New York City does not issue marriage licenses borough by borough. One office — the Marriage Bureau of the Office of the City Clerk — handles all five boroughs under one fee, one booking system and one set of rules. That means a couple living in Brooklyn (Kings County), Queens, the Bronx, Manhattan (New York County) or Staten Island (Richmond County) gets exactly the same license, and can pick whichever borough office has the earliest appointment.
This single guide replaces the separate borough pages we used to publish, because the information was identical and splitting it only made it harder to find.
| License fee | $35, payable by credit card, debit card (Visa or MasterCard) or money order made out to the City Clerk. |
|---|---|
| Waiting period | 24 hours between receiving the license and the ceremony. A judicial waiver from the County Clerk can shorten it and costs nothing. |
| Documents / ID required | Valid, unexpired photo ID for both applicants (driver’s license or non-driver ID, IDNYC, U.S. military ID, passport from any country, and a short list of immigration documents). Details of previous marriages and final divorce decrees where applicable. |
| License validity | 60 days (180 days for active-duty military). The license is valid anywhere in New York State, but not outside it. |
| Where & how to apply | Book an in-person or virtual appointment through Project Cupid (nyc.gov/cupid). Both spouses must attend. No walk-ins. |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday by appointment, at any of the five borough offices listed below. |
The five borough offices
You are not tied to the borough where you live or where you plan to marry. Pick the office with the earliest slot and the easiest commute.
| Manhattan (New York County) | 141 Worth Street, New York, NY 10013. The Marriage Bureau counter closes at 3:45 p.m. This is also the only office that holds marriage records from 1950 to 1995. |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn (Kings County) | 210 Joralemon Street, 2nd Floor, Room 205, Brooklyn, NY 11201. |
| Bronx (Bronx County) | 851 Grand Concourse, Room B131, Bronx, NY 10451. |
| Queens (Queens County) | 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Ground Floor, Room G-100, Kew Gardens, NY 11424. |
| Staten Island (Richmond County) | 10 Richmond Terrace, 3rd Floor, Room 311, Staten Island, NY 10301. |
Step by step: from application to marriage certificate
- Start the application online. Both of you fill in the application through Project Cupid and choose either an in-person appointment at a borough office or a virtual appointment. The online application expires after 21 days, so book the appointment immediately; if it lapses you have to start over.
- Attend the appointment together. Bring your confirmation number, valid ID and payment. If you have everything, the license is issued the same day; virtual appointments produce a digital license you download from your Cupid account.
- Wait 24 hours. The ceremony can happen no sooner than 24 hours after the license is issued, unless you obtain a judicial waiver and hand it to the officiant.
- Marry within 60 days, anywhere in New York State. The ceremony can be held anywhere in New York State, including at a City Clerk’s office, with an authorized officiant.
- The officiant returns the license. The signed license goes back to the borough office that issued it within 5 business days. If you used a judicial waiver, it has to be attached.
- Receive your Certificate of Marriage Registration. It normally arrives by mail in about 20 days. If you marry at a City Clerk office, you leave with it the same day.
After the wedding: which document do you actually need?
New York City produces two different things after a wedding, and couples often mix them up.
| Certificate of Marriage Registration | Mailed to you automatically about 20 days after the officiant returns the license (same day if you marry at a City Clerk office). If a month passes without it, contact the office that issued your license. |
|---|---|
| Short-form marriage record copy | $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy. |
| Extended-form copy (for use abroad) | $35 for the first copy and $30 for each additional copy. Needed for foreign-use situations such as an apostille; the apostille itself is a separate step. |
How to request a copy. In person, copies are issued the same day if you bring complete documentation, but you still need an appointment through Project Cupid — the City Clerk does not accept walk-ins for record requests. Records from 1996 to the present can be requested at any borough office; records from 1950 to 1995 must be requested at the Manhattan Record Room, 141 Worth Street. By mail, send the City Clerk’s mail-in form, payment (postal money order or certified check made out to the City Clerk), documentation and a photocopy of your ID to City Clerk of New York, 141 Worth Street, New York, NY 10013, Attn: Record Room; the City Clerk states 4 to 6 weeks for processing.
Who may request a record less than 50 years old: either spouse, a person holding notarized written permission from the spouses, an attorney who needs it as evidence, or a person with a proper judicial purpose.
Common mistakes
- Turning up without an appointment. The City Clerk states that no walk-in visits are permitted.
- Using an expired ID. Expired identification is not accepted, no exceptions.
- Letting the online application lapse. It expires after 21 days.
- Assuming the license works outside New York. It is valid anywhere in New York State, but not in another state.
- Not having divorce paperwork ready. Prior spouses and the details of any divorce, annulment or dissolution must be listed, and the final decree may be requested.
- Losing the license. A duplicate costs $25 and requires an affidavit, so keep the license somewhere safe until the officiant returns it.
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to apply in the borough where we live?
No. Any of the five borough offices can issue your license regardless of where you live or where you marry. Choose the office with the earliest appointment.
Can we get the license and marry on the same day?
Not without a judicial waiver. New York requires 24 hours between receiving the license and the ceremony. A judicial waiver, requested from the County Clerk, costs nothing and must be given to the officiant.
How long is a NYC marriage license valid?
60 days, or 180 days for active-duty military. It can be used anywhere in New York State but not outside it.
How do we get a copy of our NYC marriage certificate?
Book an appointment through Project Cupid and request a short-form copy ($15, then $10 for each additional copy) at a borough office, or send a mail-in request to the City Clerk’s Record Room in Manhattan. Mail requests take 4 to 6 weeks according to the City Clerk.
What if the license is lost or has a mistake?
A duplicate or corrected license costs $25 and is requested at the borough office that issued it. Corrections have to be made before the ceremony.
Certified copies in New York City (all five boroughs)
$15 for the first certified copy, $10 for each additional copy
| Issued by | NYC City Clerk (borough offices; Manhattan Record Room for 1950-1995) |
|---|---|
| Fee details | Short form $15, then $10 each. Extended form for use abroad: $35, then $30 each. |
| How to order | Appointment through Project Cupid (no walk-ins), or by mail to 141 Worth Street, Attn: Record Room. |
| Timing | Same day in person; 4 to 6 weeks by mail. |
| Who can request | A spouse, someone with notarized permission, an attorney, or a person with a proper judicial purpose (records under 50 years). |
Source: NYC311 - Marriage Record · checked October 2026 · How many copies do you need?
Last verified: October 2026
Read our general step-by-step guide →
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