What you need to legally marry in Massachusetts: a $40 to $50 fee, 3 days waiting period, no witnesses and a license that is valid 60 days. You apply at the City or Town Clerk.
The eight things the City or Town Clerk will ask about or check. County rules can add small extras, so confirm with your local office before you go.
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A marriage license in Massachusetts costs $40 to $50, varies by city or town. You pay it at the City or Town Clerk when you apply. Extra certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you will want for a name change, a passport or insurance updates, often cost more.
That puts Massachusetts inside the roughly $30 to $100 range most states charge. Accepted payment methods differ from office to office, so check before the visit.
Both partners need a valid government photo ID. If either of you was married before, bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate. Massachusetts does not require proof of residency.
In most counties both of you go in person, and some offices ask you to fill in the form online or book an appointment first. Check which offices can issue your license before you drive anywhere.
Fill in the application and pay the $40 to $50, varies by city or town fee. Have both Social Security numbers ready (non-citizens can usually give a passport or visa number), plus your parents' full names and your places of birth.
Massachusetts's waiting period: 3 days. Apply at least a week before the ceremony so the wait never squeezes your date.
The license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue. The ceremony has to happen and the license has to be signed inside this window. An authorized officiant leads the ceremony, see who qualifies below.
After the ceremony the officiant and any required witnesses sign the license. It goes back to the City or Town Clerk, often filed by the officiant, within the time Massachusetts law allows. The county then records it and issues your marriage certificate.
A short walkthrough of the documents and the clerk visit. Fees and offices differ by state, so match the details to the Massachusetts facts above.
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At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
No one under 18 can marry in Massachusetts, even with parental consent or court approval. The ban has been in place since 2022.
Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate to the first visit. Ask the City or Town Clerk whether it needs a certified copy.
Massachusetts has no residency requirement, so couples from other states can apply at the City or Town Clerk with valid ID. The license only works for a ceremony inside Massachusetts.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in Massachusetts with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
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Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and authorized clergy. Judges and justices of any court. Massachusetts also allows anyone to apply for a one-day solemnization designation, approved by the Governor and issued through the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Officiant rules in every stateMassachusetts allows a friend or family member to officiate one ceremony through a One-Day Marriage Designation, approved by the Governor's office and issued by the Secretary of the Commonwealth; apply up to 6 months and no later than 1 week before the wedding. The license cannot be used less than 3 days after it is received; skipping the wait requires a court-issued Marriage Without Delay waiver (Boston lists a $195 fee). Both partners must apply together in person (military exception), and the license is valid only in Massachusetts.
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Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Massachusetts.
A Massachusetts marriage license costs $40 to $50, varies by city or town. You pay it at the City or Town Clerk. Certified copies of the marriage certificate, which you need for a name change, can cost extra. Payment methods differ by office, so call ahead to check whether it takes cash, card or check.
Yes. Massachusetts's waiting period: 3 days. Plan to apply at least one to two weeks before your ceremony.
A Massachusetts marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue. The ceremony has to happen inside this window, or you reapply and pay the fee again.
Each partner needs a valid government photo ID, such as a US passport, a driver's license or state ID card, a US military ID, a permanent resident card or a foreign passport. Bring it to the City or Town Clerk, and check the office's own list before you go.
No. Massachusetts does not legally require witnesses for the ceremony, though many couples have them anyway.
No. Massachusetts does not require residency. Out-of-state couples can apply at the City or Town Clerk with the required ID, and the license works for a ceremony anywhere in Massachusetts.
