Kings County Marriage License

Kings County marriage license records are handled by the New York City Clerk's Office, not by a local county clerk. Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City, so its marriage license process runs through the city system. The Brooklyn office of the NYC City Clerk sits in the Municipal Building at 210 Joralemon Street. Couples who want to get married in Brooklyn or anywhere else in New York City must use the NYC City Clerk to apply. You can also apply at any of the other four borough offices if you prefer, and your license will work throughout the state.

Kings County Marriage License at the Brooklyn Office

The NYC City Clerk's Brooklyn office is where most Kings County residents go to get a marriage license. It is on the second floor of the Brooklyn Municipal Building at 210 Joralemon Street, Room 205. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Walk-in service is not available. You must book an appointment first. Couples can schedule online through Project Cupid or by calling the office. Both partners must show up at the same time to fill out the application per DRL Section 13. A representative cannot apply on your behalf, even with a power of attorney.

The fee for a marriage license in Kings County is $35. This is less than the $40 fee charged by town and city clerks in the rest of New York State. You can pay with a credit card, debit card, or money order made out to the City Clerk. Cash is not accepted. After you get your license, you must wait 24 hours before the ceremony can take place. This 24-hour waiting period comes from DRL Section 13-b. If you need the wait waived, you can request a judicial waiver from the Kings County Clerk at no charge.

You can also apply at any other NYC City Clerk borough office. The Manhattan office is at 141 Worth Street. The Bronx office is at 851 Grand Concourse. The Queens office is at 120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens. The Staten Island office is at 10 Richmond Terrace. All five offices process Kings County marriage license applications the same way. Your license works anywhere in New York State for 60 days.

The screenshot below shows the NYC Project Cupid appointment system where you can schedule your marriage license appointment online.

Use this site to book your appointment at the Brooklyn office or any other NYC City Clerk location.

How to Get a Marriage License in Kings County

Both partners must come to the appointment together. Bring a valid photo ID. The Brooklyn office accepts a driver's license from the U.S. or its territories, a valid passport from any country, a U.S. military ID, a New York State non-driver ID card, a New York learner's permit, or an IDNYC card. Expired documents will not work. You also need to know your Social Security number, though the card itself is not required.

If you were married before, bring proof that each prior marriage ended. That means a certified copy of your divorce decree for each divorce or a death certificate if a former spouse died. All divorces and annulments must be final before you can apply for a new marriage license in Kings County. List every prior marriage on the application. The clerk will check these details carefully. Under DRL Section 14, the clerk fills in the license form based on what you provide, and both applicants sign it in front of the clerk.

The license is valid for 60 days after it is issued. For active military, the period goes up to 180 days. Your marriage ceremony can take place anywhere in New York State during that window. If you want to get married at the Brooklyn City Clerk office, the civil ceremony fee is $25. You can have the ceremony right after the 24-hour wait ends.

Note: Appointments at the Brooklyn office can fill up fast, especially in the spring and summer months.

Kings County Marriage License Copies

Marriage records from the NYC City Clerk are handled differently than those in the rest of the state. The New York State Department of Health does not hold NYC marriage records. You must go through the NYC City Clerk's office instead. Records from 1996 to the present can be requested at any borough office. For records from 1950 to 1995, you need to go to the Manhattan office at 141 Worth Street, Record Room Division.

The fee for a domestic short certificate of marriage is $15 for the first copy. Each additional copy costs $10. If you need an extended marriage certificate for use in a foreign country, the first copy is $35 and each one after that is $30. A duplicate marriage license or correction to an existing one costs $25. You can get these at the Brooklyn office or any other NYC City Clerk location.

Only certain people can request marriage records less than 50 years old. You must be one of the spouses, have written permission from one of the spouses, be an attorney who needs it for a court case, or show that both spouses are dead. Marriage records older than 50 years are public and open to anyone.

Marriage Ceremony in Kings County

You have two main choices for your ceremony. You can get married at the Brooklyn City Clerk office for $25, or you can have a private ceremony anywhere in New York State with an authorized officiant. Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, many people can perform a wedding. That list includes judges, mayors, clergy, and appointed marriage officers. Any officiant who performs ceremonies in New York City must register with the city first.

At the Brooklyn office, civil ceremonies are quick. You need your marriage license, your partner, and at least one witness. There is no minimum age for a witness, but pick someone who could testify in court about what they saw. The officiant and both witnesses sign the license right after the ceremony. If you marry outside the clerk's office, your officiant must return the signed license to the issuing office within five business days.

After the license is filed, the City Clerk mails you a Certificate of Marriage Registration. This usually takes about 20 days from when they get the signed license back. If you marry at the clerk's office, you get it on the spot. This certificate proves your marriage is on record. It lists the date, time, place, and the officiant's name.

Note: Ship captains are not authorized to perform marriages in New York State, despite what popular culture suggests.

Name Change on a Kings County Marriage License

Neither spouse has to change their last name after marriage. It is not automatic. But if you want to, you can enter your new surname on the marriage license application. Your choices include taking the other spouse's name, going back to a former surname, combining both names into one, or using a hyphenated version. The name change takes effect at the end of the ceremony. You do not need a court order for this type of change.

If you skip the name change on the application and decide later that you want a different surname, you would need to remarry through the City Clerk's office or go through the courts. The marriage license is your one chance to do it as part of the wedding process. So think about it before your appointment. Many Kings County couples take advantage of this option since it saves the time and cost of a separate legal name change later on.

Kings County Marriage Records History

Brooklyn's marriage records go back a long way. The NYC City Clerk holds records from 1950 to the present. For records before 1950, you may need to check with the New York State Archives or the New York City Municipal Archives at 31 Chambers Street in Manhattan. The Municipal Archives has Brooklyn vital records from the 1860s through 1949. Access to older records may require an in-person visit.

The NYS Department of Health genealogy section handles genealogy requests for the state outside of NYC. For Kings County specifically, the NYC Municipal Archives is the better source for historical marriage records. Brooklyn became part of New York City in 1898. Before that, it was an independent city with its own records system. Marriage records from the pre-consolidation era can be harder to find and may require checking multiple sources.

The New York State Library also has genealogy resources and can point you toward the right archive for Brooklyn records. The National Archives at One Bowling Green in Manhattan has copies of the state vital records microfiche index as well.

Note: NYC marriage records are separate from the state system, so always start your search with the City Clerk or Municipal Archives for Kings County.

Cities in Kings County

Kings County is coterminous with the borough of Brooklyn. All marriage license services run through the NYC City Clerk system.

Brooklyn is the most populous borough in New York City. All marriage license applications in Kings County go through the NYC City Clerk, with the local office at 210 Joralemon Street.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Kings County or sit close to Brooklyn. Each has its own process for marriage licenses.