New York City Marriage License - Our Wedding Officiant NYC

"Our wedding was one of the most wonderful experiences in our lives thanks to Peter. The entire night was filled with love from start to finish and he captured the pure essence of who we are and the joy in our lives." -Jeffery (wedding: 4/27/14)

All of the New York City Clerk's Marriage Bureau Offices are now open and making appointments for in person licensing and in person weddings via the online Project Cupid portal only. Appointments are required, and walk-in service is no longer allowed. Couples can still choose to make an appointment to receive their Marriage License by videoconference. No matter which choice, you MUST still make your appointment online via the app.

Marriage Licenses are issued by your town or city clerk on behalf of New York State, so any license obtained in the state is valid in New York City. The current fee for a marriage license is $35 in NYC and $40 outside of the 5 boroughs.

Since marriage licenses issued anywhere in New York State are valid everywhere in New York State, some couples have told us that they were able to get more convenient appointments for marriage licenses with Clerks' Offices in Westchester and Nassau counties (Update: Almost all City and Town Clerks in New York State are issuing marriage licenses by appointment only. Some offices are still limiting licenses to county or town residents). If this option might be for you, you can find contact information on our list of Town and City Clerks New York State.

NOTE: Online weddings are no longer allowed in New York State. Only New York City is still issuing licenses via video conference.

In NYC, you MUST now make an appointment online to get your marriage license through the Clerk's Project Cupid portal no matter which borough office you plan to go to. You can choose to have your appointment in person at any borough office, or online virtually. Whichever you choose, you will still both need to be present together, with valid identification, to complete the process. (If you've previously been married, be prepared to provide your final divorce decree.) The online application is valid for 21 days before it expires. If you don't make it to the Clerk's office in that time, you can reapply online. We recommend that even if you choose an in-person appointment, you fill out the application online, as our couples who have used it report speedy service from the Clerk.

In neighboring counties, Town and City Clerk's office hours vary widely. Please check with your local government for locations and hours. Acceptable forms of identification also vary. You can find links to your Town or City Clerk's offices for Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Nassau and Suffolk Counties here.

HOW DO WE GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE NYC CLERK?

You should plan to make your appointment with the Clerk's office at least two weeks in advance. The NYC Clerk currently opens new appointments for Marriage Licensing three weeks in advance, every Monday at 9:00 AM for in-person appointments and every Thursday at 9:00 AM for online appointments. For in-person services, choose your borough location from the drop-down menu after you select the service you desire. Mondays and Fridays are the most popular days for appointments, and they usually are filled the quickest.

To schedule online appointments, you must register with the Clerk first (see "How does the NYC Online Marriage License System Work?" below). Online appointments currently seem to be less available, so plan ahead. Don't forget that during your video conference with the Clerk, both of you must be present together on the same screen and you will need to be physically located in New York State.

The Clerk suggests that couples who haven't received an apponitment check back frequently, as cancellations are added to site as they occur. The Clerk reserves the right to change the release schedule without prior notice. We will post updates whenever the Clerk releases new changes. For the most current information, check the Clerk's posts on social media.

HOW DOES THE NYC ONLINE MARRIAGE LICENSE SYSTEM WORK ?

1. Complete the existing online marriage license application and get your confirmation number.
2. Create a NYC.ID account at the Project Cupid link and get verified online.
3. Pay the $35 license fee, and schedule an online meeting with the City Clerk. Both parties to the marriage MUST be together and MUST be in New York State for your online meeting.
4. Have your wedding ceremony.
5. Your wedding officiant will send your signed license to the City Clerk.

More information is available on the City Clerk's updated FAQ page.

WHERE DO WE GET A MARRIAGE LICENSE IN NYC ?

There is a New York City Clerk's Office in every borough where you can get your Marriage License. The City Clerk’s Office IS NOT OPEN ON WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS.

CAN WE GET A MARRIAGE LICENSE FROM OUR WEDDING OFFICIANT℠ ?

No. In New York State, only a City Clerk or Town Clerk can issue a marriage license.

CAN WE GET MARRIED THE SAME DAY WE GET OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE ?

No. No matter where in New York State you get your license, you must apply for it together with your intended spouse. THERE IS A 24 HOUR WAITING PERIOD from the time you receive your license to the time you may hold your wedding ceremony.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE ?

You will NOT receive a certificate of marriage from your wedding officiant right after your ceremony. Your wedding officiant will return your signed license to the Clerk's office for you. Usually it takes about two weeks for the documentation to be sent to you from the City. If you need documentation sooner than that, you should discuss this with the Clerk when you apply for your License.

For more information call Peter at
917 523 1438
email directly at
peter@ourweddingofficiantnyc.com
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