**GETTING MARRIED IN NEW YORK STATE:
*Applicants are able to obtain a marriage license (issued by a Town or City Clerk) anywhere within New York State, outside of NYC.
*Applicants are able to get married anywhere within NYS.
*Although the marriage license is issued immediately, the marriage ceremony may not take place until 24 hrs has passed from the exact time that the license was issued.
*A marriage license is valid for 60 days, beginning the day after it is issued - the solemnization period.
*A marriage license costs $40 and must be paid by cash, check or money order.
**PLEASE COMPLETE THE MARRIAGE LICENSE APPLICATION FORM (LOCATED UNDER DOCUMENTS) FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL OF THE COUPLE TO BE MARRIED. PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION AND ASSOCIATED FEE, ALONG WITH THE COMPLETED FORMS, AS REQUIRED.
**PLEASE CALL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE REGISTRAR AND/OR DEPUTY REGISTRAR.
AGE REQUIREMENTS:
*If both applicants are 18 yrs of age or older, no consents are required.
*If either applicant is 17 yrs of age or younger, a marriage license cannot be issued.
*If either applicant is 17 yrs of age, such applicant(s) must present written consent of BOTH parents and a justice of the Supreme Court or a judge of the Family Court having jurisdiction over the Town or City in which the application is made.
*One parent alone may consent to a minor's marriage if:
·The other parent has been missing for one year preceding the application;
·The parents are divorced and the consenting parent was given sole custody of the child when the divorce decree was awarded;
·The other parent has been judged incompetent; or the other parent is deceased.
*Parents, guardians or other people consenting to the marriage of a minor must personally appear and acknowledge or execute their consent before the Town or City Clerk or some other authorized official. (If the notarized affidavit is made before an official outside the State of New York, it must be accompanied by a certificate of authentication when the consent is filed in New York State.)
**BOTH INDIVIDUALS MUST BE PRESENT WITH THE FOLLOWING REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL:
♦PROOF OF AGE - BIRTH CERTIFICATE (Original Certified Document with raised seal) A Baptismal Record and/or Naturalization Record may be provided as a last resort and usually pertains to those born outside of the USA. Please check with the specific Town Office Registrar/Deputy Registrar regarding required documentation acceptance.
♦PROOF OF IDENTITY - DRIVER'S LICENSE (Non-Driver's License, Passport; Immigration Record) An Employment document/pay stub record and/or Student ID card/record may be provided as a last resort and is usually accepted in certain situations, as determined by the Registrar/Deputy Registrar.
♦ANY AND ALL PREVIOUS MARRIAGES - MUST SHOW THAT THE DIVORCE WAS OFFICIALLY FILED/RECORDED AT THE APPLICABLE COUNTY CLERK OFFICE. EACH OFFICIAL DIVORCE DOCUMENT IS REQUIRED - EACH DOCUMENT MUST SHOW AN OFFICIAL COLOR-STAMPED DATE WITH A RAISED SEAL AS OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION THAT THE DIVORCE WAS OFFICIALLY FILED IN THE APPROPRIATE COUNTY CLERK OFFICE - STATING WHEN, WHERE AND AGAINST WHOM THE DIVORCE(S) WERE GRANTED FOR OR AGAINST. (An Original Certified Divorce Decree or a Certified Dissolution of Marriage are official documents that may be referred to for official information.)
♦A CERTIFIED DEATH CERTIFICATE IS REQUIRED IF A FORMER SPOUSE DIED/PASSED AWAY DURING A MARRIAGE.
**APPLICATION SIGNATURES:
*The application must be signed by both applicants in the presence of the Town or City Clerk. (A representative cannot apply for the license on behalf of the applicant, even if the representative has been given Power of Attorney rights.)
*Notarized marriage license affidavits signed by the applicant(s) cannot be substituted for each individual's personal appearance.
**MARRIAGE LICENSE INFORMATION:
*A New York State marriage license may be used within New York State ONLY. (Please note that if you go out of New York State to be married, your New York State Certificate of Marriage Registration - the marriage license document - will not be valid.)
*Please expect to be at the Town Municipal Building for approximately 30 minutes.
*Couples that do not receive an Official Certificate of Marriage Registration/Marriage Certificate within four (4) weeks of the wedding ceremony should contact the Town or City Clerk who processed/issued the license.
*All marriage license requirements are guided by NYS Dept of Health - Vital Statistics.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Every person has the right to adopt any name by which he or she wishes to be known simply by using that name consistently (without intent to defraud). A person's last name (surname) does not automatically change upon marriage and neither party to the marriage is required to change his or her last name. Parties to a marriage need not take the same last name.
The marriage certificate, containing the new name, if any, is proof that the use of the new name, or the retention of the former name, is lawful.
The local Social Security Administration Office should be contacted so that its records and your social security identification card reflect the name change. There is no charge for this service. You will need documentary evidence showing both your previous name and your new name.
Social Security Administration Offices:
Oswego #1-866-964-7593
Geneva #1-866-331-7759
Syracuse #1-866-755-4884
To change the name on your NYS Driver's License or Non-Driver's Identification, contact the Department of Motor Vehicles for information.
Department of Motor Vehicle Offices:
Auburn #1-315-253-1241
Waterloo #1-315-539-1775
Fulton #1-315-591-9136
