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Marriage Licenses

Update to Marriage Statutes

HB 1220 – Removal of Some Statistical Information

Effective January 1, 2025

As of January 1, 2025, the State of New Hampshire Division of Vital Records Administration will no longer be collecting race, ancestry or educational information on marriage licenses.

SB 359 – Raising Minimum Age to Marry

Effective January 1, 2025

Beginning January 1, 2025, the age to contract a valid marriage license will be raised from 16 years of age to 18 years. This means that New Hampshire courts will no longer issue age waivers..

Marriage Licenses

Anyone, whether a New Hampshire resident or not, may go to any New https://nhvrinplus.sos.nh.gov/NHVRINPlus/docs/global/JPLIST.PDFHampshire City or Town Clerk’s office to apply for a NH marriage license. Be prepared to show identification that proves you are of legal age to be married in New Hampshire.

Required Documents

In order to obtain a marriage license, the couple must appear together in person to fully complete a marriage application worksheet. Worksheets cannot be taken home or off-site to complete.To accurately complete the worksheet, each person must present the following documents:

  • Government issued photo ID (Driver’s License, Non-Driver Identification, United States Passport)
  • Certified Copy of Birth Certificate 
  • Individuals having had legal name changes since birth and prior to marriage must provide a certified copy of the legal name change.   
  • If either party was married previously, a certified copy of the document ending their most recent marriage is required.  

Photocopies or faxes of required documents are not accepted.  Documents in languages other than English require a certified translation.

Required documents provide vital information and eliminate errors.  Errors or falsification can cause great hardship and may make either party liable for criminal prosecution.

Names Used After Marriage

When completing the marriage application worksheet, both parties must indicate what their middle and surnames will be following marriage.  Either party may:

  • Retain their middle and surnames prior to marriage.
  • Retain their middle name and change their surname to the surname of the other party.
  • Retain their middle name and change their surname to a hyphenated combination of the full surnames of both parties.
  • Change their middle name to their surname prior to marriage and change their surname to that of the other party.

Name changes other than those listed above must seek approval of the court.

License Validity

If all requirements are met, a marriage license may be issued the same day. Marriage licenses are valid for 90 days from the date of issuance and may be used for a ceremony occurring anywhere in the State of New Hampshire.

Marriage Ceremonies

Signing the marriage license does not signify the couple is married as a ceremony must occur. The ceremony is to be officiated by a party deemed appropriate, and witnesses to the ceremony are not required. 

After the ceremony, the officiant must complete the officiant section of the marriage license and return the license and any special solemnization licenses issued by the New Hampshire Secretary of State to the city/town clerk of issuance within six days.

Certified Copies of Marriage Certificates

Certified copies cannot be issued until the completed license along with any special solemnization licenses have been returned to the city/town clerk’s office where it was obtained. Please allow approximately two weeks from the date of the ceremony before requesting certified copies. You may then contact any New Hampshire city/town clerk to obtain certified copies. The state-set fee for one certified copy is $15.  Additional copies issued at the same time are $10 each.

Accepted Forms of Payment

Cash, Check and debit/credit cards are accepted as payment for marriage licenses. Cash, check, and debit/credit cards are accepted forms of payment when obtaining certified copies.