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Loading ...Want to get married? Here’s how.
Equal marriage has been on a roller coaster this year. Yes in Iowa, Vermont, Maine and – just this week – New Hampshire, which join granddaddy Massachusetts. A big NO in California.
Requirements for marriage licenses vary from state to state, and couples determining where to get married can find it baffling. Here’s a state-by-state equal marriage guide:The “Constitution State” followed Massachusetts on Nov. 12, 2008, in allowing same-sex marriage. On Oct. 1, 2010, all existing civil unions will be automatically transformed into marriages.
* Where: Connecticut allows couples from out-of-state to get married, though they must apply for a license in either the town in which one of the individuals lives or in the town in which the couple plans to marry. Couples can get the license from a local vital records office.
* How: Both partners must be present and must apply for the license in person.
* Out of state couples: Connecticut allows non-residents to get married.
* Waiting period: None.
* Cost: $35, cash only.
* ID: In addition to a photo ID (divers license, visa, passport, or military ID), those wishing to get a license will need to know their social security number, their mother’s maiden name, their parent’s birthplace, the date and location of the wedding, and the contact information of the wedding officiant.
* Other: The license expires after 65 days.
Iowa:
As of April 27, 2009, Iowa allows gay residents and non-residents of the state to get married.
* Where: Couples should contact the county clerk’s office in the city they live in or wish to get married in to find out where to apply for a license.
* How: Both partners wishing to get married must be present when applying for the license.
* Out of state couples: Couples from out of state are allowed to marry in Iowa, though couples should contact the county clerk’s office to make sure no additional information is needed for non-residents.
* Waiting period: Iowa requires a three-day waiting period.
* Cost: $30, cash only. This does vary from county to county.
* ID: Along with a photo ID and social security information, Iowa requires one witness over the age of 18 be present when applying for the license.
* Other: Licenses are valid for six months.
Though the state passed an equal marriage bill on May 6, 2009, the law will not go into effect until Sept. 14. A people’s veto could prevent the law from taking affect – conservative activists are working to overturn the law now.
* Where: Couples should contact the local county clerk office to find the location of the town office where they need to get their license.
* How: Both partners must be present at the town office in order to get a license
* Out-of-state couples: Out-of-state residents can apply in any city or town office in the state; it does not have to be in the same town as the wedding.
* Waiting period: None.
* Cost: $10 per person, cash only. Couples must also pay the cost of the certified documents, which varies.
* ID: A photo ID may be required, along with social security information.
* Other: The license is valid or 90 days, and no blood tets are required.
NEXT PAGE: Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire
Any information around for those of us in NH and alike that have civil unions? Wondering if we’re going to have to go through the same process or if it will hopefully be a bit quicker and easier..
Or you could come on up to Canada. If you didn’t know already, it has been legal for same-sex couples to get married for a while now.
Plus since its legal country wide, you can get married on the east coast or west coast.
Get your facts right … Conn. no longer requires a blood test for anybody.
Richard: in New Hampshire, if you have a civil union, you can have it changed to a marriage quite easily and for no additional charge. If you haven’t done it by 2011 (if I recall correctly), it will be done automatically.
I’m sorry if this is a silly question, but what does it mean when he says the licences are valid for a certain number of days? Does this mean that the marriage is only valid for that time?
Hey Mike, let me guess… You don’t work in customer service, or any job that requires you to address people in a civil manner.
Scott, no, it only means that as soon as you get the license, you have only that many days to get married, or the license will expire and you’ll have to get a new one. Once you’re married, you’re married. (In most states at least
)
i was thinking of taking my partner of nearly 8 years on a tour of all the states that allow it and getting married in each one. Does anyone know if that would be legal?
Why not just call this ‘How to get a marriage license’? Never having marriage available before I still don’t know what to ‘do’ with the license! We live in Missouri so are considering Iowa.
I live in CA and wish to marry Dec 09. If I pick any of these states where it is legal its only legal in that state correct? When I return to CA where I live, CA wont recognize it so why should I marry out of state? Thats the part that is confusing to me.
Stephanie:
If you marry in December 2009 out of state, your marriage would be valid in any country or state that recognizes same-sex marriages.
When Prop. 8 is repealed in California, then your marriage would be recognized in California.
Marry for the right reason, because you love the person you are committing to spending the rest of your life with. The benefits and responsibilities that are part of “civil marriage” are just the icing on the cake.
Actually, Mike works for his state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Can’t you tell? LOL!!!
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“Seth Said: June 5th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Hey Mike, let me guess… You don’t work in customer service, or any job that requires you to address people in a civil manner.”
Howdy,
On the day same sex marriage becomes legal in NH – January 1, 2010, all civil unions will be automatically converted by the state into civil marriages – so you don’t have to do anything.
The details will be figured out in the next few months, such as if a marriage license will be sent to the unionized or what have you.
Correction – apply by Jan. 1, 2011 to get civil unions converted into marriages in NH. There was earlier talk of automatic conversion, but some gays objected because they like the separatist idea of a special institution.
Thanks for this information. My partner and I live in KC, MO and plan on going to Iowa to get married soon. To bad they have a 3 day waiting period because we do not have a car and would have to go there two times or stay there for a few days. And woofer if you get married in one state you will not be able to get married in another because you would not be divorced from the first marriage. Gay marriage is something a lot of us have been waiting to be able to do for many years, it isn’t something to joke about.