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Marriage Licensing Requirements
Marriage is not just all about saying “I Do”. A lot of preparation is
required and one of the first things that need to be addressed is to procure a
marriage license.
Marriage licensing, it is said, was first practiced during the Middle Ages.
Documents were issued that would allow a marriage to take place even if existing
guidelines were not followed, such as when the required announcements were not
met.
Marriage licensing today serves purposes that are not all that far from those
served by its progenitor. For one thing, in the United States, a marriage
license is the legal document that authorizes couples to marry.
Rationale of Marriage Licensing
Marriage licensing is also required to ensure that state laws regarding bigamy
are not violated, especially since such a license is issued as a matter of
public record that can be accessed by anyone through eligibility or court order.
Furthermore, a marriage license serves as a binding contract that marital
obligations, such as those of faithfulness and support, will be met. This
contract is so important as a legal document that it remains binding even when
the couple becomes legally separated.
As a legal contract, both parties (bride and groom) should be of a certain legal
age (at least age 18) to enter into it — unless they are at least age 16 and
have secured the consent of both sets of parents or guardians; or if the female
is pregnant, or both parties have a living child together.
As proof of their age, parties are required to submit federal- or state-issued
identification that shows their dates of birth, such as a driver’s license.
As further proof of identification, the parties should present documents that
show their Social Security numbers. If either party does not have Social
Security, that person should prepare a signed statement to that effect.
Not all states require couples to take a blood test. However, the marriage
license is generally only released to the bride or groom, unless otherwise
stated at the time of application. In many states, there is a waiting period of
3 to 5 days between application and release.
And since it is a contract, states generally require that both parties sign it,
along with the person officiating the marriage. Some states also require the
signature of a witness.
Unless a state specifies no time frame, the marriage ceremony should take place
within 10 days to a year (depending on the state) following marriage licensing.
Otherwise, the marriage license must be re-filed.
Are you sure that the marriage license actually ended in marriage? Check out if
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