To get a North Dakota marriage license, both of you go together to a county recorder’s office, show proof of age, bring a certified divorce decree or death certificate if either of you was previously married, pay $65, and walk out with the license the same day. There is no waiting period and no blood test. The license is valid for 60 days and only for ceremonies performed inside North Dakota.1Cass County, ND. Marriage Licenses2Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-10
Who Can Apply
You must be 18 to apply on your own. Applicants who are 16 or 17 need written parental or guardian consent, and the statute spells out which parent must sign depending on the family situation. Anyone under 16 cannot marry in North Dakota under any circumstances.3Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-02
North Dakota also voids marriages between close relatives, including parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, siblings, half-siblings, aunts and uncles with nieces and nephews, and first cousins.4Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-03
Residency is not required. A recorder can issue a license in the county where either applicant lives, where a parent of either applicant lives, or where the ceremony will take place, so out-of-state couples apply in the county where they plan to marry.2Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-10
What to Bring
Each of you needs proof of age. The statute requires a birth certificate or other satisfactory proof, and county offices generally accept a driver’s license, passport, or military ID.5Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-17
If either of you was previously married, bring the paperwork that ended it. For a divorce, that means a certified copy of the final decree, which the recorder reviews to confirm nothing in it blocks the new marriage. For a deceased spouse, bring the death certificate.5Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-17
The application also asks for each applicant’s Social Security number and a statement of the surname each of you will use after the marriage.5Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-17
Applying at the Recorder’s Office
Both of you must appear in person, together. You cannot apply by mail or send one person on behalf of the other. Many counties post the application form online so you can fill it out ahead of time, but the signing and the oath happen at the counter.
At the visit, both applicants swear under oath that the information on the application is true. Once the recorder is satisfied there is no legal barrier, the license is issued in duplicate on the spot.6Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-19
The fee is $65. Payment methods vary by county, and credit cards may carry a small convenience charge.7Cass County, ND. Marriage Licenses and Weddings A few counties route marriage licenses through a different office rather than the recorder. Williams County, for example, handles them through the auditor. Check your county website before you drive over.
How Long the License Is Good For
There is no waiting period, so you can hold the ceremony the same day the license is issued.1Cass County, ND. Marriage Licenses The license expires 60 days after it is issued. If you let it lapse, it is void, the $65 is not refunded, and you start over.2Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-10
The license only covers a ceremony performed in North Dakota. It does not authorize a wedding across state lines.
Who Can Perform the Ceremony
North Dakota authorizes five categories of officiant:
- Judges of courts of record, including district court judges and North Dakota Supreme Court justices.
- Municipal judges.
- County recorders, unless the county has assigned the role to a different official.
- Ordained ministers, priests, and clergy authorized by a recognized denomination.
- Individuals authorized by religious rituals and practices, which covers faith traditions that do not use formal ordination.
No one else can legally marry you here. A friend or relative who is not ordained and does not fit one of these categories cannot officiate, even if you want them to. Performing a ceremony without authority is a separate offense under the Century Code.8Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-09
Witnesses
Two witnesses must sign the marriage certificate in addition to the officiant. The statute does not set an age or residency rule for witnesses, but they do need to be present and able to sign. Line them up before the ceremony. Couples getting married at the courthouse are the ones who tend to forget.9Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-20
After the Wedding
The officiant, not the couple, completes and signs the certificate portion. It records each spouse’s name before and after the marriage, the officiant’s signature and title, and the two witness signatures.9Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-20
The officiant then has five days to return the original certificate and license to the recorder’s office that issued it. The duplicate goes to you. Missing that five-day deadline carries a penalty under the Century Code, so it is worth checking in with your officiant to make sure the paperwork got filed.10Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-21
Once the marriage is on record, you can order certified copies from the recorder’s office. You will need them for name changes, insurance updates, and other legal paperwork. Copy fees vary by county.
Common Law Marriage
North Dakota does not recognize common law marriage. Living together, sharing finances, or calling each other husband and wife does not create a marriage here. You need a license and a ceremony performed by an authorized officiant. The state will recognize a common law marriage that was validly formed in another state that allows them.
Changing Your Name
The application itself has a section where each of you states the surname you will use after the marriage.11Justia. North Dakota Code 14-03 – Marriage Contract – Section: 14-03-20.1 Once you have your certified marriage certificate, update your name with the Social Security Administration first. Most other agencies will not process a name change until their records match SSA’s. Some updates can be done online; others require a visit to a local SSA office with your certificate. After your Social Security record reflects the new name, move on to your driver’s license, passport, bank accounts, and employer.12Social Security Administration. Change Name With Social Security