What you need to legally marry in Rhode Island: a $24 fee, no waiting period, 2 witnesses and a license that is valid 90 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 Rhode Island costs $24. 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 Rhode Island 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. Rhode Island 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 $24 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.
Rhode Island has no waiting period, so you can marry as soon as the license is in your hands. Most couples still apply a few days ahead.
The license is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. Rhode Island allows self-uniting marriage, so an officiant is optional. See who can officiate below.
The signed license goes back to the City or Town Clerk within the time Rhode Island law allows. Because Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island facts above.
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At 18 or older you can marry without anyone's permission.
No one under 18 can marry in Rhode Island, even with parental consent or court approval. The ban has been in place since 2021.
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.
Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Rhode Island, as in every state, since Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). The requirements are the same for every couple.
Foreign nationals can marry in Rhode Island with a valid passport as photo ID. Marrying does not change immigration status by itself, and documents in another language may need certified translations.
Rhode Island allows self-uniting marriage, so the two of you can solemnize the marriage without an officiant. The officiant card below has the details.
Rhode Island recognizes common law marriage: a couple can be legally married by living together as spouses, presenting themselves publicly as married and intending to be married, without a license or ceremony.
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Ordained clergy in good standing. Justices, clerks, and magistrates of the Rhode Island Supreme, Superior, Family, Workers' Compensation, District, and Administrative Adjudication courts, plus federal judges. Officiants approved through the Secretary of State's One-Day Marriage Officiant Certification program for a specific date and place.
Officiant rules in every stateRhode Island requires at least two witnesses besides the officiant to be present at the ceremony (R.I. Gen. Laws 15-3-8), despite some secondary sources claiming none are required. Quaker, Jewish-rite, and Baha'i weddings are separately authorized to be solemnized according to the couple's own religious customs without a third-party officiant (R.I. Gen. Laws 15-3-6). Rhode Island is one of the last states that still recognizes common law marriage formed in-state, based on case law (Sardonis v. Sardonis, 1970) requiring clear and convincing evidence of serious mutual intent and public holding-out as married; a 2025 bill to abolish it (H5258) died in committee.
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Fees, waiting period, validity, ID, witnesses and residency for Rhode Island.
A Rhode Island marriage license costs $24. 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.
No. Rhode Island has no waiting period, so you can apply for and use your marriage license on the same day. Many couples still apply a few days ahead to avoid last-minute stress.
A Rhode Island marriage license is valid for 90 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.
Yes. Rhode Island'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. Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island.
