Marriage License
Please arrive at the Town Clerk’s office AT LEAST one-half hour before closing time to allow enough time to process the license.
Congratulations!
Age Requirements:
Marriage - 18 years of age without parental consent
Females and Males 16 & 17 need consent of parent or guardian and a Waiver
(See Waivers below)
Females and males under 16 cannot be married under any condition.
No male below the age of 18 and no female below the age of 18 shall be capable of contracting a valid marriage between persons of the same gender, and all marriages contracted by such persons shall be null and void.
Waiver / Party Under Age:
When either of the parties is under 18 but meets the minimum age requirements (female and male 16 – 17), he or she may request permission to marry from a justice of the Superior Court or a judge of probate of the county in which one of the applicants resides. The request shall be in writing and the parents or guardian of the applicant shall join in the request. No age waiver shall be granted to persons below the age of consent (18) if both parties are non-residents.
Residence Requirements:
None. A couple wishing to marry in New Hampshire may complete an application regardless of residence. This includes out-of-state residents as well.
Application:
Both parties must appear in person and sign the application. Armed forces personnel may forward an affidavit prepared by armed services or legal representative and sent to the town clerk if they cannot appear in person. Falsification of any fact may make the applicant subject to criminal prosecution.
License Fee: $50.00
Document Requirements:
Proof of age
Picture identification
Certified copy of a death certificate of former spouse, if applicable
Certified copy of a final divorce/dissolution decree, if applicable
Certified copy of an annulment, if applicable
License Validity Period:
A license may be issued the same day of the application, provided all signatures and statutory requirements are met. The license is valid for a period of 90 days from the date of filing.
Solemnization:
In New Hampshire, marriage may be performed by;
A justice of the peace;
A minister of the gospel in New Hampshire, ordained according to the usage of his denomination, residing in New Hampshire, and in regular standing with the denomination;
A minister within his parish, residing outside New Hampshire but having a pastoral charge wholly or party in New Hampshire;
Jewish Rabbis who are citizens of the U.S., and reside in New Hampshire;
Quakers;
Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church, ordained according to the usage of his denomination;
or
Clergymen who are not ordained and non-resident ministers or Jewish Rabbis, after being licensed by the New Hampshire Secretary of State.
Witnesses are not required but permitted if desired.
Blood Test:
New Hampshire does not require a blood test.
Note: Marriage is not permitted in New Hampshire between people who are related by blood as first cousins or in any more direct lineage.