How to Get Married in New York City

Obtaining a Marriage License

Begin the application online if you want to speed up the process. Visit the “City Clerk Online” website at https://www1.nyc.gov/cityclerkformsonline/ and submit some of the application online. Once you’ve finished the portion available online, you’ll receive a confirmation number to bring with you to the office to complete the remainder of the paperwork in person. Write the confirmation number on a piece of paper or in the Notes app on your phone so you don’t forget it. Note that the confirmation number expires in 21 days. If you don’t fill out the paper version of the application before that time, you’ll have to re-apply.

Obtain proof of your age and identity. To get married in New York, you must be able to prove you’re at least 18 years old and that you have proper identification. Make sure you have one of the acceptable documents to prove your age, like a birth certificate, baptismal record, naturalization record, or census record. To verify your identity, get a driver's license, passport, employment picture ID, or immigration record. If you’re under 17, you cannot get married. If you or your future spouse is 17 years old, you need the written consent of both parents and a family court judge.

Pay the $35 fee for a marriage license. Pay via credit card or with a money order payable to the City Clerk. You cannot pay the application fee with any other method, like cash or check. You can get a money order from a bank or post office.

Fill out the paperwork with your partner in person at the city clerk’s office. Both partners must be present to apply for a marriage license. Go to the city clerk’s office together and ask for an application at the information desk. Then, complete the application in the office with a witness. You cannot apply for a license on behalf of another person. The city clerk’s office has locations in all 5 New York boroughs: Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.

Wait at the city clerk’s office while the paperwork is processed. Once you complete the paperwork, stay at the office until it’s ready, which typically takes less than 30 minutes. You’ll leave with the license in hand.Tip: Review the completed license carefully before leaving the office to make sure there aren’t any errors.

Get married between 24 hours and 60 days after receiving your license. Wait at least 24 hours before you have your wedding ceremony for the marriage to be valid. Keep in mind that the license will expire 60 days from the day after you get the license so you’ll need to get married before that date. The only exceptions to these rules are if you have a judicial waiver to be married before the first 24 hours or if you’re active military personnel, in which case your license is valid for up to 180 days.

Getting Married at City Hall

Arrive at the city clerk’s office on a weekday between 8:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. The office is only open for marriages during regular business hours from Monday to Friday and does not accept appointments or reservations. Show up in the morning if you want the best chance of not having to wait long. Be aware that the wait time typically ranges from 45 minutes to 2 hours.Tip: Avoid popular days like Valentine’s Day or Christmas Eve if you don’t want to deal with crowds.

Bring your marriage license, identification, and at least 1 witness. On the day you want to get married, have a valid marriage license issued by the New York City clerk’s office, along with proper identification and at least 1 person to serve as a witness to your marriage. Some examples of proper ID include a driver’s license, passport, or U.S. permanent resident card. The witness must be at least 18 years old and also provide proper identification.

Pay the $25 fee to have your marriage ceremony at City Hall. Pay with a credit card or with a money order payable to the City Clerk. No other forms of payment are accepted for marriages. To get a money order, visit your bank or the local post office.

Get married in one of the chapels to receive your marriage certificate. When it's your turn, go to either the East or West Chapel of the city clerk's office, where an officiant will marry you and your partner. Then, get your official marriage certificate from the office before you leave. Note that the ceremony itself will be very short, usually less than 10 minutes.

Getting Married Elsewhere in New York City

Find a registered marriage officiant. Book an officiant who is approved to perform marriage ceremonies under New York state law and who is registered with the city clerk's office. Search online to find a marriage officiant or ask friends or family for recommendations. If you aren't sure if an officiant is specifically registered with the city clerk's office, call the office or mail them a letter of inquiry.

Determine your budget to narrow down your location options. Figure out how much money you're willing to spend on a venue. While there are few (if any) free spots to get married, unless you choose to do so in a private home, there are more affordable options if you have a tight budget. Set one before you start looking. Take into account how much you want to spend on decorations, food, etc. too. You don't want to blow your whole budget on the venue alone. Research different wedding venues in NYC to get a feel for what the average cost is or what a realistic budget would be for where and when you want to get married.

Choose a venue based on your wedding theme or your personal interests. Decide where you want to get married. Do you want it to be outdoors? Consider Central Park or one of the many botanical gardens. Do you love the NYC skyline? Try the Top of the Rock or another skyscraper location. Figure out your favorite spot and book it for the date of your wedding. If faith is important to you, opt for one of the beautiful historic chapels or religious buildings in the city. Realize that if you want to get married at one of the more popular destinations, like the New York Public Library or The Plaza Hotel, you'll have to reserve the location very far in advance, sometimes even over 1 year before the date.

Get married by the registered officiant and sign the marriage license. On the day of your wedding performed by the registered marriage officiant, sign the marriage license after the ceremony is completed. Then, have your officiant, partner, and witness sign it, too. Sign the license in pen, not pencil, or it won't be valid. Let the marriage officiant take the license once it's signed. They're responsible for returning it to the city clerk's office within 5 business days of the ceremony.

Wait up to 20 days to receive your certificate of marriage registration. After your officiant returns the signed license, wait for your certificate of marriage registration to come in the mail. It shouldn't take more than about 20 days from when it was submitted to arrive. If you haven't received your certificate in a month, call the city clerk's office or visit in person to figure out what the issue is.Tip: Look over your certificate as soon as you get it. If there are any errors, you have 2 weeks from the day you received it to have them corrected for free by the city clerk.