Checked against USAGov's marriage certificate page, CDC's vital records directory and an official page for every state and DC on 2026-10-07. Rules are set by each state and its local offices; their current instructions win.
Here's the outline, free. The order is a suggestion, not a set of deadlines; the office that issues licenses where you'll marry says what you need and by when.
| ✓ | Step | What to do or ask |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Know which document you need | USAGov: "A marriage license legally allows you to marry. A marriage certificate proves you got married." (USAGov) |
| ☐ | Find the issuing office | USAGov: "Contact the vital records office in the state where you are getting married to find out how to apply." Our state links give an official starting page; many point to county, town or court offices. |
| ☐ | Read the office's page | Copy, in its words: how to apply, what each of you brings, cost, any waiting or expiry period, and where the license may be used. |
| ☐ | Gather what it lists | Check each item for both of you, and whether it must be an original or certified copy. |
| ☐ | Apply | Online, by appointment or in person, as the office says. Ask whether both of you must be there. |
| ☐ | The ceremony | Ask the office and your officiant who signs the license, any witness rules, and who returns it, how and by when. |
| ☐ | Certified copies | USAGov says the state vital records office will tell you "the cost, what information you need to supply, and if you can get a copy online, by mail, or in person." |
A 10-page PDF with these steps as question lists, links for all 50 states and DC, and an editable Word file with 7 forms. Organizing and questions only: no legal advice, and no state rules, fees or waiting periods restated.
Get the Marriage License Checklist (PDF + Word), $9
Instant download. 14-day no-questions refund. Edition 1.0, dated 2026-10-07. For a marriage license in any U.S. state or DC; each office's own rules you read on its own pages.