United States - Marriage Licenses

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Procedure

1. Meet the age requirement of the state in which you live.You will likely need to bring your birth certificate as evidence of your age.In most states, the legal age to marry is 18.In Nebraska and Mississippi, however, you must be 19 and 21 respectively.
2. Have proof of identity when you apply for a marriage license.In addition to a birth certificate, your valid driver's license (or state-issued photo I.D.) and Social Security card are often necessary to prove your identity.
3. Fulfill the blood test requirement (if applicable) in your state.
4. Consent to marry. It may seem obvious, but you must not only consent, but be of sound mind to be capable to consent.
5. Terminate prior marriage. You cannot get married if you are already married to another person.
6. Prepare to pay a fee.It is a good idea to call the records clerk in advance to check whether they will accept your preferred method of payment.
7. Find out the location/address of the place you get the marriage license.
8. If you plan to apply in person, bring the documents needed as listed above.
9. Marry in the timeframe dictated by your marriage license. Marriage licenses can expire. Know the duration period of your marriage license and marry before it expires.
10. Realize that the person who presides over your ceremony must sign and subsequently return the marriage license to the office that issued the license.

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Required Documents

• Birth Certificate
• Valid driver's license
• State-issued photo I.D
• Social Security Card

Office Locations & Contacts

Know the location of your Clerk's office.

Eligibility

The legal age to marry is 18 years for both males and females.

Fees

The fee to get a marriage license varies by state. You can expect to pay between $25 and $90.

Validity

Most marriage licenses are good between 30 and 90 days. Some states marriage licenses have no expiration date.

Documents to Use

Please attach documents which can be used by people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.    

Processing Time

In many states, you receive your marriage license immediately. Some states, however, have a waiting period between one and five days for your license application to be approved or denied.If you are in a huge hurry to get married, you can look into eloping or getting married in Las Vegas.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
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Instructions

• Prepare to Apply for a Marriage License.
• Apply for your Marriage License.
• Use your Marriage License/Get Married

Required Information

• Proof of age is required.
• Valid identification.
• Consent to marry.
• Terminate prior marriage. You cannot get married if you are already married to another person.

Need for the Document

A marriage license is a document issued, either by a church or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between countries and has changed over time. Marriage licenses began to be issued in the Middle Ages, to permit a marriage which would otherwise be illegal (for instance, if the necessary period of notice for the marriage had not been given).

Information which might help

• Check marriage license requirements in your state before you apply to get a marriage license as the requirements for each state vary and are subject to change.
• If this is not your first marriage, take proof of your divorce, dissolution or death of spouse when you apply to get a marriage license. Many states do not require such proof, but some do.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

http://www.vitalrecordsguide.com/

http://family.findlaw.com/marriage/marriage-license-requirements.html

http://clerk.house.gov/

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/news/new-u-s--passport-requirement0.html

Others

• Do not plan on your cruise ship captain marrying you. It is a myth that a sea captain, merely by being a sea captain, has authority under U.S. law to conduct a marriage ceremony while at sea that would be valid in any state. Even if the captain is also an ordained religious figure, many states have specific laws prohibiting sea captains from conducting marriages.
• Do not confuse a marriage license with a marriage certificate. A marriage certificate is for ceremonial use and does not validate a legal marriage.