How to Get a Marriage Certificate
Most of us think that we already know everything there is to know about getting married and what's involved. We know that we need to apply for a marriage license. How many of you already know, though, what comes next? How do you know for sure that your marriage is valid and legally recognized? More importantly, how do you prove it to others who might have questions?
This is where your marriage certificate comes in and it is important. Really really important.
NOTE #1: For the purposes of this page, we are going to be talking primarily about marriages that have taken place within the United States.
NOTE #2: If you intend to use your marriage certificate to change your name, you can use our online name change application.
What Is a Marriage Certificate?
A marriage certificate is the legal document that you are going to use when you need to prove that your marriage has been legally recognized by your state and, by extension, the federal government.
There are two types of marriage certificates: certified and not certified (informational).
Didn't I Already Get One of Those Before My Wedding?
Before you got married you had to fill out a marriage license. This is not, technically speaking, the same thing. It is true, though, that in some states it is the exact same document, but it cannot be used as proof of the marriage's validity until your officiant signs it and files it with your local records office (or whichever office is in charge of vital records where you live).
More simply: the marriage license is what you have to file so that you can get married. The marriage certificate is what proves the marriage actually (and legally) happened.
What About the Fancy Looking Certificate I Signed At My Wedding? Won't that Work?
The fancy looking certificate with the pretty fonts and the big spaces for you and your new spouse to sign is really only for the two of you. It won't hold up in court and you won't be able use it to do things like changing your name. For official purposes, you will need the legal (and, typically, more boring looking) marriage certificate.
Why Do I Need This?
There are all lots of reasons to have a certified copy of your marriage certificate on hand. For one thing, you will need the certified copy available when you start to take care of legal things like changing your name.
Of course, in some circumstances (like if you just need to do research, etc); Informational copies of your marriage certificate ought to work just fine.
What's the Difference Between an Informational and Certified Copy?
Typically the only difference between a certified copy and an informational copy of a marriage certificate is the seal that does or does not get applied to the paper on which the certificate is printed.
An informational copy is usually just a plain printed copy of the certificate. It does not contain a seal.
A certified copy will sometimes (depending on the issuing state) be printed on specific security paper. It will always have a raised seal applied to its pages. The seal might not be easy to see but you can definitely feel the bumps if you run your fingers over the paper.
Who Can Get a Certified Copy?
Not everyone is able to get a certified copy of a marriage certificate.
Almost the only people who are allowed to request certified copies of marriage certificates are the two people named on the certificate, spouses of the people married by the certificate (in the event that both parties on the document are no longer married), and immediate family members (parents, grandparents, children, siblings) of the people named on the certificate.
If you aren't one of these people, there are still options available to you. You can have one of the people named above give their written consent to have your request filled. You can also try to prove that you need the certified copy to prove that you need to protect personal or property rights.
If you don't meet any of these criteria, you can still request an informational copy of the certificate.
This varies from city to city and from state to state. Make sure you call ahead to get the right information for where you live.
Which Kind of Marriage Certificate Should I Get?
If you are able, it is definitely in your best interest to obtain a certified copy of the marriage certificate. For one thing, you will need your copy to be certified if you have to submit it for anything legally or governmentally-related (like legally changing your name, getting a new social security card, etc).
If you are just doing research, or aren't able to get a certified copy, an informational copy should be sufficient. In fact, informational copies can be sufficient for most purposes, so long as they aren't related to anything governmental.
How Do I Order My Marriage Certificate?
There are a few different ways that you can order a marriage certificate.
The first thing you need to do is make sure that you have all of the proper documentation ready to go. Each state will have different requirements. Some states will require you to fill out a request form to order the certificate. You will also need to present an official form of ID like a current Driver's License, state-issued ID card or Passport. Call ahead to make sure you know exactly what you need.
You should also make sure that you know exactly how much it is going to cost to have your certificate printed and certified. The cost isn't usually large, but it is better to know ahead of time so that you are not surprised. It is also in your best interest to make sure you have the proper type of payment ready. Some states accept debit cards and checks. Others do not. Make sure you know what your state needs from you!
Ordering In Person
The easiest way to get your marriage certificate is to visit your local records office or courthouse and make the request in person. The process should only takes a few minutes to have the certificate printed out and, if needed, certified.
Obviously that few minutes does not include time you might spend waiting in line. Even if you have to wait in line for a while, though, you'll have an easier time when you order your certificate this way.
Over the Phone
Most jurisdictions do not allow you to request a certified marriage certificate over the phone. There are a lot of reasons for this. The biggest reason is that you are going to need to provide certain documents and forms of identification to prove that you have a right to the information that you are trying to get. This is not something that can be done over the phone.
Some cities and states, however, might allow you to phone in a request for an informational copy of a marriage certificate.
By Fax
If your local town or state isn't going to allow you to request your marriage certificate over the phone, they might let you submit the request via fax.
There is usually an extra fee for obtaining a copy of your marriage certificate via faxed request. There are further fees if you want your request to be expedited. The fees can be pretty spendy. Make sure that you know what they are before you agree to them. It might be worth the monetary savings to just go in to the office and wait in line.
Over the Internet
You can also request certified copies of your marriage certificate online. Most states have paired up with independent organizations like Vital Chek, Background USA, and Vital Rec to offer this service.
Before you just jump over to, say, Vital Chek—make sure that this is the organization that is endorsed by your state. A quick search of your state's Department of Health or Department of Records website will tell you which organization the state prefers you use. Some states will even offer the service through their own websites.
Requesting certified copies of your marriage certificate online can be expensive. Many of the organizations that offer this service require you to pay with a major credit card. Some can charge upwards of forty dollars just to have the certificate printed. If you don't want to wait for a few weeks to receive your certified marriage certificate in the mail, you will have to pay an extra charge to expedite the process.
The fees vary from state to state. They vary from document to document. They vary from regular processing to expedited processing. Make sure that you do your research before placing your order.
If you live locally, it's a lot more time and cost effective to simply pay a visit to your local records office to get your certificate printed and certified.
If, however, you no longer live within the state in which you were married, these Internet services offer you a fantastic and reliable way to obtain the forms and certificates you need.
IMPORTANT: You can do more with these services than just ordering certified copies of your marriage certificate. You can also order certified copies of birth certificates, death certificates, divorce settlements, and other vital records. The cost for these things varies, so it might be a good idea to shop around for the best pricing if you have that option available to you.
What If I Need To Travel Overseas?
Believe it or not, there are some situations in which you are going to need to prove that your marriage is legal when you are traveling (or living) abroad. If you encounter (or think you will encounter) one of these situations, you might need to have your marriage certificate authenticated with an apostille.
An apostille is an authentication that a document is valid, legal and binding. It is recognized by every country that is participated in the Hauge Convention. Each state is going to have a different method of helping you get an apostille for your certified marriage certificate. You can usually find this information on your state's health or records website. It is often better, however, to actually call the office yourself. This way you can be sure that you actually have up to date information and aren't relying on a website that nobody has had the time to update for a while.
It might also be helpful to contact the US State Department of Authentications to make sure that you've got all of your ducks in a row.
What If I Got Married Overseas?
Almost exclusively, a city, county or state is only going to have marriage certificates on file for people who actually got married there. If, for example, you were married in Prague, you probably won't be able to obtain a copy of your marriage certificate from the records office for Eugene, Oregon.
So what are you supposed to do?
The best course of action you have when you need to be able to prove that you are legally married, is to contact the United States Embassy or Consulate office in the country that the marriage ceremony took place.
Here is where you can find a list of the different Consular Offices for the United States.
You can also visit the State Department's website to find out more about getting married overseas.
Hey! What If I Need to Prove that I'm Not Married?
We aren't sure why you would need this, but we understand that sometimes things happen. Identities get mixed up, etc.
While it isn't common in all states, some states actually do issue a Letter of No-Marriage. Often you will need extenuating circumstances to obtain this letter (like proving you aren't already married so that you can get married in a foreign country).
First, you are going to have to do a search for marriage certificates in your name. This is easier if you have a specific state in which to search, as marriage certificates aren't filed nationally; they are only filed with a specific state.
If no marriage certificate can be found you can request a notarized copy of the No-Marriage Letter from the state in which you ran your search. There is typically a specific form that you are going to need to fill out. You might also have to prove your identity before the letter will be issued. There may also be associated fees involved.
Remember: this varies from state to state so check with your local authorities as to how you can prove that you AREN'T (or WEREN'T) married.
It's easy to get intimidated by the process of getting married—especially in terms of taking care of all of the legal stuff that happens after the ceremony. This is why knowing how and why you should get a copy of your marriage certificate is important. Hopefully this has shown you that the process doesn't need to be a scary one. In fact, we're willing to bet that you'll find the process of getting (and using) your marriage certificate is going to be downright easy!
I'm getting married Oct 20th 2017 in Oakland Alameda County My fiance an I need to know what to do ASAP ,we were wondering if our officiant is responsible for our marriage certificate or us need a lil advice.
Hi Katrina. Yes, your officiant is responsible for returning your marriage license for recording.
Me and my husband married 2/19/13 we did everything in one day we have a license ,certificate of marriage and certificate of record all on one paper is this certified it has a golden seal of the circuit court for Pulaski County, Arkansas
Hi Sherita. Was it taken by hand to the county clerk and registered that same day? Does the document have a stamp or say certified? It's unlikely it's a certified copy as it takes time to return it to the county clerk and have it recorded.
Hi, i got married in February in chicago,
IL but when filling out the marriage license the lady helping me put my maiden name and did not ask me. I havent yet ordered my marriage certificate due to me thinking its going to have my maiden name and not my marriage. I want to change my last name but not sure what im suppose to do. Can you please help me?
Hi Magali. Illinois marriage licenses don't provide spots to specify a new last name. You can go ahead and order your marriage certificate and use it as-is to change your last name.
Hi there, I'm getting married October 21st, 2017 in Oakland County, MI. My fiance and I are going to the county clerk to get our certificate then but, what exactly do we get that day? What happens after we apply for it?
You can't apply on October 21, 2017, as that's a Saturday and Michigan county clerk offices close on weekends. There's also a three-day wait between applying and when you'll receive your license. You'll have to time it out properly in advance. If you can't wait three days you can request a waiver.
I was just married in new york state, dutchess county to be exact. My marriage license was mailed in by my oficient with my Adress as the return adress. Will a mariage liscence be mailed to me or do I need to request one, if so when and how will i know the license has been recieved and processed?
A certificate of marriage registration will automatically be mailed to you. If you haven't received it within four weeks, contact the city or town clerk to find out what happened.
You'll have to contact the city or town clerk to determine if they received your license.
Hi, my husband just married my sister and brother in law over the weekend in Ohio at their house. Where it says place of marriage, does he just put their address since that's where the ceremony happened?
Correct.
Hi, I recently got married in Hawaii and they sent me a marriage certificate, the thing is they did not put their state seal on it to make it certified. Now I am not able to change my name yet, do I need to call them and tell them what happened or do I need to just need to order a new one when it wasn't my fault.
thanks
Hi Makinna. The vital records office is Hawaii's department of health issues certified documents by default. Are you certain it's not certified? A lack of a seal doesn't necessarily mean it's not certified.
What if I'm not having a wedding or anyone marrying us, how do I get a certificate after the marriage license ? Can they do it all at the court house ?
Hi Tia. Some courthouses do offer civil ceremonies. You'll have to contact them for scheduling and fees. Your marriage certificate will be obtained from the office that recorded the marriage, regardless of how the marriage took place.
I. Freaking out my husband and I were married may of that year talking to my best friend who's getting married next week and she said somethimy about sending marriage lisence in after ceremony I ran and looked at mine and it say marriage lisence and certified it's the one we signed with pastor and witnesses and filled out at town hall now I'm scared were no really married!!!
Hi anonymous. You're married, but it's possible the office responsible for recording your license and certificate never got a return, so they have no record of your marriage. Contact the office to see if your pastor turned in a copy. If not, the clerk will explain to you how to file a delayed marriage certificate.
Hello
I just wanna know if we can getting married true online and how I assure that the certificate is real.. Thank you so much
Hi Rolyn. I know of no online marriage option.
Hi I got married on September 12, 2015 but I did not send it the certificate that my marriage officer gave to me. Am I legally married or not?
If I distroying the certificate is there any proof that I was married?
Hi Natalee. You'll have to submit a delayed marriage certificate. Contact the office that would have handled the recording of your license about the procedure, which varies by state. You may have to submit affidavits from you, your spouse, witnesses, and the officiant.
Hi Valera,
I was married in Kansas in 1988 and took my husband's last name — officially, my Social Security card is in my married name. I am now living in a state that requires proof that I changed my name — that is, I need to show my birth certificate (obviously that is in my maiden name) and my Social Security card (which shows my married name) and, since they don't match, proof of the name change.
Kansas seems to have lost my marriage certificate, and questions whether the officiant ever filed it. I'm pretty sure it was, but after 29 years I don't remember the name and even if I did I doubt he would remember the event.
What are my options for getting proof of marriage and name change at this point?
Hi Elizabeth. You can try contacting the Department of Health's vital statistics office about filing a delayed marriage certificate, since the old one can't be found. Then obtain a certified copy of that for additional proof.
Hello Elizabeth,
Did you ever resolve your issue?
My mother is in the same predicament and needs to get a drivers license in a different state.
Is your mother unable to get a certified copy of her marriage certificate?
My sister de used she would write in the recorded date on the bottom part of my marriage license!! How do I remove it? I know the court is supposed to fill it in when I go register it… please help!!
Hi Samantha. You can deliver it manually to the office and make note of the error. It shouldn't cause a problem in the recording.
Hello my husband and I got married on July 16 of this year and we haven't received a certified copy of our marriage certificate yet. The attorney who performed our marriage told us it was going to be send us between 15 days. But we are confused because we read we need to formally request a marriage certificate. We didon't do that as long as we know, but we were charged the 15$ for a marriage certificate copy in our reception when we got our marriage license was this made automatically or we still have to make an order to get a copy? We are worried because I need to update my name very soon since I am applying for citizenship with my new last name. Thank you.
I meant June 16
Hi Lorena. Could you specify the state the marriage took place in?
My daughter filled out papers to get married. She married her husband while he was in prison. Now haven't know one seen a marriage license. No we are wondering if they are really married. How can we find out? She never took his last name.
Contact the office that would have recorded the marriage license and have them perform a search and send you a certified copy of the marriage record, if found. Some states have state-level vital statistic registrars who can perform searches and dispatch certified copies as well.
Hola pregunto soy de Puerto Rico mi mama murio y necesito el certificado de matrimonio para hacer una declaratoria de herederos se casaeon en brooklyn. ¿Como lo puedo obtener?
Hi Betsy. Contact the Puerto Rico Department of Health for marriage certificate copies.
My husband and I have been married (we think ) for nearly 40 years. At this time my husband is applying for citizenship. We have applied for the legal copy of our marriage license and the county shows no license for us. We are completely stunned and really do not remember if we applied for a license. I vaguely remember but it was so long ago that now we are stumped. We have always believed that marriage was legal. Now because we need to prove we are married we are not sure how to prove this. Can you help us?
Hi Caprice. Determine if the state registrar also records marriage certificates. If so, you can try having them to issue you a copy. If you know that you were married, then contact the county office about the process for verifying your marriage's existence when no record can be found. You'll typically have to submit an affidavit attesting to the marriage's existence, when it occurred, and who was present. If you can get supporting witnesses, that would help.
Hi, this would be the most unsual question you have received. My fiance and I are forced to get an officiant who we don't want due to religious boundaries set by our parents. We were wondering if we can get a new set off marriage certificate a year after with a judge signing off marriage certificate when we don't have to answer to anyone? Thanks for all your help.
Hi Ruby. No, you won't be able to get a judge to do that. You may want to consider just getting remarried. Some states offer remarriage licenses where you'll subsequently get a new certificate issued.
Hi I want to change my name to my husbands last name but my marriage certificate says my maiden name. Can I get an updated certificate or do I have to petition to the courts?
Thank you
Hi Jaimie. Are you certain you live in a state that issues marriage certificates where new names are reflected? If you do, such an amendment wouldn't be accepted unless the official who issued your license or recorded your marriage record made a mistake.
Hi Val,
Even when I have my marrriage certificate certified copy, can I still get the original? If yes how? I do need the real copy :)
In most states the original is kept by the county/state.
No, you don't need it. A certified copy has full legal force.
i am a legal refugee immigrant with my family of my wife and a son and we live in Chicago. We were married since 1996 and we dont have any legal marriage certificate; sometime we would be needing for legal procedure. Is there any way that we can obtain one.
Hi Jagath. You'll have to contact whoever is the registrar of vital records for your state or country.
Hello,
I was married early this year in New Orleans, after returning to Texas I paid Vitalcheck to expedite my certificate, which ended up with Vitalcheck reporting that no record could be found. I called the Judge's office to ask what to do, to which they replied they could not find our paperwork either (yet they remembered us). We have the copy we were given at the courthouse, but I understand this is not a legally binding document (although stamped). Short of asking the court to simply look harder for the records, what can I do? Am I married or not? Can my spouse change her name for SS and Drivers License? Thanks.
Hi SR. It's possible your marriage was not recorded. You may have to get in touch with whomever solemnized your marriage to determine if your marriage record was filed.
Hi Val,
My husband and I got married this year in Texas. I used my maiden name for the marriage license and there after we had the ceremony with a judge. Same day I got a certified true copy of the marriage license expecting the original to be mailed. My question is: Is this certified true copy same as the main marriage certificate? Secondly how can I change my maiden name to my married name even after I have obtained the certified true copy in my maiden name? Thanks.
Hi Martha. Certified copies are just as good as the original. Take it to the SS office, DMV, etc, to change your name.
Hi, my name is Lucy, my husband and I got married 5 years ago and when we got married there was a paper I had to sign as well as my husband and two witnesses, I got that paper from the magistrate that married us which he had signed and dated as well, my question being, was this paper our marriage certifaicate? And was I supposed to of turned this paper in to the court??
I got married in the state of NC by the way.
Your description suggests it is a duplicate copy of your marriage record, which is the equivalent of a certificate. If you're not sure, you can stop into the register of deeds office that issued and recorded the license to confirm it's authenticity. You can also call the office to determine if your marriage record has been recorded.
No, that would have been the magistrate's job, unless he told you otherwise.
Can I get married in a different county from which my marriage license says but the same state though
Hi Destiny. In depends on the state. In most states you can, in others where you married is either tied to your residency or where the ceremony will take place. I can't tell you definitively without knowing the state.
Got marriage one week ago, why the certificate don't have her last name change to my last name
Hi Amos. Some states don't show new last names on the certificate. You may be in one of those states. I can't elaborate more without knowing the state you're in.
Hi Valera, Amos again, the State i'm ln is the state of Florida
Hi Amos. Florida is one of the states where the marriage license application doesn't have a space for new name, therefore the marriage certificate would only reflect the current legal name.
I'm getting married oct 2017 and I need my marriage certificate but unfortunately I don't have this my ex has it can I get one ?
Hi Elizabeth. I don't understand. If you're getting married in Oct 2017, then your marriage certificate wouldn't exist until after you're married. Please clarify.
I do not agree with marriage licenses, as a marriage is God ordained.
That being said, can our pastor file our marriage certificate, signed by him, us and our witnesses and get a certified copy good for name changes, bank info etc.?
Thanks!
"What God give, let no man take away"
Hi Alan. It depends on the state. Some states will automatically send you a certified copy once it's been recorded, as it's part of the original marriage license fee. Other states require you to purchase it separately.
I can't provide more specifics without knowing the state. You could contact the office that issues the marriage license to determine if your certificate is included in the marriage license fee. If not, how do you go about getting a copy. For some states, the issuing office is not the same as the recording office.
hi, the place of marriage written in the certificate is not the correct address of our place of marriage. what is the best thing to do? in our wedding photo taken at the house but the address written in certificate was in City Hall and it's not look like office. our photo is one of the proof that we are married. do i need to change the address or not. my husband is a Canadian and i am a Filipina. we are worried maybe the immigration will question the place of marriage. what is the best thing to do?
Hi Elle. You can contact the office where you certificate is recorded to get an amendment. The recorded place should be where the marriage was solemnized.
i i got married 12 years ago in Iran i came to us like 4 years age as a refuge . i have green card . i would like to register my marriage in us and get a us certificate of marriage but i do not know is legal or not? If it is legal how can i get it?
Hi Massy. Foreign marriages are recognized in the U.S. You could provide a copy of your Iranian marriage certificate as proof of marriage.
I got married back in 2015 through dallas county but can't find my marriage on public records. Does this mean that I'm not really married?
Hi Sway. No, your marriage is still valid. You can contact the Texas Vital Records office to perform a look up.
To get just a copy of our marriage licence do both of us have to go or can my husband just go get it by himself?
Hi Megan. Just one can go.
Hello, this may be a strange request. My mother has to prove her marriage for a name change back in 1963 in Georgia,. She doesn't remember where or when she got married just an around about month. Will they be able to look up a marriage license based on time frame?
Yes, they should. She can even call the office where her certificate was recorded to determine if they can find it before ordering one. Such offices often prefer you contact them before mailing in a request form with payment so that they can confirm if it's available in their records.
Hello, I have been divorced for 15 years now and I will be marrying my fiance in a month. My question is that we now have the marriage license and I don't want to show his family that I'm a divorced woman as it shows on the marriage license. Do you think the Register of Deeds could omit the "reason" of separation from the marriage license if I go and request the change?
Hi Arianna. It will reflect whatever you write in. Marriage license applications don't typically ask for a reason why a divorce ended, just when it ended. Some require a certified copy of a divorce decree to validate the marriage ended, but this document isn't recorded alongside the marriage license/certificate. You can contact your local Deed's office to verify this.
I did not have to provide a date that I was divorced just the fact that I was married once before.
Hi Casey. It varies by state. Some require proof, some don't, while others don't even ask.
My husband passed away …2015,,,manpower need marriage sertificate but my I'd issued on my married name now I wait 7 months already paid 75 rand …
Hi Annatjie. I'm not sure what you're asking here. Are you saying you purchased a certified copy of your marriage certificate which never arrived? If so, have you phoned the office which holds your certificate to determine if they ever received your request and if it was sent out? If you paid by check, was it cleared?
Hi, I filed for a marriage license and signed it in front of a judge, I did this in az… I did a search for my marriage certificate and it was never filed… Just the license.. Does this mean I was never married??
Hi Julia. In Arizona, I believe the certified copy of your license is the equivalent of a certificate. This means you are married. Such documents should be filed in the Superior Court. It's often referred to as an abstract, certified copy.
hello,
We were married a few weeks ago in Indiana. Our marriage certificate has my maiden name on it, not my desired married name. Was wondering if I would have to apply for a legal court name change or if the social security office would accept the certificate as a proof of name change as I want to have his last name?
Hi Ashley. The certificate is sufficient.
Hello,
My husband and I got married in Sep. in MO but we live in Texas. we received a copy of our marriage license in the mail from MO. The copy has a raised seal under the deputy's signature. Does this make it a certified copy?
Hi Lisa. Yes, that means it's certified.
Hi Valera, I got married last July and I signed the marriage license with my maiden name, they just gave me the fancy one, now I need copies of my license but I want to use my marriage name, are they able to send me a copy with a marriage name? or is going to be the same that the big one.
Hi BethJo. If you're in need of a copy of your marriage license, the issuing office will only send you what's on file; no changes. If you need a copy of your marriage certificate, the recorder's office will typically only allow modifications if there's an error on their part.
I lost my marriage certificate and have since moved to another state. Can I get another one with the state I live in on it instead of the state I was married in?
You'll have to get another copy from the state you were married in.
I got married last Thursday,when am I expected to get my marriage certificate as the promise to mail it to us..how long does it take in houston texas
Hi Desmond. Whomever officiated your wedding was required to send the completed marriage license back to the Texas county clerk office for recording within 30 days of your marriage ceremony. You'll have to contact the county clerk office where you purchased your license to determine if and when they received it, and when they'll dispatch your copy. Your certified copy.
I used to work for a cruise line, my husband and me got married in Flrorida( Port Canaveral) ,he is from India and me from Peru ( we are not US resident). We just gave our passport copies, due to we were not able to have the originals. My question is: I did not legalize my marriage certificate and i just realized there is a due date in the Marriage certificate, I did not legalize my marriage in my country's council to make legal in my country and neither he did. Now, we are no longer together and he lives in India and I am in Peru and we want to get divorce .
I was in USA for a period of 5 month and i contacted lawyers and the first thing they asked was if I was a US resident. I told them not and they told me they cannot help me. How this can work out , are there any solutions for this. Am legally married in USA even if i did not legalize my marriage certificate . Thank you in advance for any help. ( I got married in 2010)
Hi Julia. You'd have to contact an attorney in Peru to proceed with your divorce.
My husband and I got married secretly in NYC, but are having a wedding this summer in NJ. Only one of our family members knows that we are married, and we aren't ready to tell the rest yet. Our officiant/pastor doesn't know either… does a remarriage license look the same/have the same info on it as a marriage license, or can we obtain a New Jersey marriage license since we were previously married in New York? We'd rather avoid telling people so soon if we can help it.
Thanks!
He/she will know once you present him with the remarriage license.
Yes, it's the same application. For New Jersey, there's a "marriage" and "remarriage" checkbox on the application. You'd have to tick the remarriage option, then fill out details about the prior marriage.
Hello,
I was recently married in Massachusetts and have been unable to find out how I get a copy of my marriage certificate. Vitalchek does not show record of it and I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep calling the town hall until they get it. Is this normal? Should I get a copy in the mail even though I haven't yet paid for one?
Hi Casey. Try contacting the Registry of Vital Records in Mass for assistance.
I have 2 first names. I would like to remove one and just have one instead. Also I'd like to make a middle name for myself by creating a shorter version of my maiden name. Then lastly, have my husbands last name. When I sign my marriage certificate do I just sign it with my newly created name? And will I have to after that process it through the courts in Nevada because it's a more complex change?
Hi Teresa. You would have to go through the courts, so what you specify on your marriage license wouldn't be of much importance. A court petitioned name change will allow you to change all parts of your name to whichever you choose.
Hello! I got married in Hawaii about 6 weeks ago and was told I would be sent a certified marriage certificate but that has not happened. I live in MT and really need to get my name changed. Do I need to call somewhere in Hawaii to get a certified copy? I can't go to the clerks office where I live to get it, correct? Thanks for your help!
Hi Cindy. Hawaii will send you a copy of your marriage certificate 2 to 4 months after your marriage takes place. If you need it sooner, you'll have to order a certified copy from the Hawaii Vital Records office.
hi we just got married this year February 23rd, then in our certificate of marriage I signed my maiden name, not my husband name, then we get worry coz he told me I should using his name in our marriage certificate, is that true I change my maiden name in to my husband name, thanks
Hi Beth. It depends on the state. Some require the name used on the certificate to match what you ultimately choose to change it to.
hi thanks for response we are married in Davao City Philippines, then my husband is from Buffalo New York, in our certificate of marriage do I really need to change my last name right away in our from, from my last time to my husband name, bcoz in our from it's our form to both us, nalilito tlga ako hehe, I hope matulungan niyo ako,thanks
Hi Beth. No, you don't have to change your last name right away—or at all. You can wait it out, then complete the process when you're ready.
thank u so much its a big help for me, yeah that was i'm thinking no need to change my last name right away,my husband want me to change my last name right away I told him we have to wait till everything is done,
Hi,
A couple of years ago I applied for a marriage license at a wedding chapel but my exfiance & I decided not to go thru witht it due to realizing it was not the correct decision. Its been over 6 years since we have not been together since we decided to go our own ways. Earlier this week i search the public records and shows an application for a marriage license os that going to stay on my record for ever even tho we decided to not get married?
Hi Melissa. Marriage licenses are part of the public record. For both you and your ex-fiance. You can try contacting the office that issued your license to have your record revoked and removed from public search, but it's doubtful it'll be agreed to.
I've been married for 6 years and I haven't changed my last name and I want to but I misplaced my marriage certificate what should I do .
Hi Katrina. Contact the recorders office in the county (in some states its the town/city office) where you were married to order a new certified copy of your marriage certificate.
Can u get a marriage license in a different county if you are still married In another county
Hi Shawna. You must be unmarried to get a marriage license, regardless of county.
Hi,
I have an unusual case apparently: when i married almost 24 years ago I changed my name on SS card to read my maiden name and hyphenated husband's name. However, I never used the hyphenated name and yes we are still married. so all of my records: paycheck. passport, drivers license, IRS records (signed jointly); credit cards everything that identifies me is in my maiden name as I had before marriage. Challenge: I am ready to retire with a defined schools benefit program and PERS needs to know my SS info matches my current identity. SS however is saying OMG I screwed up! I am awaiting a local SS office's supervisor's "decision" to allow the change to my name so I can submit my pension benefits (this does NOT include SS retirement benefits at this time.) Any advice?
Hi Cecilia. At this point, it would be useful to get a decision from your local SS office. This would be the most expeditious route, assuming it's decided in your favor. Yours is an understandable situation, and they very well may accommodate you. If they do not, then you can go through a court petitioned name change to reaffirm your maiden name. Such a document would satisfy the SS office. It's not a complicated process. It just takes a short amount of time and a fee to be paid. So, in the end, you do have a way to resolve it.
Hi, I signed marriage certificate with my spouse before our wedding. However, we put different address on the register form since we did not live together yet. In this case, which address should marriage certificate will be mail to? Or do I have to pick up from the county clerk?
Hi Jin. You would supply your current mailing address at the time you order a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
Hi i recently got married and want to change my surname to my married name and also change my given name from Helen to Eleni. . Im greek orthodox so i was married in an orthodox church .. was i given the right marriage certificate. . Kind regards Eleni
Hi Helen. A first name change would require you to go through a court petitioned name change.