Marriage Licenses
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The Town Clerk is responsible for issuing a New York State Marriage License to qualified applicants as well as recording the marriage with the New York State Department of Health. The marriage record is on file in this office and in Albany.
Licenses to marry in New York State may be obtained from the Town Clerk’s office, regardless of the residence of either of the parties. Once the license is issued and the 24-hour waiting period has passed, the ceremony must be performed within 60 days and can be performed anywhere in New York State.
In order to obtain a marriage license, the applicants must present photo ID (drivers license or passport), Social Security card and their birth certificate with a seal listing parents name on certificate. Both applicants must appear in person. Marriage license applicants whose previous marriage(s) ended in divorce, annulment or death of a spouse, must provide proof of dissolution of all previous marriage(s) by presenting a certified copy of Divorce or Annulment decrees and/or a certified copy of a Death Certificate for each previous marriage. Blood tests are no longer required.
The fee for obtaining a New York State Marriage License is $40 payable by cash, check, credit card/debit card or money order to the Caledonia Town Clerk . Additional Certified Transcripts of Marriage are available for $10 per copy.
To get a copy of your marriage record
A certified copy of the marriage record may be obtained from the office of the Town or City Clerk who issued the license (fee $10), or from the New York State Department of Health (fee $30).
To request a copy of a marriage certificate from the Caledonia Town Clerk by mail, you must: Print a copy of the Application for Copy of Marriage Certificate and fill in the form, remit the completed form and the $10 fee to: Town of Caledonia, 3109 Main St., Caledonia, NY 14423. Along with the above information, please send a photocopy of your driver’s license and a notarized letter requesting the marriage certificate.
To request a copy of a marriage certificate from the Caledonia Town Clerk in person, you must:
Complete an application form available from the clerk, remit the $10 fee (cash or check), present identification
Please note that because of the personal information contained on the marriage certificate, the Town Clerk will not give a copy of a marriage license to anyone except the bride or groom. Marriage licenses copies cannot be picked up by or mailed to children, parents, or friends of the bride and groom. For more information, please visit the Department of Health website at: www.health.state.ny.us/vital_records/
Licenses are issued by the Caledonia Town Clerk’s during regular office hours. After-hours appointments may be scheduled upon request with 5 days notice.
FAQ's About Marriage Licenses
What is the fee associated with a new marriage license?
A new marriage license costs $40.00.
What do I need to obtain a marriage license?
To obtain a marriage license, both parties to the marriage must be present at the time of application. The Clerk will only accept certain documents for a marriage certificate. Failure to produce the documents will result in non-issuance of a license. The REQUIRED documents for a marriage license include (you and your partner’s identification (State-issued Drivers License, State-issued non-driver’s identification, or a Passport), you and your partner’s official Social Security card with a clearly legible social security number, an original Birth Certificate or a Certified Birth Transcript (must contain a raised seal from the issuing entity). Additionally, if you or your partner have been previously married, you will be required to supply your divorce decree from the court, a Death Certificate showing the loss of a former spouse, or any other paperwork proving the marriage is no longer in existence.
What if I'm marrying someone who isn't from the United States?
If you are getting married to someone who isn’t originally from the United States, you must still comply with the documentation we need. Additionally, any birth certificate or other identifying documents must be professionally translated by a company (not a friend or relative). Failure to produce the documents will result in non-issuance.
Why do I need to provide my birth certificate with a raised seal?
The Birth Certificate is an important part of the Marriage Licensing process and must be presented to obtain a license from the Town of Caledonia. Additionally there must be a raised seal on the document to prove legitimacy. The Birth Certificate presented must contain the names of both parents, including where each parent was born. This is required by New York State law and exceptions will not be made.
I plan to get married. When would be the best time to apply for my license?
Once a license is issued, there is a 24-hour waiting period that must take place. Example: if you’re getting married on Saturday, July 1, it’s not advised to come Friday, June 30 to apply for the marriage license. There must be a 24-hour period from the time the license is issued to the actual performance of the ceremony. Additionally, the ceremony must be performed within 60-days after the license is issued.
If I live in Caledonia, do I need to obtain my license in Caledonia?
No. Any Town Clerk’s office in New York State can provide you a marriage license. The place you choose to obtain your license will be the one that holds the record for life. Additional copies would need to be obtained at the place that issues the license.
Do I need an appointment to obtain a marriage license?
No. An appointment is not required to obtain a marriage license, however, is recommended depending on how busy our office is at the time. We also recommend giving yourself 20-30 minutes to go through the application process and allow the Town Clerk to explain what he/she needs from you following the ceremony.
What is the process after I obtain my marriage license?
After you obtain your marriage license, you will wait 24-hours and then you can get married. You have 60-days from issuance of the license to get married. At the ceremony, your officiant or pastor will fill out the bottom portion of the Marriage License Affidavit (DOH-98) and it will be signed by two witnesses to the marriage. Within 5 days of the marriage, the license should be returned to the Town Clerk’s office for filing. Failure to return the license for recording can impact the legality of your marriage.
I accidentally missed a spelling error, date error, or some other error on my original license. What do I do?
It is extremely important to look over the license affidavit once the Clerk has entered all of the information to inspect for accuracy. Once the marriage is completed, and the form has been returned to our office, it is filed and submitted to New York State. If you find an issue with your affidavit prior to getting married, come back to our office and we will fix it before you get married. The license affidavid includes a place you must sign while obtaining the license affidavit. This is an attestation/affirmation that the information provided to the Town Clerk is correct and true. Failure to double check for erros could result in delays of processing your license and sending you your Official Marriage Registration form. Additinally, the Clerk may be required to submit a Marriage Correction to New York State which can take a long time to fix.
Can I get a copy of someone else's marriage license?
No. A Certified Marriage Transcript will only be provided to the two who are named on the license. No one else is privy to this information.
Do I get a copy of my Marriage License upon filing with the Clerk?
Yes. The Town Clerk’s office will issue you a Marriage Registration form, sealed and certified, which the couple can use to make any necessary name changes. The couple will receive only 1 copy of the Marriage Registration. Additional copies may be purchased for $10 each copy and will be Certified Transcripts of Marriage. We recommend not giving out your original Marriage Registration form. Some entities will keep the form.
I need a copy of my license but don't know if I applied in Caledonia. What do I do?
You may contact us and we can do a search to see if you applied for your license in Caledonia (this may take some time as our records aren’t all digitized). If you did not apply in Caledonia, we won’t have your record. You will have to call around to surrounding towns to see if they have your record.
I've been divorced or I'm widowed. What do I need to obtain a license?
To obtain a new license, we will need proof of death (if widowed) via a Certified Death Certificate with the raised seal showing validity or a copy of your divorce decree from the Court.
I'm still married. Can I apply for a license?
No. A marriage license cannot be obtained by anyone who is currently married.
I need a copy of my marriage license. Do I need to fill out an application?
Yes. To obtain a copy of your marriage record, you will need to fill out this application and either drop it off with your payment ($10 / copy) or send it via mail to the Town of Caledonia, Attn: Seth Graham Town Clerk.
What payment method can I use to pay for my license?
We accept personal checks, money orders, business checks, credit/debit card, Apple Pay/Android Pay and cash.
Does my partner need to be present when applying for a marriage license?
Yes. Both parties to the marriage must be present to obtain a license. Both parties do not need to be present to obtain copies.