How to Obtain a Marriage License in Massachusetts

Anyone planning to be wed in Massachusetts requires a current marriage license issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts regardless of residency.

This license does not have to be from the town that you are getting married in or the town in which you currently reside. It is necessary to apply together in person “to file your intentions” with any city or town clerk. Massachusetts requires the couple to be over the age of 18.

Massachusetts imposes a three-day waiting period from the day you file your “marriage intentions” to the day you pick up your license. However, a waiver of the waiting period may be granted by a judge. A Massachusetts marriage license is valid anywhere within the state for sixty days from the date first filed. This process is the same for same-sex marriages.