MARRIAGE LICENSES

OBTAINING A MARRIAGE LICENSE

Before getting married in Connecticut, you need to obtain a marriage license.  There is a $30 fee paid at the time of application.  A blood test is not required in Connecticut.  The legal age for marriage in Connecticut is 18.  If you are under age 18, you need to obtain parental consent.  If under age 16, consent must also be endorsed by a Probate Judge.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Couples need to bring the following documents to the Town Clerk in the town where the groom lives, the town where the bride lives, or the town where the couple will have the marriage ceremony:

• Bride and groom's valid form of identification (driver's license, resident ID, passport or a birth certificate)
• $30 Marriage License fee
• Completed Marriage License Application (can be downloaded or filled out at office)

The bride and groom must appear, individually or together, in the Town Clerk's office to sign the marriage license.  A marriage license can often be obtained the same day, but check on your town's requirements. 

PERFORMING THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY

Marriage ceremonies must be performed within 65 days of the date of issue of the marriage license. Judges, retired judges, justices of the peace, family support magistrates, and state referees may join persons in marriage in any Connecticut town.  Ordained or licensed clergymen, belonging to Connecticut or any other state, may also join persons in marriage, as long as they continue in the work of the ministry.  Lists of justices of the peace who perform marriages are usually available at the Town Clerk's office.  Further information can be found at the Connecticut General Assembly Statutes website: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/pub/chap815e.htm

OBTAINING A COPY OF YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE

The Connecticut State Department of Public Health - Vital Records Section (www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3132&q=388130&dphNav=|46940|) registers marriages occurring in Connecticut. Certified copies of marriage licenses are also obtainable from the Registrar of Vital Statistics or Town Clerk in the city or town where the marriage took place and for marriages that occurred elsewhere in Connecticut, if the bride and groom were residents of that city or town at the time of their wedding. There is a $20.00 fee charged for a certified copy of a marriage certificate from a Town Clerk's office.

HOW TO WRITE FOR RECORDS: When writing for a marriage license, be sure to include the following information:

1. Date of request
2. Full name of husband (last name in caps)
3. Full maiden name of wife (last name in caps)
4. Date of marriage
5. Place of marriage
6. Relationship to party
7. Reason the record is needed
8. Requestor’s name & address
9. Requestor’s signature

Before making a written request, it is recommended that the Registrar of Vital Statistics or Town Clerk in the city or town of the marriage be contacted to confirm address and fees for marriage license copies. Be sure to include a self-addressed stamped envelope with all written requests.

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by service name: Records/Licenses/Permits

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SOURCES: State of Connecticut Department of Public Health - Vital Records Section website; State of Connecticut State Department of Public Health website; Connecticut General Assembly Statutes website
PREPARED BY: 211/pt
CONTENT LAST MODIFIED: March2012