weddingA $28 license from the Municipal Registrar, a 72 hour wait, and 30 days to use it. Here is every step, what a courthouse wedding costs, and how a $57,000 New Jersey wedding compares.
Planning the day? Collect every guest photo with one QR code
Illustrative photos
The average New Jersey wedding costs about 2,036 times the license. Bars use a log scale so the small fees stay visible.
License fee from New Jersey official sources, see our New Jersey requirements page. State and US averages: The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study.
Courthouse vows or a full reception, guests scan one QR code and add their photos from the phone browser. No app, no account, one shared album.
WEDDING ALBUM
Example album
From the Municipal Registrar counter to a recorded marriage, in the order you do it.
Both of you must be at least 18 (no exceptions). You do not need to live in New Jersey. No blood test.
Bring valid photo ID. If either of you was married before, have the date the last marriage ended. Your county may ask for more, so check its list before you go.
IllustrativeApply together at the Municipal Registrar and pay the license fee ($28).
New Jersey has a waiting period: 72 hours.
IllustrativeOrdained 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. Witnesses: 2 witnesses. The license is valid for 30 days.
The signed license goes back to the issuing office to be recorded. Order certified copies for name changes, insurance and benefits.
Need the document list and county fees? See New Jersey marriage license requirements or the national how to get a marriage license guide.
Apply no more than 30 days before, at least 72 hours before.
| Rule | New Jersey (2026) |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Municipal Registrar |
| License fee | $28 |
| Waiting period | 72 hours |
| License valid for | 30 days |
| Minimum age | 18 (no exceptions) |
| Witnesses | 2 witnesses |
| Officiant | 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. |
| Common-law marriage | Not recognized |
Municipal Registrar
$28
72 hours
30 days
18 (no exceptions)
2 witnesses
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.
Not recognized
First dance
You guys!!
Courthouse or ballroom, guests scan one QR code and upload straight to your shared album. No app download, and every photo lands in one place.
From Mom
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
UPLOADING
THE ALBUM
June 21, 2026
647 photos · 95 guests
SCAN TO TRY
pix.wedding/
your-wedding
What one New Jersey county charges, how booking works and how far ahead to plan, checked against the official page.
Source: Bergen County Clerk, Marriage Ceremonies, checked October 2026. Other counties set their own rules and fees.
Courthouse column from the county source above. Wedding cost from The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study; venue and officiant lead times from Zola, 2026 wedding planning checklist. See courthouse wedding costs explained.
A short news report on couples choosing courthouse ceremonies as wedding costs rise. Worth two minutes before you weigh a civil ceremony against a $57,000 New Jersey wedding.
Watch on YouTube
$28
is the license fee to marry in New Jersey. The average wedding there runs $57,000.
Illustrative image, not a specific New Jersey venue.New Jersey runs $22,800 over the US average. Rank 1 is the most expensive state.
State averages are the same figures as our wedding cost calculator. US average $34,200, per The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study.
Try 20 guest uploads free, no card. In USD, Starter is $49 once with QR templates and ZIP download, Standard is $59 with a live slideshow, and Pro is $89 with AI selfie search.
For collecting every original
Most couples pick this
One-time payment, no subscription
For big guest lists
One payment. Yours to keep. No subscription. No renewals. No surprise charges.
Secure checkout. Polar, Apple Pay, Google Pay.
Money-back guarantee: if your guests never upload a single photo, you get 100% back. See how it works
The license is the easy part. It only fits a short window before the day, while venues and photographers book many months out. Here is the national advice next to the New Jersey license window.
Average engagement for couples who married in 2024
The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study (via The Plumb Club)Of couples began planning about 12 months ahead
The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study (via The Plumb Club)Bars show the advice range from Zola, 2026 wedding planning checklist (updated May 2026), dots the single figure from WeddingWire, vendor booking timeline (2018). These are planning advice, not survey data, and Zola gives two figures for some vendors (venue 11 months in its timeline, 12 to 18 in its FAQ). The license bar comes from New Jersey rules.
Apply no more than 30 days before, at least 72 hours before. The 72 hours wait runs from when the license is issued.
New Jersey license rules
IllustrativeNew Jersey has a 72 hour wait after you apply, so book the ceremony at least three days after your license appointment.
Dodge County, Wisconsin, County Clerk
IllustrativeZola puts the venue 12 to 18 months out, photographers and caterers 9 to 12, and save the dates 6 to 8. The license comes last, inside the New Jersey window above. Zola's 2026 report also found a few couples now book a venue before they are even engaged (7%, up from 6%).
Zola First Look Report 2026
Illustrative photos: courthouse steps, regional settings and the guest shots couples collect afterwards.
of couples in The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study married in October, the most popular month in the US. Your own state's peak can sit elsewhere, so check the strip.
The Knot Worldwide, 2025 Real Weddings Study releaseNew Jersey weddings peak from late May through October. Jersey Shore venues are busiest from June through early September, and mid-September through mid-October Saturdays at estate venues are among the most requested dates. Winter weddings move to Atlantic City resorts and hotel ballrooms.
Best month to get marriedWaterfront ceremonies are a big part of the wedding scene here.
Illustrative image, not a specific New Jersey venue.
IllustrativeBergen County estates, NYC-view rooftops, and grand ballrooms close to Manhattan.
IllustrativeCape May Victorians, Asbury Park's revival, and beach towns from Sandy Hook to Long Beach Island.
IllustrativePrinceton estates, Pine Barrens venues, and horse country along the Delaware River.
New Jersey requires a 72 hour wait after the local registrar receives your application, before the license is issued. The fee is $28. Apply at the municipal registrar where either of you lives; if neither of you lives in New Jersey, apply where the ceremony will take place.
Jersey City venues near Liberty State Park look straight at the Lower Manhattan skyline, typically at lower prices than comparable Manhattan venues, so compare quotes. Guests can reach Jersey City from Manhattan by PATH train or ferry. Saturday peak dates book far in advance.
Cape May's wedding season runs late May through October. Early October is often a pleasant shoulder period; check rates with each inn. Congress Hall and the Virginia Hotel both host weddings, and Saturdays book far in advance. The Atlantic hurricane peak runs mid-August to mid-October.
Yes. Mayors are authorized officiants alongside judges and clergy, and many couples book a town hall ceremony with their mayor. The 72 hour wait and the $28 fee still apply. Apply at the municipal registrar where either of you lives, or where the ceremony will take place if neither of you lives in New Jersey.
IllustrativeNew Jersey requires a 72 hour wait after the local registrar receives the application, before the license is issued. The fee is $28, and one witness aged 18 or older must sign at the application. Apply at the municipal registrar where either applicant lives; if neither lives in New Jersey, apply where the ceremony will be held, and the license is then valid only in that municipality. Both applicants usually apply together; confirm with your registrar. The minimum marriage age is 18 with no exceptions. Mayors are authorized officiants alongside judges and clergy, and religious societies such as Quaker meetings can join couples by their own customs (N.J.S.A. 37:1-13). A certified copy from the state costs $25, plus $2 per extra copy in the same order. New Jersey does not recognize common-law marriage.
Courthouse or full reception, guests scan one QR code and add photos and videos from the phone browser. No app and no account, and nothing gets lost in group chats.
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
UPLOADING
THE ALBUM
June 21, 2026
647 photos · 95 guests
Every document, fee and county rule in one place.
Where the $57,000 average goes, line by line.
Venue styles, prices and regions to tour.
Parks, gardens and weather windows.
Collect every guest photo with one QR code.
Everything you need to make your wedding day stress-free and unforgettable.
Plan your reception seating visually.
Track RSVPs and dietary needs.
Turn your total into a category-by-category plan.
Plan your entire wedding day.
Count down the days to your big day.
Month-by-month planning checklist.
15+ games with rules, supplies, and timing.
15 creative alternatives guests enjoy.
Short answers on cost, license, waiting period, courthouse and witnesses in New Jersey.
The legal minimum is the marriage license: $28 in New Jersey. A courthouse or civil ceremony adds a small fee that varies by county. The average New Jersey wedding runs about $57,000 per The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study, against a US average of $34,200. That ranks New Jersey #1 of 50 states by average cost.
1. Check you can marry. 2. Gather your documents. 3. Apply at the Municipal Registrar. 4. Wait 72 hours. 5. Hold the ceremony. 6. Return the license, order copies. The full step list is above.
A New Jersey marriage license costs $28. You apply at the Municipal Registrar.
Yes: 72 hours. The license is valid for 30 days.
Yes. In Bergen County (Hackensack), the Bergen County Clerk performs civil ceremonies for couples who hold a valid license. By appointment only. Call (201) 336-7006. Rules differ by county, so call the office where you plan to marry.
Yes: 2 witnesses. 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.
