Massachusetts Justice of the Peace

'Weddings with warmth and dignity'

Wedding Officiant Richard Griesel

Serving Boston and eastern Massachusetts

Telephone: (978) 443-9381     email:JP@MASSJP.COM

You will need a valid marriage license (called a Massachusetts Certificate of Marriage) before you can be married. A marriage license issued by another state cannot be used for wedding ceremonies in Massachusetts. Similarly, a Massachusetts marriage license is not valid in other states. Each city or town sets its own fee for a marriage license and this fee can vary from about $15 to $50.

You can apply for a license at any city hall or town hall in Massachusetts (it doesn’t have to be where you live or where you are getting married). You can find a list of Massachusetts cities and towns at Massachusetts City and Town Directory. You will both need to appear in person; you cannot have someone else apply for the license. The only exception is that a person in the military may have the other party file for the license, as long as one is a Massachusetts resident.

Blood tests are not required, but you will need to bring identification and a valid proof of age. A driver’s license or a birth certificate will do the job. If you are a widow or widower you do not have to bring a death certificate. Persons who are divorced do not have to bring a divorce decree, but should be certain that their divorce is absolute.

There is a three day waiting period before you can pick up the license. Weekends and holidays are included in the three days, but the day of the application is not. Thus, if you apply on a Monday you can pick up the license on Thursday, or if you apply on a Friday you can pick up the license on Monday. A waiver of the three day waiting period can be applied for at the city or town clerk’s office where you apply and then presented to a “court of competent jurisdiction” for approval. However, this can be costly (up to about $200).

The license is valid for 60 days from the day you first apply.

When you go to pick up your license, check it carefully to make sure that all the information listed is correct - especially the date shown under the heading "not valid after." It should contain a date that is on or after your planned wedding day. During November and December of each year, check that next year's date is entered correctly (i.e., February 15, 2008, not February 15, 2007).

Once you have a valid license, all you need is an officiant like me to make your marriage “official.”

After the wedding ceremony, there is nothing for you to sign, nor will you receive any documents (even though you are legally married).

You will not automatically receive an official copy of your Certificate of Marriage. You must apply for this with the Town Clerk or City Clerk where you applied for your license. There is usually a nominal charge (about $10 to $15, varying by town) for each copy.

Officiants are not permitted to give you a copy. Instead, we are required (by law) to complete the Certificate of Marriage and mail it back to the Town Clerk or City Clerk from whom you obtained your license. Since I use Certified Mail for this purpose, I will set up the USPS website to send you a notification when your Certificate is delivered (if I have an e-mail address for you.)

I advise you to obtain a copy of your Certificate of Marriage shortly after the wedding and file it away with your other important documents (such as your Birth Certificates). You may not need it for many years, but it will be good to know that you always have a ready copy, rather than trying to retrieve it from the Commonwealth at some date in the future.

NOTE: This is an informal summary of the requirements to get married in Massachusetts. It is provided for your convenience and as a quick reference. For the official explanation, please contact your local Town Clerk or City Clerk.

Copyright © 2002-2008 Richard Griesel, Massachusetts Justice of the Peace, JP Massachusetts JP

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