Your Stress-Free Guide to Getting a Marriage License in New York City
photo by De Nueva Photography
Look, I get it. You're planning a wedding in New York City while juggling work deadlines, planning emails, and trying to remember if you actually ate lunch. The last thing you need is bureaucratic confusion about marriage licenses. But here's the good news: getting your marriage license in NYC is actually way easier than finding a rent-controlled apartment.
As a wedding officiant who's helped hundreds of busy NYC couples tie the knot, I've seen every marriage license mishap imaginable. Someone always texts me at 10 PM asking, "Wait, do we need our birth certificates?!" So let me save you that panic and walk you through exactly what you need to know.
The Basics: What You Need to Know Right Now
First, the reassuring part: New York doesn't require blood tests, waiting periods, or witnesses to get your license. You just need to show up together, fill out some forms, pay a fee, and you're done. The whole appointment usually takes 30-45 minutes.
Here's what makes NYC unique: you can get married anywhere in New York State with your NYC marriage license. Since you're likely planning a ceremony in the five boroughs (or maybe the Hudson Valley for that fall foliage moment), getting your NYC license gives you the most flexibility.
What You'll Need to Bring
Here's your checklist:
Required for everyone:
Valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, state ID)
Social Security numbers (the actual number, the card is not needed)
$35 fee (credit or money order—no cash)
Your partner (seriously, you both have to be there!)
If you've been married before:
Proof your previous marriage ended: divorce decree, annulment papers, or death certificate with a raised seal
What you DON'T need:
Birth certificates (unless you don't have a photo ID)
Citizenship papers
Blood tests
Witnesses at the clerk's office
Pro tip: If either of you changed your name after a divorce, bring documentation showing the name change. It'll save you a headache.
How to Actually Get Your License
Step 1: Make an appointment
All NYC Marriage Bureaus require appointments, which you can book online through the City Clerk's website. Manhattan and Brooklyn tend to book up faster (especially during peak wedding season), so don't wait until the week before your ceremony. Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island often have more availability. There are also limited virtual appointments, but you must still be in New York for these.
Step 2: Show up together
Both of you need to appear in person. No exceptions, no proxies, no "my fiancé is stuck in a meeting." Block out an hour to be safe.
Protip: Go out to lunch afterwards! A little celebration for you both. I mean you already took time off work, what’s another hour?!
Step 3: Fill out the application
You'll provide basic info: names, addresses, parents' names, Social Security numbers. If you're choosing to change your name after marriage, you'll indicate that here too.
Pro tip: You can do this ahead of time. It will save you time, if your application is already in the system.
Step 4: Get your license
Once processed, you'll receive your marriage license immediately. It's valid for 60 days from the date of issuance, and you can get married anywhere in New York State during that window.
Step 5: Bring your license to the ceremony
This is kind of the most important part. We can’t sign it, if you don’t have it!
The 24-Hour Rule (Yes, Really)
Here's the one slightly annoying thing: after you get your license, you must wait 24 hours before your ceremony. If you get your license on Monday at 2 PM, your ceremony can happen anytime after Tuesday at 2 PM.
This is why I always tell NY-based couples: get your license at least 2 or 3 weeks before your wedding date. And if you are traveling into New York, please schedule the 24 waiting period into your plans. Life happens. Trains break down. Someone schedules an emergency meeting. It's always something. Give yourself buffer time.
After Your Ceremony: The Important Part
Your wedding officiant (hi, that's me!) will work with you and your witnesses to get everything signed properly. We will then complete the marriage license after your ceremony and file it with the City Clerk within five days. About 4-6 weeks later, you will receive a copy of your marriage certificate, which you'll need for name changes, updating insurance, and all that official stuff.
FAQ Speed Round
Can we get our license in Manhattan and get married in Brooklyn? Yes! Your NYC license works anywhere in New York State.
What if one of us isn't a U.S. citizen? No problem. Just bring your valid passport.
Do we need witnesses? Not for the license, but your wedding officiant will need one witness (over 18) to sign the license. There’s room for 2 if you want someone from each of your sides.
Can we change both our names to something completely new? Yes indeedy! Just make sure to put in on your marriage license application. You can change your last names, but not your first!
One Last Thing
The marriage license is the legal part. It's important, yes, but it's not the meaningful part. That's your ceremony—the vows, the intention, the commitment you're making to each other. As an NYC wedding officiant, I've seen couples stress about paperwork and then completely light up when they're actually standing in front of their loved ones, saying "I do."
So yes, get your license sorted. But don't let the administrative stuff overshadow the beautiful, intentional moment you're creating. You've got this. And if you need an officiant who'll make the whole thing feel warm, meaningful, and maybe crack a joke or two? You know where to find me.