I accept your valid marriage license from any county or city Circuit Court in Washington D.C and MD.

You don’t have to be a D.C. or Maryland resident to be married in those states, but the process to get your license varies by jurisdiction and many circuit courts have changed their rules over the course of the pandemic. Marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and the wedding must be performed within 6 months of obtaining your license in MD. 

Maryland Information: Courtesy of the Montgomery County Circuit Court

Application for a Marriage License

Obtaining a marriage license is a fairly straightforward process requiring about 15 minutes to complete. Below are certain rules that you may want to keep in mind when applying for a marriage license in Montgomery County, Maryland:

• The fee for a marriage license is $55.00 dollars. Payment by cash or check is preferred; checks are made payable to the “Clerk of the Circuit Court”. Credit cards are accepted with the exception of American Express.
• Maryland requires that a marriage license be obtained from the Circuit Court in the county where the marriage is to take place regardless of the residency of the couple to be married. If you are planning to be married in Montgomery County, Maryland, you must obtain a marriage license from the Clerk of Montgomery County Circuit Court.
• The marriage license must be purchased at least 48 hours before the marriage ceremony. Couples can obtain a waiver if a judge approves it. Normally, military service or a family illness can be the grounds (reasons) for a waiver. Contact the License Department for additional information.
• A divorced person must provide a copy of the divorce decree that indicates where and when the divorce took place. This information is required in order to have the legal marriage ceremony performed. Without this information, the license cannot be processed. Keep in mind that each applicant must take an oath that all the information provided is true under the penalty of perjury.
• If you have more than one last name, you should use your complete name on the license.
• Please review your application carefully. Any necessary corrections should be made before the license is issued.
• At the time of application, please provide I.D. for both parties, such as a driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, military I.D. or alien registration card, and Social Security Number.

For Residents of Montgomery County, Maryland

If the marrying parties are both residents of Montgomery County, one of the parties to be married appears before the Clerk and gives, under oath, the following information for both parties:

1. Full names
2. Place of residence
3. State or county of birth
4. Age
5. If either party was married previously and separation occurred as a result of the spouse’s death or divorce, the date and place of each is required.
6. Social Security Number of each party who has one

For Non-residents of Montgomery County, Maryland

If the parties to be married do not live in Montgomery County and are unable to appear in person to apply, they may apply for a marriage license using a Non-Resident Marriage Application. Contact the License Department for additional information (Phone: 240-777-9460).

Washington, DC:  (Courtesy of the Superior Courts of the District of Columbia)

The DC Marriage Bureau issues marriage licenses, and authorizes religious celebrants to perform in the District of Columbia.

• One of the two parties should come to the Marriage Bureau in Room 4485 of the Moultrie Courthouse and complete Marriage License application.
• Identification and proof of age of both parties is required in the form of driver’s license, government-issued non-driver’s ID, or passport.
• The minimum age for marriage in the District of Columbia is 18 years, or 16 years with the consent of a parent or guardian. Proof of age for the applicants must be shown and may be demonstrated by driver’s licenses, birth certificates, passports, or similar official documents.
• The marriage license application fee is $35.00 (this fee will be waived if the applicants’ original DC Domestic Partnership Certificate and is presented at the time of application).
• The certificate of marriage fee is $10.00. All fees must be paid in cash, credit card or by money order (made payable to Clerk, D.C. Superior Court) for a license to be issued.
• The marriage license application must include social security numbers, addresses, dates of birth for both parties as well as previous marriage information, that is, the city, state, country of each marriage and the ending status of each, such as, by divorce or death.
• We also request that the application include home and work telephone numbers for both parties.
• Religious celebrants and judges other than those of the D.C. Courts must be authorized by the Court and registered by the Marriage Bureau in order to perform legal marriages in the District of Columbia.
• The full name of the intended celebrant must be given at the time of the application.
• By law, the license is valid that same day and the couple can be married immediately following the receipt of the marriage license by the DC Court Clerk. 
• Marriage licenses are not issued by mail.
• Once issued, a marriage license does not expire.
• Note: A third party may apply on a couple’s behalf, but must bring the couples’ identification and the fee.

Yes, I am happy to work with bilingual family members to bring their native language into your ceremony.