Getting a marriage license in Connecticut takes about 20 to 30 minutes at the town clerk’s counter, and there is no waiting period before the license is valid. Once both applicants have appeared before the registrar and completed the paperwork, the license is issued the same day and you can hold the ceremony immediately.1Town of Pomfret, Connecticut. Is There a Waiting Period Before a Marriage License Can Be Issued After Application?
No Waiting Period Between Applying and Marrying
Some states require a one- to six-day gap between applying for a license and using it. Connecticut does not. You could apply in the morning and marry that afternoon, as long as your officiant and venue are ready.1Town of Pomfret, Connecticut. Is There a Waiting Period Before a Marriage License Can Be Issued After Application? There is also no premarital blood test or medical exam requirement; that rule was eliminated in 2003.2Connecticut General Assembly. Public Act 03-188
What to Bring So You Only Go Once
Each applicant needs a current government-issued photo ID (a driver’s license or passport) and a Social Security card. At the counter you will provide your full legal name, date of birth, birthplace, current address, and your parents’ full names and birthplaces, including each parent’s name before their first marriage.3City of Waterbury. Marriage License Worksheet and Requirements Social Security numbers go in an administrative section of the license and are not part of the public record.4Justia Law. Connecticut Code 46b-25 – Application for License
If either of you was previously married, you will need to know how that marriage ended: death, divorce, or annulment. Some town clerks ask for a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. Bringing that documentation the first time avoids a second trip.
Where to Apply, the Fee, and Who Has to Show Up
You apply at the vital records office (usually the town clerk) in the Connecticut town where the ceremony will take place.5Department of Public Health. License to Get Married Both applicants must appear before the registrar in person, but not necessarily on the same day. If you go on separate days, the later visit becomes the official application date.4Justia Law. Connecticut Code 46b-25 – Application for License
The license fee is $50, paid when you apply.6Connecticut Department of Public Health. How Can I Get a Marriage License or Certificate? Every office accepts cash or money order; some also take checks or credit cards. Call ahead to confirm payment options and whether the office takes walk-ins or requires an appointment, because practices vary by town and an appointment can be the difference between getting the license today or next week.
There is no residency requirement. Out-of-state couples can obtain a license and marry in Connecticut, provided the ceremony happens in the town that issued the license.5Department of Public Health. License to Get Married
How Long the License Stays Valid Once You Have It
Your license is good for 65 days from the application date. The ceremony must take place within that window, or the license expires and you will need to reapply and pay the $50 fee again.7Justia Law. Connecticut Code 46b-24 – License Period of Validity If the two of you applied on different days, the 65-day clock starts on the later visit.4Justia Law. Connecticut Code 46b-25 – Application for License
Because there is no minimum wait, the scheduling constraint for most couples is finding an available officiant, not the paperwork.
Eligibility Rules That Can Stop You at the Counter
Both applicants must be at least 18. Connecticut eliminated all exceptions for minors in 2023, removing earlier provisions that had allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent or younger minors to marry with a probate judge’s approval.8Connecticut General Assembly. Public Act 23-44 If either applicant is under 18, the registrar cannot issue a license.
Marriage is also prohibited between close family members: a parent and child, grandparent and grandchild, siblings, an aunt or uncle and a niece or nephew, and stepparents and stepchildren. A marriage between people in any of these relationships is automatically void.9Justia Law. Connecticut Code 46b-21 – Prohibited Marriages First cousins are not on the prohibited list.
One boundary worth flagging: Connecticut does not recognize common-law marriages formed inside the state. Cohabitation and shared finances do not create a legal marriage here without a license and ceremony. A valid common-law marriage formed in a state that does recognize them will be honored in Connecticut.10Connecticut General Assembly. Common-Law Marriage