HOW TO MARRY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

The easy ones first
You must be of legal age* and free to marry

You may be married by any Justice of the Peace, ordained priest, minister or rabbi or judge authorized to perform marriages in the State of New Hampshire

Both in state and out of state couples can obtain a license at any Town or City Clerks office in the state.
At the bottom of the page is a link with contact information for all the town clerks in the state

Both parties must be present to obtain the license.(This requirement may be waived if one or both of the parties are members of the armed services-contact your town or city clerk)

Call ahead to the clerk where you are obtaining your license for required documentation. This usually includes proof of residence, age and identity. If applicable, divorce papers or death certificates will be needed in the event of a prior marriage. The waiting period law was changed July 4th, 2006 and you may now marry immediately, if you wish. The license is in effect for 90 days and must be reapplied for if not used in that time period. The license fee is $50.00 at the present time. (2011)

You may now be married in any city or town in the state.

You do not need any type of a blood test.
You do not need witnesses to either obtain the license or for the ceremony itself.

* Waivers for age(18) can be obtained from a county probate or Superior Court judge for in state residents. In no instance will waivers for age be granted to non-residents or same sex couples.

After the wedding

In order to get a copy of your marriage certicate from the town clerk who issued the license, you must wait about two weeks and request it in person or by mail. They will not do this by a phone request.CHANGE As of September 1999, there will be a $12.00 charge for this certificate.
Keep your marriage certificate with all other important documents. This is a legal document and you will need it for name changes, insurance papers, military records etc.

If you have any questions contact any town or city clerk or : BUREAU OF VITAL RECORDS - Concord, New Hampshire 03301 (603) 271-4654 in state or - Toll Free 1-800-852-3310 Ext.4654

As of the 1st of January 2008, Civil Unions are recognised, and may be entered into in the State of NH. As far as I can tell the requirements are the same except that the couple MUST have both reached the age of 18 and be of the same gender. As of January 2010 Same sex marriages are now allowed, any civil unions entered into before that date will become marriages after January 2011. Please contact the town or city clerk's offices where you obtained your license for more information.

My definition of marriage...it resembles a pair of shears, so joined that they cannot be separated; often moving in opposite directions, yet always punishing anyone who comes between them.

---Sydney Smith, English journalist and clergyman