A marriage license is essentially a permit -- legal confirmation that
couples are free to marry each other, have obtained divorce
or widowhood papers if necessary, are of legal age, and have
had blood tests if required. The license pick-up location
varies by state: It might be City Hall, the city or town
clerk's office, or the marriage license bureau in the county
where you plan to wed.
Once you've located your marriage license office, call to ask
when you should apply. Licenses are valid for a window of
time (from ten days to six months), and there may be a short
waiting period once you get the license. In most states you
can walk in to apply, but some offices require an
appointment, so be sure to ask when you call. Both bride and
groom must be present in most states, although there are a
few exceptions.
You will probably need:
Birth certificates (proof of age)
Proof of citizenship and/or residence
Photo identification
Parental consent if underage (usually 16-17; you may also
need court consent)
Death certificate if widowed
Divorce decree if divorced
Blood test results (if needed; only a few states still
require this)
After the wedding, your officiant will send your signed
license to the marriage license bureau, and then you should
receive a certified copy within a few weeks or months
(depending on your state).
TYING THE KNOT NATIONALLY
California wine country
Fee charged
License valid for: 90 days, no waiting period
Blood test: no
More info: Contact the wedding coordinator at the resort
where you'll be staying or call the Napa Valley County Clerk
(707) 253-4246, or Sonoma County Clerk, (707) 527-3700
Florida
Fee charged; it's lower if the bride and groom are Florida
residents and attend an eight-hour marriage course
Waiting period: None (a three-day waiting period for Florida
residents can be waived by attending the marriage course
mentioned above)
License valid for: 60 days
Blood test: No
More info - Florida Keys: Monroe County Clerk of Courts (305)
292-3550 (Key West), (305) 852-7145 (Isla Morada), (305) 289
-6027 (Marathon); Disneyworld: Orange County Clerk of Courts
Marriage License Division (407) 836-2067, Walt Disney World
(407) 828-3400 or www.disneyweddings.com
.Hawaii
Fee charged
Residency Requirement: None
Necessary Documents: Driver's license or passport; no proof
of divorce is necessary, but those who are divorced must be
able to list the date, state and county (or country) where
the divorce was finalized.
Note: Licenses must be filed with the state health department
office in Honolulu, or call the department for listings of
agents in rural communities. Forms require the names of
parents and their places of birth. Both parties must appear
in person.
Las Vegas
Fee charged
Waiting period: None
License valid for: Indefinitely
Blood test: No
More info: Clark County Marriage Bureau, (702) 455-4415, ext.
5
Mackinack Island, Michigan
Fee charged
License valid for: 30 days, after a three-day waiting period
Blood test: no
More info: Contact the wedding coordinator at the resort
where you'll be staying or call the Mackinac Island Chamber
of Commerce, (800) 4-LILACS
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Fee: Varies by county/town
License valid for: 60 days, after three-day waiting period,
anywhere in state
Blood test: yes
More info: Contact the wedding coordinator at the resort
where you'll be staying.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Fee charged
License valid for: 30 days, after 3-day waiting period
Blood test: no
More info: Contact the wedding coordinator at the resort
where you'll be staying, or call the Louisiana Office of
Tourism, (800) 261-9144
Tying the Knot Internationally
AnguillaFee charged (it's much lower if one person resides on
the island for 15 days)
Residency period: None, paperwork requires two days
Necessary documents: Passport, proof of divorce or death of
spouse (if applicable)
More info: Two witnesses are required. For further
information, call the Magistrate, (264) 497-3477
Antigua
Fee charged
Residency period: None
Necessary documents: Passport, proof of divorce or death
certificate of former spouse/s if applicable
More info: Contact the wedding coordinator at the resort
where you'll be staying, or call the Antigua and Barbuda
Department of Tourism at (212) 541-4117
Aruba*** It is now possible for nonresidents to marry in
Aruba, but there are many restrictions and requirements.
Fee charged
Residency period: None
Necessary documents: (copies of all the following must first
be faxed for review, then sent via courier, such as FedEx, at
least 14 days in advance) passports; raised-seal birth
certificates for both parties and the witnesses; divorce
decrees/death certificates if previously married; apostilles
(documents from your local government declaring you are
eligible for marriage).
Civil ceremonies -- must take place inside City Hall in
Oranjestad. Once you have a civil ceremony you may have a
religious blessing.
Catholic -- contact a Catholic church for details.
Protestant -- contact the church of your choice. Ceremonies
may take place in a church or anywhere else on the island.
Jewish -- both parties MUST prove they are Jewish with
documentation from their home rabbi; a petition for
permission must also be submitted to the Jewish community;
ceremonies may take place at the synagogue or anywhere else
on the island.
More info: Call the wedding coordinator at the resort where
you'll be staying and the Aruba Tourism Authority, (800) TO-
ARUBA
Bahamas
Fee charged
Residency requirement: 24 hours
Necessary documents: Passports; birth certificates; proof of
divorce or death certificate of former spouse/s (if
applicable); declaration certifying both parties are
unmarried U.S. citizens, sworn before a U.S. Consul at the
American Embassy in Nassau, or a marriage license from the
Commissioner's Office on other islands; proof of arrival in
the Bahamas.
Knot Note: Both parties must apply in person.
More info: Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Romance Director at
(888) NUPTIAL or http://www.bahamas.com
Barbados
Fee charged
Residency period: None
Necessary documents: Passports; proof of divorce or death
certificate of former spouse/s (if applicable); letter from
officiant performing service
Obtain marriage license from Ministry of Home Affairs or
(246) 228-8950
Bermuda
Fee charged
Residency period: None
Necessary documents: Passports and a "Notice of Intended
Marriage" form from Bermuda's Registrar General's Office (The
form is available by phone request or at bermudatourism.com.
Fill it out and mail it -- along with a cashier's check or
bank draft made payable to the Accountant General, Hamilton,
Bermuda -- back to the Registrar General. Your license will
be valid for three months and can be picked up at the
Registrar's office by you or a designated person.)
Note: "Notice of Intended Marriage" must be filed 2 weeks
before the wedding
More info: Bermuda's Registrar General office, (441) 297-7709
or -7707; the Bermuda Department of Tourism office nearest
you; or bermudatourism.com
British Virgin Islands
Fee charged; it's lower if you've been in the BVI for more
than 15 days. It's less expensive to get married at the
registrar's office than elsewhere.
Residency period: 3 days
Necessary documents: Passports; birth certificates; proof of
divorce or death certificate of former spouse/s (if
applicable)
Note: Publishing banns may be necessary for church weddings.
Make plans with appropriate clergy.
More info: BVI Registrar's Office, (284) 494-3701 ext.
5001/2/3; British Virgin Islands Tourist Board, (800) 835-
8530
Cayman Islands
Fee charged
Residency period: None
Necessary documents: Passports; birth certificates; proof of
divorce or death certificate of former spouse/s (if
applicable); return or ongoing tickets; proofs of entry
(Cayman Islands International Immigration Department pink
slips or cruise-ship boarding passes); letter from authorized
officiating marriage officer
More info: Cayman Islands Government Deputy Chief Secretary;
(345) 949-7900 or (345) 914-2222
Fiji
Fee charged
Residency period: None
Necessary documents: Passports, original birth certificates,
proof of divorce or death certificate of former spouse(s) if
applicable
Note: There are no non-denominational ministers; requirements
vary by religion
More info: Contact the wedding coordinator at the resort
where you'll be staying or contact the Fiji Visitor's Bureau,
(800) YEA FIJI
France
Total cost of civil service: Varies by region
Residency period: One of you must reside for 40 days in the
town or district (in Paris) where the wedding will take place
Necessary documents: Passport; certified copy of final
divorce decree or death certificate of former spouse/s if
applicable; both birth certificates (from the Bureau of Vital
Records, not from a hospital); a notarized "Affidavit of
Law;" and a certificate of health
Note: Requirements may vary by region and city and blood test
requirements vary by gender; all documents need to be
professionally translated; and all documents translated in
the U.S. must be legalized with an "apostille" from the
Secretary of State of the state they are issued in. We highly
recommend that you contact a wedding planner who specializes
in destination weddings as early as possible to help you
fulfill the requirements or contact the French Consulate in
your area to review your paperwork.
More info: Contact the wedding coordinator at the hotel where
you'll be staying, the French Consulate in your area, or the
Marriage Bureau of the City Hall in the town or district
where you will be wed
French Polynesia
Residency period: At least one of you must live in French
Polynesia for 30 days (no fighting, now!)
Necessary documents: Birth certificates (issued within 3
months of your wedding and translated into French), medical
certificates, 1 certificate of residency, 1 copy of notarized
marriage contract, customary certificates, certificates of
celibacy, and a certificate of publication of marriage bans
in the non-resident's hometown
Note: Assuming one of you can establish residency, we highly
recommend that you contact a wedding planner who specializes
in destination weddings or in Tahiti as early as possible to
help you fulfill the requirements.
More info: Call the wedding coordinator at the resort where
you'll be staying or a travel agent that specializes in
Tahiti or destination weddings. Tahiti Tourism, (800) 365-
4949
Greece
Total cost for civil service: Varies by region
Residency requirement: None
Necessary documents: It is possible to use an American
marriage license, but only if it meets certain requirements;
passports; certified birth certificates; proof of divorce or
death certificate of former spouse/s (if applicable);
certificate from U.S. Consulate in Athens, stating that there
is no impediment to the marriage; two announcements in local
Greek newspaper (one announcement for each person)
Note: Greek tourism officials advise that gathering and
preparing required documents could take a few months. All
documents must be translated into Greek by the Greek
consulate in your area. The Greek National Tourist
Organization, (212) 421-5777, will fax instructions and
supply names of companies that specialize in arranging
weddings for foreigners. Greek law does not provide for
certain interfaith marriages such as Christians to non-
Christians or Jews to non-Jews. Proof of religion, such as
baptismal certificates, may be required.
More info: Greek National Tourist Organization, (212) 421-
5777, or the Greek Consulate, (212) 988-5500.
.
Ireland
Fee charged
Residency period: One person must establish a residency of 15
days, the other must fulfill a minimum 7-day residency
Necessary documents: Passports; birth certificates; certified
copy of final divorce decree or death certificate (plus
original marriage certificate) of former spouse/s if
applicable; Notice of Marriage (provided by the Registrar and
published twice with a one-week interval in a Dublin
newspaper)
Note: You must notify the Registrar for Marriages at least
three months before the wedding date. We recommend that you
contact a wedding planner who specializes in destination
weddings as early as possible to help you fulfill the
requirements.
More info: Contact the wedding coordinator at the hotel where
you'll be staying or call the Registrar for Marriages at 011
-353-1-676 3218
Italy
Total cost for civil service: Varies by region
Residency period: four days
Necessary documents: Passports or armed forces ID cards;
certified copies of birth certificates; proof of divorce or
death certificate of former spouse/s (if applicable);
declarations "atto notorio" sworn to by four people attesting
that they know of no reason to object to the marriage under
the laws of the couple's home country; declaration sworn to
by both parties that there are no obstacles to the marriage
under U.S. law
Note: Certain documents must be translated into Italian with
special "apostille" seals from the secretary of state from
the state from which the documents originated. Additional
requirements apply if one of the parties is an Italian
citizen or resident of Italy. Requirements may vary by region
and city. It is highly recommended that you work with a
wedding planner to help you fulfill all requirements
properly.
More info: Italian consulate nearest you; Italian Tourism
Board, Italy weddings websiteor
http://travel.state.gov/italy_marriage.html
Jamaica
Fee charged
For a higher fee, the wedding coordinater at your resort will
arrange for for the officiant to go into Kingston to the
Ministry of National Security, (876) 922-0080, to get the
marriage license. Otherwise you have to go yourself.
Residency period: 24 hours
Necessary documents: Certified copies of both birth
certificates; proof of divorce or death certificate of former
spouse/s if applicable; and name change or adoption papers if
applicable
Malta
Fee charged
Residency period: One day
Necessary documents: Birth certificates, a sworn statement
that neither person is married, proof of divorce or death of
former spouse (if applicable), and completed application and
Sworn Declaration forms (available from the Marriage
Registry) must be sent to the Registry Office between six
weeks and three months before your intended date
Note: These requirements apply to civil ceremonies only.
Religious weddings have a different set of conditions; work
with a destination wedding planner or speak with the Marriage
Registry office (below) to make sure all requirements are
fulfilled.
More info: Marriage Registry office, 011-356-626-221775,
225291/2 or More info: , (877) GO MALTA
Mexico
Total cost of civil service: Varies across country
Residency requirement: None
Necessary documents: Certified copies of birth certificates
previously "legalized" by the Mexican consulate with
jurisdiction over the place of birth; driver's licenses or
passports; certified proof of divorce or death certificates
of former spouse/s (if applicable) previously "legalized" by
the Mexican consulate with jurisdiction over the place of
filing; judge's form; tourist cards; Mexican-performed blood
test results
Note: The marriage requirements in Mexico vary from city to
city and judge to judge. The Mexican Ministry of Tourism
recommends that you budget two to four days to complete all
requirements. It is recommended that you work with a wedding
planner to help you fulfill all requirements properly.
More info: Mexico tourist board, (800) 44-MEXICO
St. Lucia
Fee charged
Residency period: 2 days
Necessary documents: Passport, birth certificate, proof of
divorce or death certificate of former spouse/s if
applicable, and name change or adoption papers if applicable
More info: Call the wedding coordinator at the resort where
you'll be staying or contact the St. Lucia Tourist Board,
(888) 4-STLUCIA
U.S. Virgin Islands
Fee charged
Residency period: None
Necessary documents: Driver's licenses or passports; proof of
divorce or death certificate of former spouse/s (if
applicable); letter accompanying application for marriage
stating date of visit, length of stay, and preferred wedding
date if having ceremony performed by a judge
Note: Application must be received at least eight days prior
to wedding.
More info: USVI Division of Tourism, (800) 372-8784;
Territorial Court, St. Croix, (340) 778-9750.
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