Getting married in Hawaii is unusually straightforward: anyone 18 or older can marry in the state regardless of residency or citizenship, the license costs $65, there is no waiting period, and the whole process from application to ceremony can happen in a single day. The license stays valid for 30 days from the moment it’s issued, and Hawaii doesn’t require a blood test, health screening, or premarital counseling. What follows walks through each step, from eligibility and paperwork through the ceremony itself and the records you’ll want afterward.
Who Can Legally Marry
Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 572-1 sets the baseline: both people must be at least 18 to marry without additional permissions.1Justia. Hawaii Revised Statutes 572-1 – Requisites of Valid Marriage Contract Applicants aged 16 or 17 can marry only with written consent from a parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Anyone 15 needs both parental consent and written approval from a family court judge.2Justia. Hawaii Revised Statutes 572-2 – Consent of Parent or Guardian
Neither person has to be a Hawaii resident or a U.S. citizen. The state does prohibit marriages between close relatives, including ancestors and descendants, siblings of half or whole blood, and uncle-niece or aunt-nephew pairings.1Justia. Hawaii Revised Statutes 572-1 – Requisites of Valid Marriage Contract
Documents You Need to Bring
Each applicant needs a valid government-issued photo ID: a driver’s license, state ID, or passport works. Anyone 18 or younger also has to present a certified copy of their birth certificate.3Hawaii Department of Health. Marriage and Civil Union Licenses If either person was previously married and the divorce or spouse’s death happened within 30 days of applying, bring the original divorce decree or death certificate.4Department of Health – Electronic Registration System. Department of Health – Electronic Registration System – FAQ
The online application asks for each person’s full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, residential address, parents’ full names, and details of any prior marriage or civil union, including the date and jurisdiction where it ended.5FindLaw. Hawaii Revised Statutes 572-6 Non-citizens without a Social Security number can address that field during the in-person appointment.
How to Get the License
Every application starts online at emrs.ehawaii.gov, Hawaii’s Electronic Marriage and Civil Union License System. You fill out the form and pay $65, which is $60 for the license plus a $5 portal fee. The payment is non-refundable and can be made by credit or debit card.3Hawaii Department of Health. Marriage and Civil Union Licenses
After submitting the application, both people must appear together in person before an authorized marriage license agent. You cannot send anyone in your place.4Department of Health – Electronic Registration System. Department of Health – Electronic Registration System – FAQ The agent verifies your IDs against the information you submitted online and confirms that both of you are entering the marriage voluntarily. Licensing agents work across all the major islands; the Department of Health keeps a current list on its website, and you should contact an agent to schedule an appointment before showing up.6Hawaii Department of Health. License Agents
The agent issues the license on the spot. Two things matter about timing. First, the license is valid for exactly 30 days from issuance. Second, there is no waiting period, so you can hold the ceremony the same day you pick it up.3Hawaii Department of Health. Marriage and Civil Union Licenses The license is only good for a ceremony performed inside Hawaii. If your plans change and you marry elsewhere, you’ll need a new license from that jurisdiction.
Choosing an Officiant
Hawaii is flexible about who can perform a wedding. Under HRS Section 572-12, a marriage can be solemnized by an ordained minister, priest, or authorized officer of a religious denomination; a religious society that conducts ceremonies under its own customs; any active or retired justice, judge, or magistrate of a Hawaii state or federal court; or any person at least 18 who obtains a civil license to solemnize marriages from the Department of Health.7Justia. Hawaii Revised Statutes 572-12 – By Whom Solemnized
That last category is what lets a friend or family member marry you. They can apply for a one-time civil license through the DOH’s online registration system, and the department can revoke or suspend that license if the holder violates Chapter 572.8Hawaii Department of Health. Application for License to Perform Marriages and/or Civil Union in Hawaii A ceremony performed by someone without a current license is not legally valid and cannot be registered with the state.9Hawaii Department of Health. Application for License to Perform Marriages and/or Civil Union in Hawaii Confirming your officiant’s license status before the wedding is the single most important thing you can do to keep the marriage legally sound.
The Ceremony and Filing
The ceremony itself is stripped down. The officiant confirms both people intend to marry, the couple exchanges vows, and the officiant signs the license. Hawaii doesn’t require additional witnesses; the license only has signature lines for the two spouses and the person performing the ceremony. You can write your own vows, hold the ceremony anywhere on the islands, and keep it as short or as elaborate as you like.
After the ceremony, the officiant logs into the state’s electronic system and records the marriage. That step triggers the Department of Health to process the record and generate the official marriage certificate. Follow up with your officiant to make sure it happens. If the filing never gets done, you’re legally married in practice but have no state record to prove it, which creates trouble for name changes, insurance, and anything else that needs certified documentation.
Do You Need a Permit for a Beach Wedding?
A private ceremony with just the two of you and an officiant on a public beach generally does not require a permit. Add chairs, an arch, professional photography equipment, or any commercial element, and you probably do. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources handles permits for events on state public beaches, with fees starting at a $20 minimum.10Hawaii.gov. Land Use / Wedding Permits County parks are handled separately through each county’s parks department, with their own fees and rules on group size and setup times.
A wedding planner or venue coordinator will usually take care of this. If you’re organizing on your own, apply well in advance; permits for popular locations like Waikiki, Lanikai Beach, and Makapuu fill up quickly on peak dates.
Getting Your Marriage Certificate
The license authorizes the wedding; the certificate proves it happened. Once your officiant records the ceremony in the state system, the Department of Health generates the official marriage certificate.
You’ll need at least one certified copy for name changes, insurance updates, and tax filings. The DOH charges $10 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time, with a $2.50 administrative fee per order of up to five copies. You can order online, in person at the DOH office in Honolulu at 1250 Punchbowl Street, or by mail. Only people with a direct interest in the record, meaning the spouses, a parent, or a legal representative, can receive a certified copy.11Hawaii Department of Health. Birth and Marriage Certificates Destination couples heading home shortly after the ceremony usually order by mail; include a photocopy of your government-issued photo ID with the application.
What to Handle After the Wedding
Getting married doesn’t automatically change anyone’s name. If you plan to take a new name, start with the Social Security Administration, which issues a replacement card at no cost within 5 to 10 business days once you provide your certified marriage certificate.12Social Security Administration. Change Name with Social Security Doing SSA first matters because most other agencies verify names against the SSA database. From there, update your passport (free if your current one is still valid, or $60 for expedited processing),13U.S. Department of State. Name Change for U.S. Passport or Correct a Printing or Data Error your driver’s license, and then banks, employers, and insurance providers.
Marriage also changes your tax status. The IRS treats you as married for the entire tax year if you were married on December 31, even if the wedding was on New Year’s Eve.14Internal Revenue Service. Filing Status You then choose between married filing jointly and married filing separately at both the federal level and on your Hawaii state return, which has rates reaching up to 11% at the highest bracket. Running the numbers both ways is worth the effort, especially when both spouses have similar high incomes.