A Washington DC Marriage License is a required document issued by the Marriage Bureau Section of the Family Court to a couple who wants to get married in Washington DC. It gives the latter the permission to tie the knot under the law. The set of laws may vary from one county to another thus it is advisable to check with the clerk of court’s office of your city’s marriage bureau to verify what the local rules are.

Applicants less than 16 years old are not allowed to marry. Both parties have to be at least 18 years old to obtain a marriage license but individuals who are at least 16 years old are permitted to wed as long as they have parental or legal guardian consent which may be provided in person or through a notarized letter.

Documents that will prove the age and identification of the applicants are required and this may be shown through passports, birth certificates, driver’s licenses or any similar valid IDs.

The bride and groom do not have to be residents of Washington DC to apply for the marriage license but both of them should be present upon application. Details required from the applicants are dates of birth, social security numbers, addresses as well as previous marriage information which include the city, state, country of each marriage and the ending status, whether by death or divorce. Home and work phone numbers are also asked from both parties.

In Washington DC, there is a 5-day waiting period. Most of the states exclude Saturdays, Sundays and holidays and in some occasions, the date the application is filed is not included in the waiting period. Once you get your license, you can marry immediately if you choose to do so.

The couple needs to take a medical exam to test for syphilis before receiving the license. The bride is also required to take a test for venereal disease. A state certified laboratory should analyze the tests and record them in the state form which can be requested from the physician, clinic or the Office of the Town Clerk. The tests are valid only for thirty days.

The marriage license application fee is $35 and the Certificate of Marriage issued with the license is $10 for a total cost of $45.

Ordained ministers may perform the marriage rites and they need to complete a marriage certificate for the bride and for the groom and submit another certificate to the clerk of the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions within 10 days after the marriage.

The Washington DC Marriage License has no expiration date.