The Dane County Jail does not have designated facilities for hosting a marriage ceremony. However, under special circumstances, the jail will allow residents to have a marriage ceremony performed in the visitation area. To request a marriage ceremony, a resident must submit a Resident Marriage Form to Jail Administration via tablet at least 21 days prior to the desired date.
The fiancée (woman) or fiancé (man) must complete a Dane County Jail Marriage Request Form and ensure all necessary paperwork, including the marriage license, is arranged with the Dane County Clerk’s Office. Your intended fiancée (woman) or fiancé (man) will have to schedule a Zoom Meeting with the Dane County Clerk (https://clerk.danecounty.gov/Marriage). Please make sure you follow the instructions on the website, there are several documents that will be needed before a marriage license can be granted.
A copy of the marriage license must be submitted electronically to jailforms@danesheriff.com with the online marriage request form to the Jail Administration at least 14 days before the scheduled ceremony date. Once the Zoom meeting is scheduled, your fiancée (woman) or fiancé (man) must call and schedule the joint Zoom meeting with you and the County Clerk through jail visitation (please have them contact sheriff.cc8@danesheriff.com) to make that appointment. You and your fiancée or fiancé, are required to appear before the County Clerk via Zoom (together) in order to confirm your identity. You will also have to make arrangements to get your photo ID, birth certificate, and other required documents for the meeting. It is fine if your fiancée or fiancé has these documents. If there is no availability for an appointment at the jail, your fiancée or fiancé will have to reschedule with the County Clerk for a time that is available at the jail.
Once the license is granted, a copy of the marriage license must be submitted electronically to jailforms@danesheriff.com with the online marriage request form to Jail Administration at least 14 days before the scheduled ceremony date. Please note that the jail will schedule the ceremonies during non-visitation times on Mondays (excluding holidays) between the hours of 8am and 11am.
You will have to arrange for your own person to officiate the ceremony, the jail chaplain will not officiate weddings at the jail. Please be aware that your clergy or other officiate along with your fiancée or fiancé, and witnesses will be subject to a normal visitation background check prior to being allowed into the jail visitation area.
There will be no cell phones or other recordings allowed.
