Friday, October 24, 2014

Online Search For Public Marriage Records

By Claire Dowell


These are the steps on getting a license for a marriage in New York. First, the couple needs to be together to apply for a license to marry. Second, they have to be at the city or town where the wedding will take place. They will have to go to the nearest town or city clerk. Finally, they have to fill out an application form and sign said form in the presence of the clerk. Just a reminder though, the rules are very strict. Only the couples about to be married can fill out the form. This means that the couple can't use representatives or proxies to sign for them. A special power of attorney or notarized marriage license is not a sufficient substitute for one of the couple. Don't worry though; the state of New York doesn't require a blood test or premarital examination so if you can fill out the form you'll be getting your license soon.

Once the couple gets the license, they have to wait for 24 hours from the time it was issued before they can get married. If the couple is 16 years old or older, a special court order from the Supreme Court or County Court may waive the 24 hour period. For those younger than 16, the family court may issue the waiver instead. The marriage license is valid within 60 calendar days from the day it was issued. For same sex marriage applications they generally have to wait for 24 hours after receiving their license.

The costs of getting a marriage license in New York City vary depending on the town or city where the couple applied. You may contact the nearest city clerk for the updated fees. If the application was submitted outside of New York City, the fee is $40. The fee already covers the certificate of marriage registration that will be sent to the applications within 15 calendar days.

Wedding records are also available for various purposes. The document can be used as reference for several reasons. Most of the time people look for wedding papers to help fill out their genealogical tree. The documents are also useful for legal purposes. Widows and widowers may use the records to prove that they were married. Others use them as reference and proof during divorce proceedings. The papers may also be used as documents to prove the legitimacy of children.

The fee in getting a copy of a marriage registration and license is $10 for general purposes. For genealogical purposes, the fees vary depending on the date of the wedding. The fee starts at $22 for weddings within 1 to 3 years. Fees can reach as high as $202 for marriages that took place 90 years ago. For weddings for the years 1996 to present, the documents can be found at the New York City clerk. Weddings within 1930 to 1955, the records are located at the Manhattan office. If you're unsure where to get your records, call the nearest clerk to ask for information. Once you've found the right office and clerk, fill out an application request form and submit it with your fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope so you can have your documents mailed to your home.

Obtaining information on licenses and records can be costly. Good thing there are websites that offer free marriage records. They provide such information via their website or through email and will only bill or charge you if you get a certified copy.




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