If you’re one-half of a loving couple, you may have made the mutual decision to make that long-term relationship as official as possible — not only in the eyes of your loved ones or according to common-law principles, but also as a formal, legal marriage. However, it’s not quite as simple as having the ceremony and trading rings.
To apply for a valid, legal incontestable marriage, you need to obtain a document called a marriage license beforehand. The other document associated with marriages, the marriage certificate, goes into effect only after you’re actually married.
Many engaged couples found themselves at loose ends after the COVID-19 pandemic closed down so many local clerical offices and forced individuals to avoid public interactions.
Fortunately, you can take care of your marriage license (and even your entire wedding) online. Here are some points you’ll want to understand about this convenient alternative to visiting your county clerk.
Who May Apply for a Marriage License Online?
Any couple whose members both meet all legal requirements can apply for a marriage license. In most cases you must both be at least 18 years of age, of sufficiently sound mind to understand what you’re doing, and not blood relatives.
It should go without saying that you can’t marry someone if you’re already married. Don’t assume that a legal separation clears the field for you. If you’ve separated from a spouse, you must obtain an official divorce before you can get married again.
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Marriage licenses usually have an expiration attached to them, with many states specifying windows of opportunity such as 60 days or 90 days. You must state your intention to get married within this period if you want to be considered eligible for a marriage license.
What Do You Need to Provide When Applying for a Marriage License?
Like many administrative procedures, applying for a marriage license requires seekers to provide various documents and information, whether you get that marriage license at a clerk’s office or over the Internet.
Be ready to provide proof of your age, your Social Security number if you’re a US citizen, and some form of ID (Passport, Driver’s License, or Government Issued ID). You may also be asked to affirm your expected wedding date and your non-married status.
Online marriage license applications may also impose some digital requirements. For instance, you and your spouse may both have separate email accounts and separate electronic devices that can stream online media. It’ll make the exchange of scanned documents and real-time communication with online wedding service providers much easier for everyone involved.
Choosing a full-featured laptop or desktop computer over a smartphone for your interactive conversation will ensure that your camera, microphone, and connection are all well up to the task.
Where Can You Apply for a Marriage License Online?
Many states allow you to download, fill out, and save marriage license applications online. However, you may still have to go to the clerk’s office to sign and pay for the license in person.
If you plan on cutting through all your wedding and pre-wedding red tape as effectively as possible, your best bet is to do so through MarryFromHome. Our comprehensive online wedding service includes an easy, streamlined online marriage license application process. You don’t even have to live in a state that permits online marriages — we’ll register you in a state that currently allows it. You can access the license application form here.
Make sure that you have digital scans of all the necessary documents on hand, and that you’ve submitted them to us in advance of any real-time chats we might need to have with you. This will make our easy application process even easier.
How Long Does It Take to Get Your Marriage License?
Your fully-prepared online marriage license will be ready for you on your wedding day. As soon as you’ve both said “I do,” you and the officiant in charge of your wedding will sign this document. The officiant then submits the signed document to the county, registering your marriage in a government database (if you’re running your wedding through MarryFromHome, we take care of this submission process for you).
At this point, you’re done from a strictly legal standpoint. However, you may need to be patient for a few weeks before you actually have the official document in your hands. The county clerk’s office must process the marriage license and then mail you a court-sealed document that stands as proof of your legally wedded bliss.
Can You Also Get Married Online Legally?
There’s no reason to limit the magic of modern digital communications to the pursuit of your marriage license. You can also conduct the wedding itself online, thanks to the online packages available from MarryFromHome.
Choose from a smaller, more intimate package or a more lavish affair, both of which take full advantage of Zoom video conference technology.
An online wedding from MarryFromHome offers much of the same flexibility as a traditional in-person wedding. You can have the wedding in any environment you choose, as long as that environment allows for good-quality video, audio, and Internet connectivity.
You can see your guests and hear their speeches or readings. (you can also mute them when they’re supposed to be listening to the ceremony quietly!)
Best of all, you can rest assured that all the details that make your marriage legal are getting taken care of by our professional team. We will make sure that your marriage license and marriage certificate (the document that serves as your final proof to the world that you’re married) get submitted in the right way to the right people, in a state that recognizes online marriage.
Are you two ready to tie the knot online? If so, reach out to MarryFromHome, and let’s turn your dream into reality!
