Eloping & Marriage Laws in New York State
When it comes to planning to marry or elope, one of the first steps is to check to laws and license requirements. New York State and the counties within have specific requirements when it comes to marrying a bride and a groom, some of which differ from those of other states or countries.
Other People Are Reading
-
Valid Identification
-
The bride and groom do not need to residents of New York State, but valid ID must be presented by both to verify age and identity. Valid ID includes a drivers license, passport, immigration record or picture ID from a place of employment. A birth certificate, naturalization record, census record or baptismal record can be used to verify age.
Age
-
The bride and groom must be at least 15 years of age or older to be legally marries. If they are 14 or 15, their parents and a state just must give consent. For 16- and 17-year-olds, only the parents need give their consent. If the bride and groom are over 18-years-old, there is no parental consent needed to be married.
-
Parties Involved
-
First cousins are allowed to be married to each other in New York State, but common law marriages are not allowed. Same sex marriages are also not legal. Only an officially ordained or public official is allowed to perform marriages. All officiants must be registered with the city of New York.
Fees and Waiting Period
-
Marriage or eloping fees range between $35 and $60 and are payable to "The City Clerk." Most offices do not accept cash or a personal check and only accept money orders. From the moment the license is purchased and issued, there is a 24-hour waiting period that takes effect. The waiting period can be waived, but only with approval of a New York State Supreme Court judge.
County Marriage Laws
-
There may be some minor variations in laws by county in New York State. The local county offices should be contacted to confirm local laws and to have any questions answered.
-
References
- Photo Credit marriage image by Mykola Velychko from Fotolia.com
