

{"id":2151,"date":"2015-09-22T07:23:39","date_gmt":"2015-09-22T07:23:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=2151"},"modified":"2023-10-23T08:39:30","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T08:39:30","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-about-marriage-registration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/license\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-marriage-registration\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know About Marriage Registration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-2162 size-full alignnone\" title=\"Marriage Registration\" src=\"http:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/marriage-registration.jpg\" alt=\"Marriage Registration\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wondering what is a marriage license? What is a marriage registration? And how to register marriage in the USA?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting married is a very big step for couples, and one of the most important things you need to after the celebrations and the ceremonies are over is to sign a marriage license and get a marriage registration certificate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A registered marriage legally binds a couple to each other and helps you with other legal re-courses in your life, such as changing your name legally, property proceedings, insurance policies, and even work permits.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marriage_certificate\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Marriage registration certificates<\/b><\/a><b> are essential for a married couple, but many people do not actually know that much about marriage registration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&mdash;how to do it, what (if any) rules there are, and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The legal requirements after marriage might seem confusing, such as the difference between a marriage license and a marriage certificate. But they are actually very simple, even though they might vary from one state to another.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are engaged to be married and need to know more about the registration of marriage or where to register marriage? And why marriage registration is important?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, look no further than this guide to everything you need to know about marriage registration or how to register for a marriage certificate, and also the things required for marriage registration.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where-to-go-for-a-marriage-registration\"><\/span>Where to go for a marriage registration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-51019\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Where-to-go-for-a-marriage-registration.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"792\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you start the marriage registration process and file your marriage license, you need to decide when and where you are getting married.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You would also need to be wary of your marriage license expiration date and try to schedule your wedding within that time frame to avoid re-filing for the license.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>A bit of planning would definitely be required as different states adhere to different regulations when it comes to filing for a marriage license.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In most jurisdictions, you will need to apply for a marriage at the office of the county clerk. The county clerk&rsquo;s office issues various registrations and permits, such as permits for new buildings and, of course, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/license\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marriage licenses<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some jurisdictions, you may need to go somewhere else; make sure you research where to go for a marriage license in your area before you head out of the house.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-you-need-to-bring-with-you\"><\/span>What you need to bring with you<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Going to the county&rsquo;s office is the easiest part of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/clerkrecorder.sccgov.org\/services\/Pages\/vitals\/apply-for-marriage-license.aspx\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">obtaining a marriage license<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; however, make sure you have all the required documents and make an appointment before your visit to avoid hours of waiting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Things that you need to bring with you can vary from state to state and even county to county. In some states, all you need to bring with you are birth certificates, a state-issued ID, and proof that your marriage is legal in your state.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other states may have other <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/license\/the-importance-of-a-marriage-license\/\"><b>requirements for applying for a marriage license<\/b><\/a><b>,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as proof that you are not related or that you have undergone certain medical tests required by some state laws.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here is a list of some things you might need for your visit to the county clerk:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both partners need to be present with proof of their identity. Either a driver&rsquo;s license, passport, or a birth certificate should suffice; however, be sure to check with the county clerk for any specific requirements.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You would need to know your parent&rsquo;s full names, date of birth, or passing, whichever is applicable, and the state of their births. Also, some states require a witness to be present during the application process.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In case of a second marriage to legally remarry, you would need your certificate of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/divorce\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">divorce<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or your first spouse&rsquo;s death certification.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There would definitely be a small fee that you would have to pay for the application, and in case you are under 18, you need to be accompanied by a parent to provide consent.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-32360 size-full\" title=\"How to Apply for Marriage Certificate\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/How-to-Apply-Marriage-Certificate.jpg\" alt=\"How to Apply for Marriage Certificate\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have finished the process of acquiring your marriage license, the next step in marriage registration is to gather some signatures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Unless your state has some additional requirements, you would definitely need the signatures of the following; the couple(obviously), the officiant, and two witnesses.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, when the license has been attested by all the required people, the officiant is responsible for returning the license back to the county clerk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After that, once your application gets approved, you would either receive the marriage certificate through the mail, or you might have to pick up the certificate yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You-may-need-to-undergo-testing\"><\/span>You may need to undergo testing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>In some states, couples who wish to be married are required to undergo testing for certain infectious diseases such as rubella or tuberculosis.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This type of testing used to be standard in almost all states but has fallen out of favor in the last few years in many of them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some states may also strongly encourage both partners to get tested for certain diseases, including HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases before they make the marriage registration valid.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Make-sure-there%E2%80%99s-no-time-limit\"><\/span>Make sure there&rsquo;s no time limit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many people do not realize that some marriage registrations actually have a time limit&mdash;and these time limits vary state by state. In some states, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/license\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">marriage registration certificates<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are only valid for a certain period of time&mdash;which can be anywhere from a week to several months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you live in a state with a short time limit on a license, you need to make sure that you time your license application just right with your marriage ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>In other states, the time limit works in reverse: you must wait a certain time period after applying for your license before you can actually receive your marriage registration certification.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is typically done to discourage spur-of-the-moment marriages since you can&rsquo;t be married to someone without being with them for at least a few months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In these cases, you must make sure that your marriage ceremony is planned in time &ndash; when your registration finally becomes valid.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wondering what is a marriage license? What is a marriage registration? And how to register marriage in the USA? Getting married is a very big step for couples, and one of the most important things you need to after the celebrations and the ceremonies are over is to sign a marriage license and get a marriage registration certificate. A registered marriage legally binds a couple to each other and helps you with other legal re-courses in your life, such as changing your name legally, property proceedings, insurance policies, and even work permits. Marriage registration certificates are essential for a married <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":2162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[30],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2151"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2151"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2151\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90325,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2151\/revisions\/90325"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}