Frequently Asked Questions:

Q.  Do we need a get a marriage license?  Do we need an appointment?

A.  Yes you do need to obtain a marriage license and there is no waiting period or appointment necessary.

Q.  Can I get the license through the mail?  Can we be married by a proxy?

A.  No.  A marriage license cannot be issued through the mail, and you cannot be married by a proxy.  You can however, download a copy of the marriage license application and have it ready for the town clerk before you arrive at their office.

Q. Who can get married in Vermont?

A.  Two people who are at least 18 years old can obtain a civil marriage in Vermont.  If you are at least 16, but under 18, you will need consent of a parent or guardian.  Your parent or guardian should go with you to the town clerk’s office to sign an affidavit giving you permission to marry.  (The affidavit is on the back of the marriage license application and is a legal part of the license.) By Vermont law, no one under the age of 16 may marry in Vermont.

Q.  What information must we provide to get a marriage license?

A.  Besides basic information about yourselves (name, towns of residence, places, and dates of birth), you must also provide your parent’s names, including your mother’s birth (maiden) names, and their places of birth. (Although not necessary, certified copies of your birth certificate can supply most of this information).  Vermont law requires that at least one of you must be present to sign the license in front of a town clerk.  You must bring a State or Federal ID with you to obtain the license (this includes a driver’s license, non-driver’s license, passport, etc.). You will also be asked to provide the number of previous marriages and civil unions, and how and when they ended.  This information is confidential and does not become part of the marriage certificate.

Q. Do we need blood tests?

A. No

Q.  Are there any marriage restrictions? 

A.  Anyone under guardianship cannot marry without the guardian’s written consent.  Vermont also does not allow marriages between close relatives.  You cannot marry a parent, grandparent, sister, brother, child, grandchild, niece, nephew, aunt, or uncle.  You cannot marry if either of you is currently married to someone else, or if either of you is joined in a civil union to someone else.  The law requires that both parties be of sound mind.

Q.  What if either of us were married or in a civil union before?

A.  If your husband, wife or civil union partner has died, you are free to marry.  The clerk will ask the date your spouse or civil union partner died.  If you are divorced, you may remarry after the date on which your previous marriage or civil union was legally dissolved.  If you are partners in an existing civil union, you are free to marry one another.

Q.  Where do we get the marriage license?

A.  Marriage license application are issued by Vermont town clerks.  If both parties are Vermont residents, you may go to the town clerk in either of your towns of residence.  If just one of you resides in a Vermont town, you must get the license in that town; you cannot buy the license in another town. If you are getting the license in Burlington you can come into the Clerk’s office anytime between the hours of 8:00am and 4:30pm, Monday-Friday (we are closed for all Federal and State Holidays).

Q.  What if we are not Vermont Residents?

A.  If neither party is a Vermont resident, you may get the marriage license application from any town clerk in the state of Vermont.

Q.  How much does the license cost?

A.  The marriage license costs $45.00, and is valid for 60 from the date it is issued.  During that time period, an authorized person must perform your wedding ceremony—otherwise, the license is void. We accept cash or check only.  Checks can be made payable to the City of Burlington.

Q.  Who can perform my wedding ceremony?

A.   Your marriage can be performed by: a Supreme Court justice, a superior court judge, a district judge, justice of the peace, or an ordained or licensed member of the clergy residing in Vermont.  If the officiate does not reside in Vermont, or is not recognized by the State of Vermont, they must file for a permit from a Probate Court in the county where the marriage will take place.  In addition, any person over the age of 18 may register with the Secretary of State to become a temporary officiant to a marriage.  For information to be a temporary officiant, please visit the Secretary of States website at www.sec.state.vt.us or call (802) 828-2148.

Q.  What do we do with the license? What happens to it after the ceremony?

A. By law, you must deliver the license to the person who will conduct your wedding ceremony before the marriage can be performed.  After the ceremony, the person who performs the ceremony (officiant) will complete the sections concerning the date, place and officiant information, and sign your license.  At that point, the license becomes a marriage certificate.  The officiant must return the certificate to the town clerk’s office where it was issued within 10 days after the wedding, so that your marriage can be officially registered.  If the officiant has registered with the Secretary of State as a temporary officiant, a copy of the certificate of authority is issued by the Secretary of State should be attached to the signed license and returned to the clerk’s office.  The certificate is not a complete legal document until it has been recorded in the town clerk’s office where it was purchased.

Q.  How do we get a copy of our marriage certificate?

A.  At the time you buy your marriage license, you can arrange with the town clerk to mail you a certified copy (with the raised seal) of your certificate as soon as your marriage has been recorded.  The cost is $10.00 per certified copy along with the $45.00 for the license purchase ($10.00 + $45.00 =$55.00).  You may also request a copy two weeks after the ceremony, and request in person or in writing from the town clerk’s office where you purchased the license for the same $10.00 fee.  You may not request this online.  For more information about requesting a copy of your marriage certificate, please download the form here and follow the instructions at the top of the page. Please note the Clerk’s Office accepts cash or check only.  Checks can be made payable to the City of Burlington.

* More questions about marriage licenses?  Feel free to contact the Clerk’s office at (802) 865-7000.