The specific requirements for applying for a marriage certificate in the United States are governed by state law. The general procedure usually involves the couple applying for a marriage license (usually with the county or city clerk), which is then taken to an officiant-an individual with the authority to solemnize marriage unions. The authority to solemnize marriages is usually granted to a number of government officials, such as judges and clerks, and religious officials, such as priests. The exact list of individuals authorized to officiate a marriage varies depending on the state, with some states, such as Florida, also giving this power to notaries public.
Another major difference between states is the requirement for the marriage ceremony to have witnesses.
States requiring 2 witnesses
Arizona, Delaware (must be 18 or older), Kansas (must be 18 or older), Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan (must be 18 or older), Minnesota (must be 16 or older), Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon (must be 18 or older), Rhode Island (must be 18 or older), Utah (must be 18 or older), Washington, Wisconsin (must be 18 or older), Wyoming
States requiring 1 witness
California, Iowa (must be 18 or older and must present ID), Nevada, New Jersey (must be 18 or older and must know both future spouses), New York (must be 18 or older), South Dakota
States / District not requiring witnesses
Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado (some clergy, judges, or public officials may request witnesses to be present), Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia (unless officiant fails to complete paperwork), Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia
Once all requirements are met, the officiant formally concludes the marriage by dictating the marriage vows, pronouncing the couple married, and allowing them to kiss one another. Officiants (and, in some states, witnesses) must duly fill out the marriage license. The couple is then considered married
The couple then goes back to the county/city clerk to submit the completed license. They can now qualify for a marriage certificate to be shown as proof of their matrimony. In some states or localities, a certified copy of the marriage license is issued instead of a marriage certificate and has the same effect.
If a given marriage certificate needs to be used abroad, it must usually be apostilled or authenticated/legalized with the destination country’s consulate. The exact procedure will vary from state to state (and, in some states, from county to county). Some states, such as Florida, have a vital records bureau that stores marriage records, while others, such as California, do not. In the latter case, a marriage certificate/license can only be retrieved from the county in which the marriage license was originally filed.
If you need to present your marriage license or certificate abroad, do not hesitate to contact us by e-mailing us at info@apostille.us or by calling us at (212) 233-7061. You can also place an order on our website.