Marriage licenses in New Jersey are handled locally, and the details that matter — the fee, the wait, how long the license lasts — are set by state law. This page collects the statewide rules from New Jersey’s own official sources, then links every county guide we have verified so far.
The statewide rules
- Who issues the license: Local Registrar of Vital Statistics of the municipality where either applicant resides; if neither applicant is a NJ resident, the registrar of the municipality where the ceremony will be performed
- License fee (statewide): $28
- Waiting period: 72 hours after application before the registrar may issue, unless a Superior Court orders earlier issuance; the application itself is valid 6 months from filing
- License validity: 30 days from issuance
- Witnesses: One witness age 18 or older must accompany the applicants at application; a ceremony witness count is not stated in the opened brochure
- Residency / where to apply: Residents apply where either applicant resides and the license is good anywhere in NJ; nonresidents apply in the ceremony municipality and the license is valid only in that municipality; a NJ license may never be used outside New Jersey
- Who can officiate: Judges of the Third Circuit, federal district and magistrate judges, municipal, Superior Court and Tax Court judges, retired Superior/Tax Court judges, surrogates, county clerks, mayors and deputy mayors, township committee chairs and village presidents, ministers of every religion, and religious societies/institutions/organizations (N.J.S.A. 37:1-13)
- Courthouse ceremonies: No registrar counter-ceremony service stated in the opened brochure; judges, mayors, county clerks and surrogates are authorized solemnizers
New Jersey counties in this directory
We have published 21 verified county guides for New Jersey so far. License fees on the verified county pages currently run from $28 to $28. 2 of them publish a separate ceremony fee. Browse them all: Browse all New Jersey county guides — and use the search on the homepage to jump straight to your county.
Source for the statewide rules: https://www.nj.gov/health/forms/reg-d30.pdf (checked 2026-11-09). County figures are checked separately against each county’s own official page and carry their own verified dates. Always confirm with your county clerk before you go — this is not a government site.