A judge in a South Carolina county has issued the first same-sex marriage licence in the state.

Charleston County councilwoman Colleen Condon and her fiance Nichols were issued a marriage licence, and were the first in the state of South Carolina to do so.

They were the first couple to have their application for a marriage licence last month accepted.

The couple were among a group who applied to have marriage licences before Judge Irvin Condon was ordered to stop issuing marriage licences.

The issuing county cited a ruling a week ago which states that South Carolina must legally recognise the marriages of same-sex couples who wed in other states.

Marriage licences were issued from 8.30am on Thursday. South Carolina has a 24-hour waiting period to marry.