Overview
A couple planning to get married in New York state may go to any City or Town Clerk’s Office to obtain a marriage license. The license is good for marriage anywhere in the state, and must be signed by the couple in the presence of the City or Town Clerk.
The marriage license is good for sixty days. There is a 24-hour waiting period from the time that a couple applies for the marriage license and the time that they may actually be married. There is no blood test required to obtain a marriage license in New York.
Required Documents
The state requires that the couple show proof of identification (driver’s license, DMV-issued non-driver’s license, passport or employer’s picture ID card) and proof of age (certified copy of birth certificate, baptismal record, etc.). If either spouse was previously married, the City or Town Clerk will need to see certified copies of divorce papers or a death certificate (if a previous spouse died) for all previous marriages, before the marriage license may be issued.
Marriage licenses are issued between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday (non-holiday).