If you want to know how to self-officiate your wedding in Washington, DC, the short answer is that D.C. Code § 46-406 lists the parties to the marriage among those authorized to solemnize it, so you and your partner can legally marry each other by applying for a marriage license with the “Self-Officiant” designation, signing the license together after a three-day waiting period, and returning it to the Clerk’s Office within 10 days.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 46-406 – Persons Authorized to Celebrate Marriages The marriage carries the same legal weight as a ceremony performed by a minister or a judge.
Who Qualifies
Both partners must be at least 18. D.C. Code § 46-403 sets the age of consent for marriage at 18 and bars the court from issuing a license to anyone younger.2D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 46-403 – Marriages Void From Date of Decree; Age of Consent Neither partner can already be married to someone else, and marriages between close relatives — parents, siblings, grandparents, and several other close family relationships — are void under D.C. Code § 46-401.01.3D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 46-401.01 – Prohibited Marriages
You do not need to live in DC. Out-of-state and international couples can apply and self-officiate without establishing residency.
If either partner was previously married, that marriage must already be legally ended. You will be asked, under oath, for the date and location of the divorce or the former spouse’s death. The Marriage Bureau may request supporting documents, so keep a copy of your divorce decree or death certificate accessible.
Applying for the License
The marriage license application is available through the DC Superior Court’s Marriage Bureau. You can apply online through the court’s digital portal or go in person. The application asks for:
- Current legal names for both partners, and birth names if different
- Dates of birth and current residential addresses
- Social Security numbers for each applicant, required by D.C. Code § 46-416.01; if you were never assigned one, contact the Marriage Bureau before applying to ask about alternative documentation4D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code Title 46 Chapter 4 – Marriage
- Prior marriage history, including how any prior marriage ended
- A valid government-issued photo ID, such as a passport or driver’s license, for each partner
The step that makes the whole thing work is choosing the “Self-Officiant” option in the officiant section. Miss that field, or pick the wrong option, and your application can be delayed. Accuracy elsewhere matters too. Mismatched names or incorrect Social Security numbers are common reasons for rejection.
Fees, Waiting Period, and License Validity
The total cost is $45: a $35 application fee and a $10 fee for the marriage certificate.5District of Columbia Courts. DC Superior Court Expands Marriage Bureau The online portal accepts credit card payment and issues a digital receipt on submission.
DC law requires a three-day waiting period from the date the court receives your application before the Marriage Bureau can issue the license.5District of Columbia Courts. DC Superior Court Expands Marriage Bureau It is a legal requirement, not just processing time. Submit at least several days before any planned ceremony date. After the waiting period, the bureau issues the license as a digital PDF sent to the email address on your application. Download and print it. The printed license is what you sign during the ceremony.
Once issued, a DC marriage license does not expire.
The Ceremony
With the printed license in hand, both partners sign the document in each other’s presence. That act of mutual signing is the marriage. There is no required script, no mandated vows, and no set location within the District. You can exchange personal vows in your living room, in a park, or anywhere else in DC.
Witnesses are not required. D.C. Code § 46-406 lists the parties themselves as authorized to solemnize the marriage and says nothing about additional witnesses.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 46-406 – Persons Authorized to Celebrate Marriages Invite guests if you want, but they have no legal role.
Both partners sign in the spaces designated for the spouses. Because you are also acting as your own officiant, sign the officiant section as well. Check every required signature line before you set the document aside.
Returning the Signed License
This is the step couples miss. D.C. Code § 46-412 requires the signed marriage license to be returned to the Clerk’s Office within 10 days of the ceremony, and missing that deadline carries a $50 penalty.4D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code Title 46 Chapter 4 – Marriage Worse than the penalty, failing to return the license means the marriage may not be recorded in District records, which creates trouble later when you need a certified copy for insurance, taxes, or a name change.
Return the signed license by mail to the address printed on the instructions that came with the license, or through the court’s electronic submission method. If you mail it, use a trackable service. Once the bureau records the return, the marriage is officially on file.
Changing Your Name Afterward
A marriage certificate does not automatically change your name anywhere. If either partner plans to take the other’s surname or a hyphenated name, you will update records agency by agency. Two common starting points:
Social Security
Updating your Social Security record requires Form SS-5 (Application for a Social Security Card).6Social Security Administration. Application for Social Security Card DC residents begin online and then complete the application in person at a local Social Security office with the marriage certificate and a valid photo ID. The SSA requires the marriage certificate to be at least 30 days old before it will accept it as proof of a name change, so plan around that. The new card arrives by mail, usually about two weeks after processing. There is no fee.
Passport
If your most recent passport was issued within the past year, you can usually get it corrected at no charge by mailing it with your marriage certificate. If your passport is older than a year, you renew by mail or apply in person using Form DS-11, completing the marriage details section on page two.7U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport Standard renewal fees apply in that case.
Using the Certificate Outside DC
A marriage legally performed in DC is broadly recognized across the United States. The general principle is that a marriage valid where it was celebrated is valid in other states, and most states have statutes recognizing out-of-state marriages. A self-officiated DC wedding is not treated differently from a judge-officiated one when another state’s legal system encounters it.
For recognition in another country, you will likely need an apostille, an international authentication stamp. The DC Office of the Secretary handles apostilles for District documents at $15 per document.8Government of the District of Columbia. Authentications Some countries also require a certified translation of the apostilled document, so check with the relevant embassy or consulate before you travel.