SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Some couples tying the knot in Utah will have to pay more for their marriage license later this year unless they undergo counseling, thanks to a new law signed by Gov. Gary Herbert.
Herbert announced Wednesday he’d signed a bill raising the cost of marriage licenses by $20. A couple can get that fee waived if they undergo premarital counseling or education.
The fee only applies to counties with an online marriage license system, which so far is just Utah County. It takes effect Sept. 30.
Republican Sen. Allen Christensen sponsored the bill and says it could help lower Utah’s divorce rate.
National Center for Health Statistics data shows Utah’s divorce rate has declined since 1990, when there were 5.1 divorces per 1,000 people.
The data shows that in 2016 there were 3.6 divorces per 1,000 people.
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