Westchester County Marriage License

Westchester County marriage license records are kept by the city, town, and village clerks who issue them across this populous suburban county north of New York City. The county seat is White Plains. City clerks in Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, and White Plains handle many marriage license applications, along with town clerks in Greenburgh, Rye, Eastchester, and other communities. If you need to find a marriage license or apply for a new one in Westchester County, any local municipal clerk can help you.

Westchester County Marriage License Offices

The Westchester County Clerk at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in White Plains handles land records, court documents, notary services, and authentications. The phone number is (914) 995-3070. This office does not issue marriage licenses. For a marriage license, you go to a city or town clerk. Under DRL Section 13, every couple planning to marry in New York must get a license from a municipal clerk.

The fee is $40 at all Westchester County clerk offices. Both partners must show up in person together. Bring a certified birth certificate with your parents' names on it and a valid photo ID. A driver's license, passport, or state-issued non-driver ID works. If you were married before, bring certified copies of all divorce decrees or a death certificate for a prior spouse. Any documents not in English must come with a notarized English translation. The clerk reviews everything and issues the license. Then the 24-hour wait starts per DRL Section 13-b.

Westchester County has more options for where to get a marriage license than most counties because of its large population and many municipalities. The City of Yonkers Clerk is one of the busiest offices. White Plains, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Rye, and many town clerks also process applications regularly.

Yonkers Marriage License in Westchester County

The City of Yonkers Clerk is a popular choice for Westchester County marriage licenses. The non-refundable fee is $40, payable in cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card. All major credit cards are accepted. Credit and debit card transactions carry a 2.25% fee with a $1.49 minimum. No appointment is needed at the Yonkers office. Both of you arrive together with the required documents.

Yonkers marriage license hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. On Tuesday the office stays open late until 6:30 p.m. You need a certified long-form birth certificate showing your parents' names, plus a valid photo ID. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Under DRL Section 14, the clerk fills in the license based on what you provide.

After you get the license, the 24-hour wait applies. You cannot marry on the same day you receive it. The license works anywhere in New York State for 60 days. As of March 2023, Yonkers offers a one-day marriage officiant license for $25 to any person 18 and older, letting a friend or family member perform your ceremony.

Note: Credit card transactions at the Yonkers office include a service fee of 2.25%.

Other Westchester County Marriage License Clerks

The City of Mount Vernon Clerk issues marriage licenses by appointment only at Room 104 of City Hall. The fee is $40, payable by cash, card, or money order. Both partners must bring a valid government-issued photo ID, a certified long-form birth certificate with parents' names, and documentation for any prior marriages. Only the couple is needed at the appointment unless a translator is required. Digital certified copies must be printed out before you arrive. Documents cannot be laminated, torn, or damaged.

The Town of Rye Clerk at (914) 939-3570 also issues marriage licenses. Town Clerk Hope Vespia handles licenses along with other town records. The Town of Rye's vital records go back to 1847. Marriage licenses from any Westchester County clerk work throughout New York State. If you need to use a vital record for business outside the United States, you first get the document authenticated by the Westchester County Clerk for $3, then get an apostille from the New York Department of State for $10.

Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, judges, mayors, clergy, and appointed marriage officers can perform ceremonies in Westchester County. The officiant signs the license and returns it to the issuing clerk within five business days. The clerk files it with the state and mails you a Certificate of Marriage Registration.

Westchester County Marriage License Copies

Certified copies cost $10 from the city or town clerk who issued the license. The New York State Department of Health charges $30 with 10 to 12 weeks processing. Priority handling adds $15 for about two weeks. Rush service through VitalChek costs more but arrives faster.

Only the bride or groom can get a certified copy of a recent record. Records over 50 years old with both spouses deceased are open for genealogy. The NYS DOH genealogy section handles older requests at a base fee of $22. The New York State Archives has microfiche indexes to marriage records from 1881 onward.

Westchester Marriage License Records History

Vital records in New York State started in 1881. The Town of Rye's records go back to 1847, making it one of the older record-keeping offices in Westchester County. The New York State Library and the State Archives in Albany both have genealogy resources for marriage records. The National Archives at One Bowling Green in New York City also has copies of the state vital records microfiche index.

For Westchester County, marriage records stay with the clerk who filed them. The County Clerk at White Plains handles authentications and apostilles for vital records that need to be used overseas. Going to the local clerk first is the fastest way to get a copy of a marriage license when you know which town or city issued it.

Note: Authentication by the County Clerk costs $3 per document, and the apostille from the Department of State costs $10.

Cities in Westchester County

Westchester County includes several cities and towns that issue marriage licenses. These are the major communities with dedicated pages on this site.

Other communities in Westchester County include Rye, Eastchester, Mamaroneck, Scarsdale, Ossining, and Peekskill. All marriage license applications go through local city or town clerks.

Nearby Counties

These counties sit next to Westchester County. Contact the right clerk for where your license was filed.