New York City Marriage License

New York City handles marriage license applications through the Office of the City Clerk, which runs five borough offices across Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. The NYC Marriage Bureau uses an appointment system called Project Cupid, so walk-in visits are not allowed at any of the five locations. Couples who want to get a marriage license in the city must schedule their visit online or by phone before showing up. You can apply at any borough office, no matter where you live in the five boroughs or beyond. The process takes one visit if you bring the right documents and pay the $35 fee. Your license works anywhere in New York State for 60 days after it is issued.

NYC Marriage License Borough Offices

New York City spans five counties, one for each borough. The NYC City Clerk runs a marriage license office in each one. You do not need to visit the office in the borough where you live. Any of the five locations can process your application. All five offices follow the same rules and charge the same $35 fee. The boroughs and their county names are: Manhattan (New York County), Brooklyn (Kings County), the Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), and Staten Island (Richmond County).

The Manhattan office sits at 141 Worth Street in the Municipal Building. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The Brooklyn office is at 210 Joralemon Street, Room 205, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Bronx office is inside the Supreme Court Building at 851 Grand Concourse, Room B131, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Queens office is at 120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens, open 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The Staten Island office is at Borough Hall, 10 Richmond Terrace, Room 311, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Note: All NYC City Clerk offices require appointments. Walk-in visits are not accepted at any location.

How to Get a Marriage License in NYC

Start by going to nyc.gov/cupid, which is the Project Cupid scheduling system. You can book an in-person appointment at any of the five borough offices. A virtual appointment option also exists for the marriage license portion. Both you and your partner must be present, whether in person or on camera. The online application expires after 21 days, so do not start it too early. Fill out the form, pick your appointment date, and show up with your documents.

Bring a valid photo ID to your appointment. The NYC City Clerk accepts driver's licenses from any U.S. state or territory, passports from any country, state-issued non-driver IDs, IDNYC cards, U.S. military IDs, naturalization certificates issued in the last 10 years, and alien registration cards with an expiration date. Expired documents will not work. You also need to know your Social Security number. If you were married before, list all prior marriages on the application and bring your final divorce decree or a death certificate for a former spouse. All divorces must be done before you can apply.

The fee is $35. Pay by credit card, debit card, or money order made out to the City Clerk. Cash is not listed as accepted. Once the clerk issues your license, a 24-hour wait starts per DRL Section 13-b. You can ask a judge to waive that wait if you have a good reason. The license stays good for 60 days. Active military get 180 days instead.

The screenshot below shows the NYC Project Cupid appointment portal where you schedule your marriage license visit. Visit Project Cupid to book your appointment.

This is the main page where all NYC marriage license appointments are made online.

NYC Marriage License Ceremony Options

The NYC City Clerk performs civil marriage ceremonies at each borough office. You can schedule a ceremony through the same Project Cupid system. If you get married at the clerk's office, you will get your Certificate of Marriage Registration that same day. That is a big plus compared to waiting weeks for it by mail. Per Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, judges, mayors, ordained clergy, and appointed marriage officers can all perform your ceremony anywhere in New York State.

After the ceremony, the officiant and both spouses sign the license. One or more witnesses also sign. The officiant must return the signed license to the City Clerk's borough office where it was issued within five business days. If a month goes by and you still have not received your Certificate of Marriage Registration in the mail, call the office where you got the license. You can also email officeservices@cityclerk.nyc.gov for help tracking it down.

Note: If your ceremony is at a City Clerk office, you get your certificate on the spot instead of waiting by mail.

Getting Copies of NYC Marriage Records

Certified copies of marriage records from any of the five boroughs can be obtained from the City Clerk's office or from the New York State Department of Health. The state charges $30 per copy and takes 10 to 12 weeks for regular processing. Priority handling costs an extra $15. You can also order through VitalChek for rush delivery, though expect higher fees.

For older records, the city clerk holds marriage records going back decades. The NYS Department of Health genealogy section provides uncertified copies of records that are 50 or more years old when both spouses are known to be deceased. That search starts at $22 and can take eight months. Genealogy researchers may find the New York State Archives helpful too, as it holds indexes to marriage records from 1881 onward for the state outside New York City. For NYC records specifically, the Municipal Archives at 31 Chambers Street has records dating back to 1866.

Marriage License Legal Details

Under DRL Section 13, every couple who wants to get married in New York State must first get a marriage license from a town or city clerk. In New York City, the City Clerk handles this. The application asks for names, addresses, birth places, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and marital history. You also make a sworn statement that there are no legal blocks to the marriage.

The back of the application lists your surname options. You can keep your current name, take your spouse's name, hyphenate, or pick another allowed option. If you choose a new surname, that change becomes legal the moment your marriage ceremony ends. There is no extra step needed. If you skip it and want to change your name later through the City Clerk, you would need to get married again.

The Marriage Equality Act, signed into law in 2011, lets same-sex couples marry in New York State. All five NYC borough offices issue marriage licenses and perform ceremonies for same-sex couples under the same rules and fees. Per DRL Section 14, the clerk fills out the license form and hands it to the couple once the application is approved and the fee is paid.

Note: Marriages of anyone under 18 years old are not allowed in New York State.

NYC Marriage License Resources

The NY.gov marriage guide gives a solid overview of state rules that apply to all New York City marriage licenses. The state health department at health.ny.gov handles mail requests for certified copies if you need one sent to you from the state level. Both sites are worth checking before your appointment.

The NY.gov site breaks down the steps to get married anywhere in New York, including all five boroughs of New York City.

Nearby Cities

These cities and towns near New York City also issue marriage licenses through their local clerks.