When the time comes for you to tie the knot with your lover, there are certain things expected of you. One of those things is to get a marriage license. So, before walking to the altar, make a stop at the courthouse to apply for a marriage license. The document that is the marriage license permits you and your spouse to get married legally. You are not considered legally married until you have completed your marriage license application and handed a marriage license.
The marriage license application is a bold step that every couple looking to spend the rest of their lives together must take before walking down the aisle. It is required for all types of wedding ceremonies, be it a civil ceremony or a religious ceremony.
How To Apply For A Marriage License
The marriage license application is done physically, but you can begin your application online. Couples are to appear at the Clerk’s office at the courthouse, town office or city hall to fill out their application. You are required to pay an application fee of $60 at the Clerk’s desk.
The application process for a marriage license involves the presence of the couples at the courthouse, filling and signing the marriage license application, payment of marriage license fee, and presentation of valid and relevant identification with proof of couple’s age.
Prior marriage must be terminated before applying for a marriage license. Applicant must be able to prove that prior marriage is terminated by divorce, death or annulment. Divorced applicants are to provide documents on the date of divorce upon marriage license application. If the divorce happened within the last 6 weeks, the applicant is required to provide proof of divorce decree before the application can be granted.
Marriage license applicants are required to provide valid photo identification such as a valid passport or current driver’s license. You are also required to present your proof of citizenship and residence, proof of age (birth certificate), military ID, state-issued ID card, and alien registration card.
After applying for a marriage license at the Clerk’s office, your license is issued while you wait. You can get your marriage license at the time of application or mailed to you. The newly issued marriage license is not valid until after three days of issuance.
Age Restrictions on Marriage License Application
The applicant must meet the minimum age for each state to obtain a marriage license. Generally, 18 years is the minimum age to apply for a marriage license in the US. Someone who has reached the minimum age of 18 can apply for a marriage license without the need to prove parental consent. Meanwhile, underage marriage requires parental consent before a marriage license is issued.
Some states in the US have a minimum age for a marriage license application to be a little higher than 18. The minimum age in Nebraska is 19 and 21 in Mississippi. Some states also allow marriages of minors below 18 years.
If you have any questions pertaining to how to get your marriage license, you should visit www.usmarriagelaws.com
After The Ceremony
The newlyweds shouldn’t get carried away as they have to record their marriage license after the ceremony. The officiant who performs the marriage ceremony must send a copy of the marriage certificate to the Clerk’s office. This is to fulfill the final part of the marriage license. The sent copy is used to record your marriage and to make it easy to prove your marriage.
Expiration of Marriage License
You must know that marriage license expires, which is why you only need to apply when you are holding your marriage ceremony soon. The expiration period is the maximum period allowed between the date of issuance of the license and the date of the wedding ceremony. The expiration date for a marriage license varies from state to state, but it is mostly between 60 days. The expiration date could be as short as 10 days or as long as 1 year, while it doesn’t expire in some states.
- States with 60 days expiration are Florida, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Illinois, Vermont, Washington, and others. States like Alabama, Hawaii, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Missouri have a 30 days expiration.
- The expiration date in Oklahoma is as short as 10 days while you can have your marriage license running for as long as 6 months in New Jersey, Montana, Kansas, Maryland, etc.
- Nebraska, Arizona, Nevada, and Wyoming give a 1 year expiration period.
