Marriage in North Carolina

Marriage License

To marry in North Carolina you must first obtain a marriage license at the Register of Deed's Office in the county where you are going to be married. Both applicants must be present in person to obtain the license, but an application for a marriage license may be submitted on line at the Wake County Register of Deeds web site:

• Requirements for Obtaining a Marriage License in Wake County
• Chapter 51. Marriage
  03-04-2005

The marriage license is only valid in the county where it is issued. The cost of the marriage license is $50.00. Only cash is accepted. There is no waiting period for obtaining a marriage license, but the marriage license is only valid for 60 days following the date of issuance.

When you go to the Register of Deed's Office to apply for a marriage license, all applicants must take a picture ID. Applicants who are 20 years of age or older, may use the following forms of identification: A Driver's license, State issued I.D. card. Passport, Military I.D, or a certified copy of your Birth Certificate. Expired Identification document are not acceptable.

Applicants who are 20 years of age or younger, must present a certified copy of your birth certificate. Applicants who are 16 or 17 years of age must have written consent from a parent with whom they reside, or a person, agency, or institution that has legal custody, stands in loco parentis, or serves as guardian. Written consent shall not be required for an emancipated minor if a certified copy of a final decree or certificate of emancipation has been filed with the Register of Deed's Office, and they present a certified copy of their birth certificate.

Divorced applicants must know the month and year that their divorce was granted. If either applicant obtained a divorce within 30 days of their application for a marriage license, they must present a certified copy of the divorce decree.

All applicants must provide their Social Security Number and verification of this number such as a Social Security card, W2 form or pay stub with their SSN number on it. If an applicant is ineligible to obtain a Social Security number, they may obtain a marriage license by presenting a notarized Affidavit attesting to the fact. A sample affidavit is available at the Wake County Register of Deeds web site:

• Affidavit
  03-04-2005

A Premarital physical is not required to obtain a marriage license.

Marriage licenses can be obtained in Wake County between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday excluding holidays, at the Wake County Register of Deed's office, which is located in the Garland Jones Building, 300 South Salisbury Street in Raleigh. If you have any questions about obtaining a marriage license in Wake County, call the Register of Deed's Office at 856-5460.

Religious and Civil Marriage Ceremonies

• 51-1. Requisites of marriage; solemnization
  03-04-2005
• 51-3.2. Marriage licensed and solemnized by a federally recognized Indian Nation or Tribe
  03-04-2005

To be valid, a marriage in North Carolina must be solemnized in the presence of an ordained minister of any religious denomination, a minister authorized by a church, a Magistrate or a federally or state recognized Indian Nation or Tribe. Two witnesses must be present. After the ceremony, the certification portion of the marriage license must be completed and signed by the minister or officer who solemnized the marriage and by the two witnesses present at the marriage. The person who performed the ceremony is required to return the signed marriage certificate to the Register of Deed's Office within ten days after the ceremony.

Magistrates at the Wake County Courthouse perform civil marriage ceremonies. Marriage ceremonies are conducted between 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. in Room 921 , and between 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. in Courtroom 9I or 9H. No appointment is necessary. For additional information, contact the Civil Magistrate's Office at 755-4159. The fee is $20.00. 3-4-2005

The Wake County Magistrates will perform weddings in the evenings or on the weekends, on a first come first serve basis, in the Magistrates' office, which is located on the first floor of the Public Safety Center at 330 South Salisbury Street in Raleigh.

If you plan to take your spouses last name, you should obtain a certified copy of your marriage license so you can change the name on your driver's license and social security card. Certified copies of your Wake County marriage license can be obtained from the Wake County Register of Deeds office ten days after the wedding ceremony for a fee of $10.00.

• NC Bar Association - Marriage (pdf)
  03-04-2005

This is general information about Marriage and is not intended to be a substitute for legal advice as it relates to your particular situation. Consult with our office to discuss how your particular facts relate to the law.