You’re getting married! Congratulations on behalf of all of us on the Inquirer.

Whether or not you’re eloping to the Jersey Shore, tying the knot at a Philly wedding ceremony venue or getting married by means of a self-uniting marriage officiated by you and your companion (sure, you are able to do that in Pennsylvania), you must get a wedding license first.

After you have a wedding license, you get a particular time interval to make it official. However you possibly can’t get legally married with no marriage license.

Right here’s what precisely a wedding license is, what it allows you to do, and the right way to get one in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

A wedding license permits a pair to get legally married. This license is issued by native governments on behalf of the state you’re getting married in and are stored in archives for public report and to confirm {that a} marriage is official.

You’ll be able to solely use a wedding license within the state it’s issued. In case you’re a Pennsylvania resident eager to get married in New Jersey, you must apply for a wedding license in Jersey — and vice versa.

No. A wedding license signifies that you registered your marriage with the federal government and now have a sure period of time to get formally married.

A number of weeks out out of your official wedding ceremony ceremony. Marriage licenses give {couples} a particular time interval to make their marriage official — and these change state by state. So, plan your wedding ceremony ceremony with the state’s time interval in thoughts.

Historically, you must get married within the presence of somebody who’s legally allowed to officiate a marriage — often called an “officiant.” Judges, Justices of Peace, leaders or clergy members of any faith, or somebody who’s state-certified to officiate a marriage is allowed to marry a pair as an officiant. An officiant can’t marry you as a pair until you’ve a wedding license.

The officiant will put their signature in your marriage license when you’re married and a piece of the doc shall be despatched again to the Register of Wills workplace the place you utilized for the license.

In Pennsylvania, you don’t want an officiant to get married. You’ll be able to marry yourselves as a pair so long as you’ve two grownup witnesses — it’s known as a “self-uniting marriage” and dates again to a Quaker custom (extra on that later).

Pennsylvania: 60 days. New Jersey: 30 days. That’s how lengthy you must get formally married in every state.After that, you must apply for a brand new marriage license.

Sure. When you get your marriage license, you must wait 72 hours till you will get married.

In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, marriage licenses are public data. Nevertheless, solely the individuals named on the wedding license or eligible events can request a licensed copy of a wedding license. For most of the people, you solely have entry to informational variations to confirm an official marriage.

It’s a must to convey a licensed copy of your divorce decree. In case your partner from a earlier marriage handed away in the course of the marriage, it’s worthwhile to present a licensed copy of their dying certificates.

No. The names in your marriage license would be the names which are listed on the ID that you just present. If you wish to change your final title when you’re married, you must undergo the method of legally altering your title with the Social Safety Administration and the DMV.

Sure. Marriages between non-citizens within the U.S. are legally binding. Every state has completely different ID necessities for getting married, so examine along with your native county workplace to see what you want.

In Pennsylvania, getting a wedding license is straightforward, and much more conveniently you will get married with out an officiant.

At a county’s Register of Wills workplace. In Philadelphia, that’s the Marriage License Heart in Room 413 of Metropolis Corridor — e-mail MLAppt@phila.gov to make an appointment. However you will get a wedding license in any Pennsylvania county and use it all through the state to get married. Right here’s a full checklist of Register of Wills workplaces throughout the state.

You want an appointment to use for a wedding license. Examine with the workplace the place you’ll be making use of at to see how one can make an appointment.

You want government-issued ID. Accepted IDs embody your driver’s license, state ID, worldwide driver’s license, passport (U.S. or overseas), army ID, resident alien card, consulate card.

You additionally want your Social Safety card or an official doc displaying your full title and Social Safety Quantity, like tax paperwork. In case you don’t have a Social Safety Quantity — it’s OK — you should utilize your start certificates (formally translated if it’s in a language apart from English) or authorities ID issued by one other nation.

In Pennsylvania, it’ll vary from $30 to $90 for a wedding license. In Philadelphia, it’s $90 — however you possibly can go to a different county to get a less expensive marriage license and use it wherever within the state.

In Pennsylvania, it’s best to get your marriage license the similar day you apply. However you must wait 72 hours earlier than you should utilize it.

No. You and your partner have to use collectively in-person. For a time period throughout COVID-19 lockdowns, emergency marriage licenses had been issued on-line, however that has since ended.

Your marriage certificates is available in three sections.

Because of a Quaker custom that dates again to 1681, Pennsylvania {couples} can legally marry themselves with out an officiant in what is known as a “self-uniting marriage.”

The method for getting a self-uniting license in Pennsylvania is similar to the method for getting a standard marriage license.

You’ll undergo the identical means of getting a wedding license: You want the identical ID paperwork, want to go to an area Register of Wills in-person, and you must ship again a signed copy of your marriage license after the marriage.

The one variations is you must request a self-uniting marriage license and you must pay an additional $10.

Getting a wedding license in New Jersey is fairly easy so long as you’ve the required paperwork.

In New Jersey, you get your marriage license at a county’s Workplace of Very important Data. Yow will discover the situation nearest you on the Workplace of Very important Data web site. You want an appointment to use for a wedding license at an Workplace of Very important Data. Examine with the workplace the place you’ll be making use of at to see how one can make an appointment.

It’s a must to present government-issued ID. Accepted IDs embody a driver’s license, passport (U.S. or overseas), state and federal ID.

You additionally should show you reside in New Jersey. Accepted paperwork embody utility invoice, rental settlement, or property deed.

It’s a must to present your Social Safety card if you happen to’re a U.S. citizen. In case you’re not a U.S. citizen — it’s okay — they received’t require you to supply a Social Safety card.

It’s a must to convey an grownup witness. Seize a pal or member of the family to return with you and bear witness to your software for a wedding license. They want a government-issued ID that features their deal with.

Any paperwork in a language apart from English should be accompanied by a licensed English translation.

A wedding license is $28 within the state. Nevertheless, if Governor Phil Murphy’s proposed 2023 price range is authorized this price shall be waved from July 1, 2022, by means of June 2023.

Three to 5 days. There’s a 72-hour ready interval till you will get your marriage license. You’ll be able to prepare to pick-up your marriage license with the Workplace of Very important Data the place you utilized.

No. It’s a must to apply in-person.