NWBRHC

NORTHWEST BERGEN REGIONAL HEALTH COMMISSION

Marriage Licenses

FIRST STEPS

**Vital statistics are processed by appointment only. Please call to schedule. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated.

Please read the NJ Department of Health’s Information Guide on Entering into a Marriage or Civil Union in New Jersey prior to contacting NWBRHC.

You will need to make an in-person appointment with Northwest Bergen Regional Health Commission to file your Marriage License if:

You and/or your future spouse live in one of the following towns:

  • ​Allendale
  • Emerson
  • Midland Park
  • Waldwick
  • Saddle River

You and your future spouse live outside of NJ and are planning to get married in one of the following towns:​

  • ​Allendale
  • Emerson
  • Midland Park
  • Waldwick
  • Saddle River

If you DO NOT live in one of the above-listed towns or live outside of NJ and you are not planning to get married in one of the above-listed towns, please find your Local Registrar here.

Questions? Please call (201) 445-7217 and ask to speak with Carmen Nist or Corinne Woodward.

HELPFUL INFORMATION

What should you bring with you when you apply?

Required documents when applying for a marriage license:

  1. Proof of identify (driver’s license, passport or state/federal ID)*
  2. Proof of your residency in the town in which you are applying
  3. Your social security number*
  4. A witness, 18 years of age or older who must also show proof of identity as listed above
  5. Cash, check, or money order for the $28 license fee

*Social security number is required by law for U.S. citizens and will be kept confidential. Any documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

After You Apply

There is a 72-hour waiting period before the license is issued. The waiting period begins when the application is filed with the Local Registrar. There is no 72-hour waiting period for a remarriage; however, you must bring a certified copy of your existing marriage.

The marriage license application is valid and can be held in our office for six months from the date accepted by the Registrar, unless the Registrar has given prior approval to extend the validity of the application to a maximum of one year.

Once the official Marriage License is issued to you by the Registrar, it must be used within 30 days.

Only one marriage license may be granted from a marriage application. If the license expires before being used, a new application must be made.

The only exception to this requirement is in the case where a civil and religious ceremony are to be performed on the same day. In this case, the Local Registrar will photocopy the marriage application, marking one “A” and one “B”, and issue the corresponding marriage licenses, marking them “A” and “B” as well. One copy will be used for the religious ceremony and the other for the civil ceremony.

Remarriage Licenses

For individuals who are currently married in New Jersey or are married in another state or country, the option exists to reaffirm your relationship/vows by registering a remarriage.
 
To apply for a remarriage, the couple must provide proof of their existing marriage, meet the requirements for entering into a marriage in New Jersey and follow the guidelines above to completing the license application.

The process for a remarriage license is the same as for the marriage license, except that the remarriage license must be accompanied by the proof of existing marriage. There is no 72-hour waiting period before the license is issued.