Sec. 2.204.  72-HOUR WAITING PERIOD;  EXCEPTIONS.  (a)  Except as provided by this section, a marriage ceremony may not take place during the 72-hour period immediately following the issuance of the marriage license.
(b)  The 72-hour waiting period after issuance of a marriage license does not apply to an applicant who:
(1)  is a member of the armed forces of the United States and on active duty;
(2)  is not a member of the armed forces of the United States but performs work for the United States Department of Defense as a department employee or under a contract with the department;
(3)  obtains a written waiver under Subsection (c); or
(4)  completes a premarital education course described by Section 2.013, and who provides to the county clerk a premarital education course completion certificate indicating completion of the premarital education course not more than one year before the date the marriage license application is filed with the clerk.
(c)  An applicant may request a judge of a court with jurisdiction in family law cases, a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a county judge, a judge of a court of appeals, an associate judge appointed under Chapter 201, an associate judge appointed under Chapter 54A, Government Code, or a justice of the peace for a written waiver permitting the marriage ceremony to take place during the 72-hour period immediately following the issuance of the marriage license.  If the judge, associate judge, or justice finds that there is good cause for the marriage to take place during the period, the judge, associate judge, or justice shall sign the waiver.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a judge, associate judge, or justice under this section has the authority to sign a waiver under this section.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 7, Sec. 1, eff. April 17, 1997.  Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1052, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by: 
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1196 (H.B. 418), Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 327 (H.B. 2685), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2008.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 873 (H.B. 4183), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.