New York’s marriage requirements are shorter than most people expect, and the things couples worry about, like residency, citizenship, or a blood test, mostly aren’t on the list. What is on the list is presence: New York wants both of you physically in front of a clerk, and that single requirement shapes everything else about the process.
Here’s the actual checklist for 2026, plus what to do if the “both of you, in person” part is your problem.
Who can get married in New York?
- Both partners must be at least 18. New York allows no exceptions under 18[2].
- Any two people. Same-sex and different-sex couples marry under identical rules.
- No residency requirement. You can live in New Jersey, Texas, or abroad[2].
- No citizenship requirement. Neither partner needs to be a U.S. citizen, and the clerk doesn’t ask about immigration status.
- Not currently married. If either of you was married before, the application asks how the prior marriage ended, so have the details of your divorce or the death of a former spouse ready[3].
What documents do you need?
One valid government-issued photo ID each, such as a passport or driver’s license[3]. That’s the document list. New York requires no blood test and no physical exam[4], no birth certificate for most couples, and no proof of address, because there’s no residency rule to prove.
In New York City the license costs $35, the same in all five boroughs[1]; outside the city, each town or city clerk sets its own fee. The full fee picture, including the ceremony costs both paths involve, is in our cost to get married in NYC breakdown.
The presence requirements (the part that actually bites)
Documents rarely stop anyone. These do:
- Both partners appear in person, together, for the license. In NYC that means a Project Cupid appointment at the City Clerk’s office; the portal handles the application, but the issuing happens face to face[1].
- The 24-hour wait. The ceremony can’t happen within 24 hours of the license being issued, and only a judge can waive that[2].
- The 60-day window. The license expires 60 days after issuance[2].
- An authorized officiant and at least one witness at the ceremony, and the witness signs the license[3].
If appointment scarcity is your worry, we wrote up your options for getting married in New York without an appointment, and if the timeline is the worry, there’s a guide to getting married fast in New York.
What if one of you can’t be in New York?
This is the requirement New York can’t flex on: no in-person appearance, no New York license. For couples split between states or countries, one partner deployed, or anyone who can’t put two people in a Marriage Bureau on the same weekday, the legal workaround runs through Utah’s online marriage program. The license application, the ceremony, and the witnesses all happen over live video with a Utah-licensed officiant, for $349 plus the $71 Utah license fee, $420 total, with no waiting period.
The marriage is performed under Utah law, so it’s a real U.S. marriage with a county-issued certificate, and New York recognizes it under the Full Faith and Credit Clause the same way it recognizes a Vegas wedding. We compare the two routes honestly in City Clerk vs. online marriage, and our NYC guide covers how the online route works for New York couples specifically. For anything unusual, immigration cases especially, talk to an attorney about your situation before you book either path.
This guide explains public government process information and our service workflow; it is not legal advice.
