Richmond County Marriage License

Richmond County marriage license records are handled by the New York City City Clerk, not a local county clerk. Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City, so the marriage license process here works the same as it does in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Couples who want to get married on Staten Island must schedule an appointment through the NYC City Clerk system. The Staten Island office is at Borough Hall, 10 Richmond Terrace, Room 311. You can also apply for a Richmond County marriage license at any of the other four borough offices across New York City, since the license works anywhere in the state.

NYC City Clerk Marriage License Office

The NYC City Clerk handles all marriage license applications for Richmond County. Walk-in service is not available. You must book an appointment through Project Cupid or by calling (212) 639-9675. The Staten Island office sits on the third floor of Borough Hall at 10 Richmond Terrace. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Both partners need to show up together with valid ID and payment.

The fee for a marriage license in Richmond County is $35. That is less than the $40 fee charged by town and city clerks in the rest of New York State. NYC accepts credit cards, debit cards, and money orders. Cash is not accepted. After the clerk issues your license, a 24-hour waiting period kicks in per DRL Section 13-b. The license stays good for 60 days. Active military members get 180 days. A judge can waive the waiting period if you have a pressing need.

You can apply at any NYC borough office, not just the one on Staten Island. The Manhattan office is at 141 Worth Street. Brooklyn is at 210 Joralemon Street. The Bronx is at 851 Grand Concourse. Queens is at 120-55 Queens Boulevard. All five offices issue the same marriage license, and it works statewide.

Note: Richmond County marriage licenses cost $35, which is $5 less than what most New York clerks charge outside the city.

How to Get a Marriage License on Staten Island

Getting a marriage license in Richmond County starts online. Go to nyc.gov/cupid and fill out the application. You need names, addresses, birth dates, social security numbers, and marital history for both people. The online form expires after 21 days. Once you submit it, book an in-person appointment at the Staten Island office or any other borough.

When you show up for your appointment, bring the confirmation number from your online application. Each person needs one form of valid photo ID. The City Clerk accepts driver's licenses from any US state, passports from any country, military IDs, IDNYC cards, non-driver ID cards, New York learner's permits, naturalization certificates issued in the last ten years, alien registration cards, and employment authorization cards. Expired documents will not work. Under DRL Section 13, both parties must appear in person at the clerk's office to complete the application.

If you were married before, list every prior marriage on the application. Bring your final divorce decree or death certificate for any previous spouse. All prior marriages must be fully ended before you can apply. The clerk reviews your documents and issues the license at your appointment. Then you wait 24 hours before the ceremony can take place.

Richmond County Marriage License Copies

After the wedding, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the City Clerk within five business days. The clerk files it and mails you a Certificate of Marriage Registration in about 20 days. If you had your ceremony at the City Clerk's office, you get the certificate the same day.

A domestic marriage record, also called a short certificate, costs $15 from the NYC City Clerk. Each extra copy is $10. If you need a marriage record for use outside the United States, the extended certificate costs $35 for the first copy and $30 for each one after that. A duplicate marriage license is $25. You can also get copies from the New York State Department of Health for $30 per copy, though processing takes 10 to 12 weeks.

The NYC Municipal Archives holds marriage licenses for Richmond County from 1908 through 1929. You can view these on microfilm for a $5 daily fee. Certified copies from the archives cost $5 each. Records less than 50 years old need proper authorization. Older records are open to the public.

Note: Post-1949 marriage records for Staten Island are held by the borough office of the NYC City Clerk, not the state.

Marriage Ceremony in Richmond County

You can have a civil ceremony at the Staten Island City Clerk office. The fee is $25. Book it through Project Cupid when you schedule your license appointment, or set it up after you get the license. You need your license, your partner, and at least one witness. Up to six guests can attend. Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, judges, mayors, ordained clergy, and appointed marriage officers can all perform ceremonies.

If you pick a different officiant for a private ceremony, that person must be authorized under New York law. Since 2023, anyone 18 or older can get a one-day marriage officiant certificate from the City Clerk for $25. That lets a friend or family member perform your wedding legally. The officiant must sign the license and mail it back to the borough office where it was issued within five days.

The Marriage Equality Act lets same-sex couples marry in New York State. All the same rules, fees, and procedures apply. There is no difference in the process.

Richmond County Marriage License Resources

The screenshot below shows the NYC Project Cupid appointment system, which is the main way to schedule a marriage license visit on Staten Island. Visit Project Cupid to book your appointment online.

Project Cupid lets you fill out the application, schedule your appointment, and set up a ceremony all in one place.

For genealogy research, the New York State Archives holds statewide marriage indexes from 1881 onward. The New York State Library also has resources for tracing vital records. For Richmond County specifically, the NYC Municipal Archives is your best bet for older records. Their collection covers marriage licenses from 1908 to 1929 and other vital records going back further.

The surname change option is listed on the back of the marriage license application. You pick your choice at the time of application. If you want a name change, it takes legal effect at the end of the marriage ceremony. You do not need a separate court order.

Nearby Counties

Richmond County is one of five NYC boroughs. These are the other borough counties and neighboring areas.