Okay, so we don’t think you are clueless by any means, but we got your attention, right? Here we look at the basic facts about getting a marriage license, the specifics of such are dependent upon the state you will be getting married in.
Apply for your marriage license at least a month before your wedding date. Don’t delay as you need the license to tie the knot! After the wedding the license will be recorded with the county where it took place, and you will be issued a marriage certificate.
In most areas a marriage license is valid for a period of 30 to 60 days. That means that your window for getting married is one to two months. If for some reason you are not able to get married within this span of time, then you will have to apply for another license (and pay the fee for it again!).
To apply for a marriage license you need to know your Social Security number and present a valid driver’s license for the state that you wish to marry in. If you are new to the country and are not a citizen yet, then you need to provide your birth certificate. If necessary, have it translated into English and then certified. It is also helpful if you have your passport with you. In most cases, you do not have to be a resident of the city or town in order to get married there.
If you have been married before, then you need to provide documentation that you are free to marry again. Certified documentation, such as a final divorce decree or a death certificate, will show that your previous marriage is over. If you recently have gotten divorced, in some areas there is a waiting period required before you can remarry. The meaning of “recently divorced” is not the same everywhere you go.
Some states in the U.S. are such that a waiting period is imposed between the time a marriage license is issued and the date on which the wedding ceremony will be held.
If you wish to get married and are younger than 18, then you will need parental consent to do so. This is true not just in the United States but throughout the globe.
How much you will pay for a marriage license varies from place to place. Be prepared!
