Do we need a marriage license? Do we need blood tests?
You will need a license, but you do not need blood tests, and there is no waiting period.

 

Where do we get a marriage license?
Licenses are issued by the Town Clerk. (For Vermont residents, the license must be purchased in the Town where the bride or groom lives.)

What if we are not Vermont Residents?
If neither party is a Vermont resident, you may get the license from any town clerk in the State.

 

Where is the Springfield Town Clerk's Office Located?
The Springfield Town Clerk's office is located at 96 Main Street, on the second floor, directly above the Police Department. The office hours are 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or by appointment. The telephone number is 802-885-2104.

 

How much does it cost?
The license costs $23.00 and is valid for 60 days from the date it is issued. The marriage license may be used the day it is issued. During the 60-day time period, an authorized person must perform your wedding ceremony - otherwise, the license is void.

 

What information must we provide to get a marriage license?
Besides basic information about yourselves (names, towns of residence, places, and dates of birth), you must also provide your parents' names, including your mothers' maiden names, and their places of birth. (A certified copy of your birth certificate can supply most of this information. However, it is not necessary for you to have a copy with you when you apply.) Both parties must sign the license in the presence of the Town Clerk, certifying that all the information you provided is correct. If it is not a first marriage, and either marriage ended in death or divorce, the Town Clerk will ask to see a copy of the death certificate or divorce decree. You will also be asked to provide information about your race, the highest grade you completed in school, the number of previous marriages, and how they ended.  This information is confidential and does not become part of the marriage certificate.

 

Can a license be issued through the mail? Can we be married by proxy?
No. A marriage license cannot be issued through the mail, and you cannot be married by proxy.

 

Where can we get married?
With a valid Vermont license, you can be married anywhere in Vermont, but only in Vermont.

 

Who can marry us? Do we need witnesses?
A supreme court justice, a superior court judge, a district judge, a judge of probate, an assistant judge, a justice of the peace or an ordained or licensed member of the clergy residing in Vermont can perform you wedding ceremony. A clergy person residing in an adjoining state or country can marry you if his or her church, temple, mosque, or other religious organization lies wholly or partly in Vermont. A clergy member residing in some other state or in Canada can marry you if he or she first obtains a special authorization from the probate court in the district where the marriage will take place. Vermont law does not require witnesses; but, if you are planning a religious ceremony, check to see if the religion's tenets require witnesses.

 

What do we do with the license? What happens to it after the ceremony?
By law, you must deliver the license to the person who will conduct your wedding ceremony before the marriage can be performed. After the ceremony, the person who performs the ceremony (officiant) will complete the sections concerning the date, place and officiant information, and sign your license. At that point, the license becomes a marriage certificate. The officiant must return the certificate to the town clerk's office where it was issued within 10 days after the wedding so that your marriage can be officially registered. The certificate is not a complete legal document until it has been recorded in the town clerk's office where it was obtained.

 

How do we get a copy of our marriage certificate?
When you buy your license, you can arrange with the town clerk to mail you a certified copy of your certificate as soon as your marriage is recorded. The cost is $30.00 ($23.00 for the license and $7.00 for the certified copy). After the ceremony , you may also request, in person or in writing, a copy from the town clerk's office where you obtained your license. This is accepted for all legal purposes as proof of a valid marriage.