Monday, October 27, 2014

Online Search For Public Marriage Records

By Claire Dowell


Obtaining a license for marriage in New York requires the couple to apply for the said license from the nearest town or city clerk in the state. It will help if they get an application from the town or city clerk of the place where they are going to get married at. The couple must be both present to fill out and sign their application of the license in the presence of the clerk. This means that representatives cannot apply in behalf of the applicants. Not even a special power of attorney or notarized marriage license affidavits can be used to allow others to represent them during the application process. A blood test or premarital examination is not needed in New York.

Once the license is issued to the couple, they need to wait 24 hours before they can get married. This isn't a big issue as most couples have their wedding days scheduled months after getting their licenses. However if the couple wants to be married immediately, the can make a request from the supreme court or county court to waive the 24 hour waiting period. If one of the couple or both are 16 years old and below, the request to waive the 24 hour period can be obtained from the family court instead. The license to wed is valid up to three months or 60 days. For same sex weddings, the rules are the same.

The costs of getting a marriage license in New York City vary depending on the town or city where the couple applied. You may contact the nearest city clerk for the updated fees. If the application was submitted outside of New York City, the fee is $40. The fee already covers the certificate of marriage registration that will be sent to the applications within 15 calendar days.

Marriage documents also have other purposes. To many, they are great reference material in recreating their genealogical family tree. Children may also use the documents to prove their legitimacy especially when claiming inheritance. For others, the papers are additional documents that can be submitted when applying for a divorce. Widows and widowers may also need the marriage certificate if they are planning to claim insurance.

Licenses for other purposes cost about $10. For marriages after 1996, you can get copies at any New York City clerk. For copies in between 1930 to 1955 you need to go to the Manhattan office. The costs for getting marriage documents vary. For genealogical purposes, the fee varies and will depend on the number of years searched to find the wedding record. The standard fee is $22 to search for marriage papers within one to three years period. The costs can go up to as much as $202 for weddings that took place 81 to 90 years ago. When making a request, always provide a self-addressed stamped envelope.

It's a good thing that there are websites that offer free marriage records that you can browse. The search tool makes it easier for you to look for a specific wedding than having to sift through possibly thousands of records. You'll find a lot of websites offering the service and they will only charge you if you need a physical document or a certified record.




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