What you need to legally marry in New Jersey: a $28 fee, 72 hours waiting period, 2 witnesses and a license that is valid 30 days. You apply at the Municipal Registrar.
The eight things the Municipal Registrar 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 New Jersey costs $28. You pay it at the Municipal Registrar 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 New Jersey at the low end of what US 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. New Jersey 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 $28 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.
New Jersey's waiting period: 72 hours. Apply at least a week before the ceremony so the wait never squeezes your date.
The license is valid for 30 days from the date of issue. New Jersey allows self-uniting marriage, so an officiant is optional. See who can officiate below.
The signed license goes back to the Municipal Registrar within the time New Jersey law allows. Because New Jersey allows self-uniting marriage, the couple usually files it instead of an officiant. The county then records your marriage.
A short walkthrough of the documents and the clerk visit. Fees and offices differ by state, so match the details to the New Jersey facts above.
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At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
No one under 18 can marry in New Jersey, even with parental consent or court approval. The ban has been in place since 2018.
Source: N.J. Stat. 37:1-6 (2018), statutory text via Tahirih Justice Center 2025 Statutory Text Compilation
Bring the final divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate to the first visit. Ask the Municipal Registrar whether it needs a certified copy.
New Jersey has no residency requirement, so couples from other states can apply at the Municipal Registrar with valid ID. The license only works for a ceremony inside New Jersey.
Same-sex marriage is legal in New Jersey, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in New Jersey with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
New Jersey allows self-uniting marriage, so the two of you can solemnize the marriage without an officiant. The officiant card below has the details.
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Ordained clergy of every religion, judges (federal, state, tax court, and municipal), county clerks, surrogates, mayors and former mayors, and civil celebrants certified by the New Jersey Secretary of State.
Officiant rules in every stateNew Jersey raised the minimum marriage age to 18 with no exceptions via S427, signed June 22, 2018. The 72-hour waiting period can be waived only by a Superior Court judge for good cause. Residents apply in the municipality where either person lives, and the license is valid statewide; if neither applicant is a New Jersey resident, the application must be filed in the municipality where the ceremony will take place, and that license is valid only in that municipality. The marriage certificate must be signed by two witnesses who were present at the ceremony. New Jersey also permits religious societies, such as Quaker meetings, to join couples in marriage according to their own customs without a designated individual officiant (N.J.S.A. 37:1-13); this narrow exception is less standardized than Pennsylvania or Colorado self-uniting licenses, so confirm with the municipal registrar before planning a ceremony without an officiant.
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Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for New Jersey.
A New Jersey marriage license costs $28. You pay it at the Municipal Registrar. 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. New Jersey's waiting period: 72 hours. Plan to apply at least one to two weeks before your ceremony.
A New Jersey marriage license is valid for 30 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 Municipal Registrar, and check the office's own list before you go.
Yes. New Jersey's rule: 2 witnesses. Witnesses usually need to be adults who can sign the license. Most couples ask the maid of honor and the best man.
No. New Jersey does not require residency. Out-of-state couples can apply at the Municipal Registrar with the required ID, and the license works for a ceremony anywhere in New Jersey.
