Requirements to getting married in state

Published: 03-02-2020 9:47 PM

If you’re planning to get married in New Hampshire, here’s what you need to know to make sure everything is legal.

The Granite State is a pretty simple place to get married, you just need a marriage license and an officiant. That makes eloping super easy. You don’t need to be a resident to get married here and there’s no waiting period for a marriage license.

Marriage license

To obtain a marriage license, you must visit a city or town clerk in person with your planned spouse (unless your partner is in the military and unable to return before the ceremony). You don’t need to go to a clerk in your own town, for example, if you and your spouse both work during the week and your town’s clerk is only open weekdays, you can visit a different town that offers weekend hours.

■Marriage licenses are valid for 90 days and can be used that day. They are only valid in New Hampshire.

■Each person getting married will need to bring a document that proves their identity with name and age, such as a driver’s license, non-driver Id or passport.

■If either person has been married previously, they must bring a certified copy of documents showing they are no longer married (divorce decree, death certificate, etc.).

■You’ll need to provide your name, birth date, state of birth, social security number, race, parents information, education, and background on previous marriages (if applicable.)

■New Hampshire does not require a blood test.

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■It costs $50 to obtain a marriage license. After the ceremony has been completed, you can return to the clerk’s office to receive certified copies of your marriage certificate. The first copy is $15 and additional copies requested at the same time are $10.

Officiant

An officiant is someone who meets the qualifications set by the state of New Hampshire to perform marriages. VisitNH.gov summarizes those persons as:

■A justice of the peace commissioned in the State of New Hampshire

■Any minister of the gospel in New Hampshire who has been ordained according to the usage of his or her denomination, who resides in New Hampshire and is in regular standing with the denomination.

■Any member of the clergy who is not ordained but is engaged in the service of the religious body to which he or she belongs, resides in New Hampshire, after being licensed by the Secretary of State.

■Any minister who resides outside of New Hampshire, but has a pastoral charge wholly or partly in New Hampshire, if the marriage is performed within his parish, after being licensed by the Secretary of State.

■An individual who resides outside of New Hampshire, who is authorized or licensed by law in their state of residence to perform marriages, after being licensed by the Secretary of State.

■Judges of the United States appointed pursuant to Article III of the United States Constitution, or by United States magistrate judges appointed pursuant to federal law, after being licensed by the Secretary of State.

■Bankruptcy judges appointed pursuant to Article I of the United States Constitution, after being licensed by the Secretary of State.

■New Hampshire Supreme Court justice, superior court judge, or circuit court judge, after being licensed by the secretary of state.

Aside from the officiant, witnesses are not required.

To learn more, visit sos.nh.gov/marriage.aspx.

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