Find Marriage License in Broome County
Broome County marriage license records are filed with the city or town clerk who issued them. The City of Binghamton clerk is the most used office in the county for marriage license applications. Broome County sits in the Southern Tier region of New York State, with Binghamton as its county seat. Birth, marriage, and death certificates are not filed at the Broome County Clerk's office. They stay with the municipal clerk where the event took place. If you need a marriage license or a copy of one, you go to the local level first or request it from the state.
Broome County Overview
Binghamton City Clerk Marriage License
The City of Binghamton City Clerk is at 38 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY 13901. Phone is (607) 772-7005. This is the main office for marriage license services in Broome County. Both partners must appear together. Bring a valid driver's license, an original birth certificate, and if either person was married before, a divorce decree or death certificate for each prior marriage. The fee is $40. Per DRL Section 13, every couple planning to wed in New York must first get a marriage license from a town or city clerk.
After the license is issued, you wait 24 hours before the ceremony can take place. The license is good for 60 days. You can get married anywhere in New York State. No blood test is needed. Both applicants must be 18 or older. The Town of Chenango clerk also handles marriage licenses in the Broome County area, though appointments are recommended there. The $40 fee covers the license and a Certificate of Marriage Registration that the clerk mails to you after the signed license comes back from the officiant.
| Office | City of Binghamton City Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address |
38 Hawley Street Binghamton, NY 13901 |
| Phone | (607) 772-7005 |
| Fax | (607) 772-7155 |
Broome County Clerk's Office
The Broome County Clerk's office is on the 3rd floor of the Edwin L. Crawford County Office Building in Binghamton. The mailing address is P.O. Box 2062, Binghamton, NY 13902. Phone: (607) 778-2255. Email: clerkinfo@co.broome.ny.us. This office keeps passports, deeds, mortgages, naturalization records, and divorce records. Documents filed before 1964 are in the office or at the County Records Center in Vestal. Documents after 1964 are available online.
The County Clerk does not issue marriage licenses. It does not hold birth, death, or marriage certificates either. Those records stay with the city, town, or village clerk where the event happened. You can also order vital records through the NYS Department of Health by calling 1-855-322-1022 or visiting their website. For a marriage license copy from Broome County, contact the specific clerk who issued it.
Note: The Broome County Surrogate's Court at 92 Court Street has probate records dating back to 1806.
Broome County Marriage License Process
You can get a marriage license from any town or city clerk in New York State. You do not have to apply in the town where you live. Many Broome County residents go to the Binghamton City Clerk because it is the largest office in the area. But town clerks in Chenango, Union, Vestal, Endicott, Johnson City, and other Broome County communities also issue licenses. All charge $40.
What you need to bring:
- Valid driver's license or state-issued photo ID
- Original birth certificate with parents' names
- Divorce decree or death certificate if previously married
- $40 fee in cash or check
Under DRL Section 13-b, the 24-hour waiting period starts the moment your license is issued. After that, you have 60 days to hold the ceremony. Active military members get 180 days with proof. Your marriage certificate is a legal document you will use many times. When you get it, check it carefully for any errors in names, dates, or places. If you find a mistake, contact the town clerk's office right away so they can fix it before filing with the Department of Health.
The ceremony itself is simple by law. Each party must state, in front of the officiant and at least one witness, that they take the other as their spouse. Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, judges, clergy, mayors, and other officials can perform the ceremony. The officiant does not have to live in New York State.
Broome County Marriage License Copies
A certified copy of your marriage license costs $10 from the clerk who issued it. Go to that clerk in person or send a mail request. The NYS Department of Health also provides copies for $30 each. State processing takes 10 to 12 weeks for regular handling. Priority handling costs an extra $15 and takes about two weeks. Rush service through VitalChek costs more but arrives faster.
For genealogy, the New York State Archives has microfiche indexes to vital records starting in 1881. The Broome County Public Library at 185 Court Street in Binghamton is one of the locations where you can view these indexes. The library phone number is (607) 778-6400. Marriage indexes are available after 50 years. The State Archives in Albany has the full collection.
The Surrogate's Court at 92 Court Street, Binghamton, handles wills and estates. Phone: (607) 778-2111. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Summer hours run 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Probate records there go back to 1806. These can be useful for family history research alongside marriage records.
Cities in Broome County
Broome County includes Binghamton and several surrounding communities. Marriage licenses from any clerk in the county are valid statewide.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Broome County. Check with the clerk who issued your license if you need copies.