Albany County Marriage License

Albany County marriage license records are kept by the city and town clerks who issue them. The Albany City Clerk handles most marriage license applications in the county, with the office at City Hall on Eagle Street in downtown Albany. Several other municipal clerks across the county also issue marriage licenses, including the towns of Colonie, Bethlehem, Guilderland, and Cohoes. If you need a copy of a marriage license filed in Albany County, you can contact the clerk who first issued it or request one from the New York State Department of Health. Both paths give you a valid certified copy, though fees and wait times are different.

Albany City Clerk Marriage License Office

The Albany City Clerk is the main place to get a marriage license in the county. The office sits in Room 202 at City Hall, 24 Eagle Street. Both partners must show up in person to fill out the application. You can call ahead with questions at (518) 434-5090. Hours run Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Under DRL Section 13, all couples who plan to wed in New York must get a marriage license from a town or city clerk before the ceremony can take place.

When you go to the Albany City Clerk for a marriage license, bring two forms of ID. One should be your birth certificate. The other needs to be a photo ID like a driver's license or passport. No blood test is needed in New York State. The fee for a marriage license in Albany is $40.00. Cash is the safest way to pay, though credit cards may now be accepted too. After the clerk hands you the license, a 24-hour waiting period starts per DRL Section 13-b. Your license stays valid for 60 days after it is issued. If one of you is active military, that goes up to 180 days.

The Albany County Clerk's office at 16 Lodge Street handles deeds, mortgages, and court records. It does not issue marriage licenses. That job falls to the city and town clerks. The County Clerk can be reached at (518) 487-5100. Marriage records from the City of Albany before January 1, 1914 are not held by the State Department of Health. Those older records stay with the city clerk who filed them.

How to Get a Marriage License in Albany County

Getting a marriage license in Albany County is a quick process. You and your partner go to any town or city clerk in New York State. You do not have to apply in the town where you live or plan to get married. The Albany City Clerk is the most used office in the county, but clerks in Colonie, Bethlehem, Guilderland, Cohoes, and other towns also issue licenses. Walk into the office together, fill out the form, show your IDs, and pay the $40 fee.

The Albany City Clerk's website has more details on what to bring. You need a birth certificate and a photo ID. If you were married before, bring your divorce decree or a death certificate for a prior spouse. The clerk checks everything and issues your marriage license on the spot. Per DRL Section 14, the town or city clerk fills out the license form and hands it to you. Then you wait 24 hours. A judge can waive that wait if needed. Your license works anywhere in New York State for 60 days.

You can also schedule a civil ceremony at the Albany City Clerk's office. The fee for a ceremony there is $40. Up to 10 guests can fit in the room. You need your marriage license, your partner, and two witnesses. After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and sends it back to the clerk. About two to four weeks later, the clerk mails you a Certificate of Marriage Registration. That certificate proves your marriage is on file with the state.

The screenshot below shows the Albany City Clerk's page where you can find details on marriage license hours and fees. Visit the Albany City Clerk website for the latest info.

This page lists the documents you need and the current fee for a marriage license in Albany.

Albany County Marriage License Copies

A certified copy of your marriage license costs $10 from the town or city clerk who issued it. That is the cheapest option. If you go through the New York State Department of Health, the fee jumps to $30 per copy. The state office takes 10 to 12 weeks for regular processing. For faster service, you can use priority handling at an extra $15 per certificate. Rush orders through VitalChek cost more but ship in about five business days.

To get a copy from the Albany City Clerk, bring your photo ID and pay the $10 fee in person. You can also mail a request. Include a notarized letter with the names of both spouses and the date of marriage, plus a check or money order for $10. Mail it to the Albany City Clerk at 24 Eagle Street, Albany, NY 12207. Only the bride or groom can request a certified copy unless the record is over 50 years old and both spouses are dead.

For genealogy work, the NYS Department of Health genealogy section offers uncertified copies of marriage records on file for 50 or more years when both spouses are known to be deceased. The base fee is $22 for a search of one to three years. Wider searches cost more. Processing a genealogy request can take eight months or longer. You may save time by going to the local clerk first.

Note: The New York State Department of Health does not hold Albany City marriage records filed before January 1, 1914.

Municipal Clerks in Albany County

Albany County has many towns and villages with their own clerk offices. Each one can issue marriage licenses. The list includes Albany, Altamont, Berne, Bethlehem, Colonie, Cohoes, Coeymans, Green Island, Guilderland, Knox, Menands, New Scotland, Ravena, Rensselaerville, Voorheesville, Watervliet, and Westerlo. All charge the same $40 fee set by state law. You pick whichever office is most handy for you.

Any marriage license from an Albany County clerk works throughout New York State. The license is not tied to the town where you got it. You can get married in any county, any city, any venue in the state. After the wedding, the officiant sends the signed license back to the clerk who issued it. That clerk files it with the state and mails you a Certificate of Marriage Registration. Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, a wide range of people can perform your ceremony, from judges and mayors to ordained clergy and appointed marriage officers.

Albany County Marriage License History

Vital records in New York State started in 1881. The New York State Archives holds indexes to marriage records from 1881 onward for the entire state outside New York City. These indexes are on microfiche and can be viewed at several locations, including the State Archives at the Cultural Education Center on the Empire State Plaza in Albany. The indexes show names, dates, places, and certificate numbers.

The New York State Library also has genealogy resources. The Department of Health satellite office at 800 North Pearl Street in Menands lets you submit genealogy requests in person, which can save time compared to mailing forms. For Albany County specifically, city marriage records before 1914 are only at the city clerk level. The County Clerk's office at 16 Lodge Street has deeds, mortgages, and court records going back decades, but marriage licenses sit with the municipal clerks and the state.

Note: Marriage indexes are made available after 50 years, and birth indexes after 75 years per state policy.

Cities in Albany County

Albany County includes the City of Albany and several surrounding towns. Marriage licenses issued anywhere in the county work statewide.

Other communities in Albany County include Bethlehem, Guilderland, Cohoes, Watervliet, and Voorheesville. All marriage license applications go through local town or city clerks.

Nearby Counties

These counties sit next to Albany County. Make sure you contact the right clerk for where your license was filed.