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Requirements for
Obtaining a Marriage License in
Wake County
BOTH parties must be present when applying for the marriage license.
The marriage may be performed anywhere within NC.
Submit your
marriage application online! Click on
Application below.
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Application
Requirements: (Please read carefully)
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Proof of Age and Identity
***Note - both proof of a Social Security
number and an ID must be presented at
time of application*** |
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Applicants (bride and groom
) 15 years of age and above must provide their Social Security
numbers and verification of the number. Applicants may present a
Social Security card, W-2 form, or pay stub displaying full social security number as verification. If you do not have
a Social Security number,
click here
or refer to the section under topic - If You Do Not Have a Social Security
Number. |
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Applicants
(both bride and groom) 21 years of age or above may use one (1) of the
following forms of identification :
- Driver's license (may not be
expired), or
- State-issued I.D. Card (may not be expired),
or
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Passport (may not be expired), or
- Military I.D. (may not be expired),
or
-
Certified copy of birth certificate |
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Applicants (bride and
groom) 20 years of age or younger must have a
certified copy of their birth certificate. |
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Applicants (bride and
groom) 16 or 17 years of age must have
parental consent and certified copies of their birth certificate in order to acquire a
license. |
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Applicants
(bride and groom) 15 years of age must present certified court order authorizing marriage
from District Court Judge. |
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Cost and Location to obtain
marriage license |
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$60
CASH is required for a marriage license. Only cash is
accepted. The license is good immediately upon issuance and is valid
for 60 days. |
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Applicants (bride and groom) who wish to
obtain their marriage licenses in Wake County may complete their
application
online
or at the Wake County Register of Deeds office,
One Bank of America Plaza, 421 Fayetteville Street,
Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27601.
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Applicants (bride and groom) must
show their identification and sign the marriage license at the Wake
County Register of Deeds office. Marriage licenses are issued between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding
County-observed holidays.
Couples applying
between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. should expect up to an hour's wait.
The
Register of Deeds is located at
One Bank of America Plaza, 421 Fayetteville Street,
Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27601.
Call (919)
856-5460 if you need more information. |
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Divorced Applicants |
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Divorced applicants
(bride and groom) must provide the month and year of
their last divorce. If the divorce was finalized within 30 days of applying for the
marriage license, the applicant must provide an original or certified copy of the divorce decree. There is no waiting period between the divorce and applying for the new license.
The Wake County Register of Deeds does not handle divorces. To
obtain information about divorce proceedings, follow this link to the
Clerk
of Superior Court. |
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Information About Getting Married in North
Carolina |
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Persons do NOT need
to be residents of
North Carolina to marry in Wake
County or North Carolina. |
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A premarital physical is
NOT required. |
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Marriages may be performed by 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 are required. |
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Civil ceremonies are
performed by magistrates at the following locations and times: |
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During regular
business hours, marriages are
performed in the Wake County Courthouse by a magistrate. The
Courthouse is located between Martin and
Davie Streets with entrances from Salisbury Street and Fayetteville Street Mall.
The
fee is $20. No appointment is necessary. Between 10 am
and 11:30 am, marriages are performed in Courtroom 921. From 3:00
pm. to 4:30 pm, marriages are performed in Courtroom 9G,
9H or 9I. If you need further
assistance, call 919-792-4901 and leave a message on voice
mail. Someone will return your call. |
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If you wish to be
married in the evening or on weekends, the Magistrates' Office within
the Wake County Public Safety
Center can provide this service. The Public Safety Center is
located at 330 S. Salisbury Street at the corner of Salisbury and
Davie. As you enter the Public Safety Center lobby, you will see
the Magistrates' Office to the right. Ceremonies are performed on a
first-come, first-served basis, and no appointments are
accepted. |
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Obtaining Certified Copies |
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You can purchase a certified copy
of your marriage license for $10.00. You can acquire a certified
copy by visiting our office or requesting by mail at: P. O. Box 1897,
Raleigh, N.C. 27602 |
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The Wake County Register
of Deeds can only provide copies of marriage licenses that were issued by
the Wake County Register
of Deeds office. Contact
NC Vital Records for other marriage records. |
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If You Want to Change Your
Last Name |
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You
should obtain a certified copy of your marriage license
(following the ceremony) for a name change on
your driver’s license and your Social Security card.
Wait at least TEN days after the ceremony before requesting
copies to allow sufficient time to return your license to us.
You may
acquire a certified copy by visiting our office or requesting it by mail at:
P. 0. Box 1897,
Raleigh, NC 27602 |
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In your request,
please include the name of bride and groom and the
date of the marriage.
Certified copies of your marriage license are $10 each.
Check or cash will be accepted. |
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Present the certified copy of your marriage licenses
along with other documentation required by the
Social Security
Administration
and the
Department of Motor Vehicles.
You should get a new Social Security card with your
name change before getting a new driver's license. The Social Security Administration is located at 4701
Old Wake Forest Road in Raleigh, and their local
number is 877-803-6311. |
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If You Do Not Have A
Social Security Number |
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Applicants who are not eligible for a Social Security
number may obtain a marriage license by signing an affidavit attesting to this fact.
The affidavit is available in the Register of Deeds office or
can
be printed out here (affidavit). |
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Note: A
foreigner admitted to the United States for permanent residence or to engage in employment must be
issued a Social Security number. A foreigner not
eligible for a Social Security card but who was legally admitted to the United
States can use an individual identification number (ITIN) in lieu of a Social
Security number. To obtain an ITIN number, contact the IRS Tax
Administration Office to fill out a W-7 form. |
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If You Have More Questions
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Call (919) 856-5460
Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. |
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Email us at
aredd@co.wake.nc.us |
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For an English printable brochure,
click here |
Proof of Age and Identity
***Note - both proof of a Social Security
number and an ID must be presented at
time of application***
Complete
your marriage application and submit it online: Application
(Couples must still appear in our office to
officially
apply)
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