How To Get a NYC Marriage License

How To Get a NYC Marriage License

There are so many couples, both New York residents and non-residents, who dream of getting married in New York City. Before planning your wedding, it is important to know more about the NYC marriage license and its importance.

A marriage license is required to get married in New York City. This is written in the law. If you choose to get married without a license in New York City, your marriage will be considered invalid by state. For this reason, couples need to set out time to apply for a license before their wedding day. Fortunately, you can get a marriage license a few hours after applying for it.

How much is an NYC Marriage License?

Weddings can be expensive when you think of the cost of a location,  food and so on. Fortunately, a marriage license in New York City is relatively cheap. The cost of a license is thirty-five dollars (35$). This can be paid via money order or with a credit card.

If you lose your marriage license and request for a duplicate, you will be required to pay an extra fee of twenty-five dollars (25$).

How to apply for an NYC marriage license

To apply for a marriage license, a couple has to go through the Office of the NYC Clerk. This is also where the license will be granted. The process can be started online but it is necessary that both parties present themselves to the New York City Clerk. This is because marriage by proxy is illegal in NYC hence the City Clerk must confirm that both parties will be available for the wedding. After presenting yourselves to the NYC Clerk, all you have to do is provide the required documents. If your marriage is approved by the state, your marriage license will be given to you. You can leave with it and make use of it 24 hours after it has been issued.

How long is an NYC marriage license valid?

An NYC marriage license stays valid for 60 days after it has been granted. This means that after acquiring your marriage license you have to get married within 2 months. If a couple fails to get married within this period of time, the marriage license will not validate your marriage under NYC laws. After 60 days, you have to reapply to be granted another validated license.

Military personnel on active duty have an exception to this 60 days validity period. Their unpredictable jobs allow their license to be valid for 180 days.

When you receive an NYC marriage license, the license can be used for your wedding in any part of New York. Outside of New York, it is invalid.

It is important to note that although you have a length of 60 days to get married after receiving a license, you cannot get married within 24 hours of receiving the license. Your license becomes valid a day after it has been received.

What documents are required for an NYC marriage license?

To get a marriage license, you need to submit an application. This application is an affidavit that confirms that your marriage has no legal restrictions.

Your marriage license application should include your name, state, city, address, ZIP code, date of birth, country of origin, name of parents, the birth country of parents, marital history and social security number.

You also need to present a form of identification to confirm the information written on the application. On the New York City Website, you can find the type of ID you need to present.

What law impediment can hinder the application for a marriage license?

Before you can be issued a marriage license, it is important that both you and your spouse are of the legal age to get married. Both of you must be above the age of 18. If either of you are younger, you will not be issued a marriage license.  WWW.usmarriagelaws.com is a great resource to help you get married in NYC.

Also, if one person is still legally married to another, you will not be issued a marriage license. If your former spouse is deceased, you will need to provide his/her full name and information on the period of his/her death. If you have a previous marital history, you will also be required to provide proof of your divorce.

David Lockhart