Online Search For Public Marriage Records

By Claire Dowell


Applying for a marriage in New York will require both couples to head for the nearest town or city clerk. The application for a license has to be in the city or county where they are planning to get married at. The law states that the couples have to fill out the form in the presence of a clerk. This means that proxies or representatives are not allowed even if they have special powers of attorney or notarized marriage license affidavits. Thankfully, the state of New York doesn't require the couple to undergo physical exams such as a blood test or premarital examination.

Once the couple gets the license, they have to wait for 24 hours from the time it was issued before they can get married. If the couple is 16 years old or older, a special court order from the Supreme Court or County Court may waive the 24 hour period. For those younger than 16, the family court may issue the waiver instead. The marriage license is valid within 60 calendar days from the day it was issued. For same sex marriage applications they generally have to wait for 24 hours after receiving their license.

There are fees that you need to pay to obtain the wedding license. For citizens living in the outside of New York City, the fee is $40 for the certificate of marriage registration. Once the application is submitted, the certificate of registration will be sent to the couple after 15 days. For citizens living in New York City, they can get an accurate list of the fees by going to the nearest clerk.

Marriage documents also have other purposes. To many, they are great reference material in recreating their genealogical family tree. Children may also use the documents to prove their legitimacy especially when claiming inheritance. For others, the papers are additional documents that can be submitted when applying for a divorce. Widows and widowers may also need the marriage certificate if they are planning to claim insurance.

To obtain a copy of such papers will cost you about $10. To get a copy of a wedding after 1996, you have to visit the New York City clerk. For weddings during 1930 to 1955, you may have more luck in the Manhattan office. However, obtaining records for genealogical purposes can be costly depending on the search period. The fee starts at $22 for a one to three year period search up to $202 for an 81 to 90 year period search. You can go to the Vital Records department to make a request to obtain the wedding record you need. Just a quick tip, include a self-addressed stamped envelope along with your application form and payment. That way, you'll get your results via mail and you won't have to go back to the vital records department just to get your certificates.

Obtaining information on licenses and records can be costly. Good thing there are websites that offer free marriage records. They provide such information via their website or through email and will only bill or charge you if you get a certified copy.




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