Dyana Limon-Mercado, Travis County Clerk, P.O. Box 149325, Austin, Texas 78714-9325. The form lists the Clerk's phone as (512) 854-9188 if you have questions about returning it.
Can I fill out the Military Waiver online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. The Travis County Clerk receives it only through the channels on the form: it is returned by mail, with the marriage license, after the ceremony.
Is the Military Waiver the same as the 72-Hour Waiver Form?
The Travis County Clerk's Recording Forms page lists them as two separate items, "72-Hour Waiver Form" and "Military Waiver". This page covers the Military Waiver only; call (512) 854-9188 to ask which one fits your situation.
What is the Marriage License Document # on the form?
It is the line at the bottom of the form for the document number of your marriage license. It ties the declaration to that license, which you keep it with and return it with.
Ready to fill out Military Waiver (Marriage License) – Travis County, TX?
Fill out Military Waiver (Marriage License) – Travis County, TX now