Connecticut Wedding Laws
While it may be one of the smallest states geographically speaking, Connecticut is a great place to hold your marriage ceremony. It is beautiful and full of plenty of scenic places that would make for an amazing wedding spot. You will need to abide by the state laws concerning marriage if you wish to hold your ceremony here. Not understanding or knowing the law is no excuse, and you could end up with an invalid wedding. To help you avoid that fate, we’ve put together a guide that addresses the important things you should know.
Connecticut Marriage Requirements
- Min. Age of Couple:
- Age 18 or Age 16 with Guardian Consent
- Residency:
- Not Required
- Min. Distance of Kin Allowed:
- First Cousins
- Marriage Equality:
- Yes
Connecticut welcomes everyone to marry here. It has no residency requirements, which makes it an ideal destination wedding spot. You do need to be both at least 18 years old, but if you are at least the age of 16, you can marry with parental consent. Connecticut does not discriminate and allows all types of couples to marry here, including same-sex couples or those from varying religious or nonreligious beliefs.
Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 46b-20a. Eligibility to marry. Issuance of license to minor who is sixteen or seventeen, when permitted.
(a) A person is eligible to marry if such person is:
(1) Not a party to another marriage, or a relationship that provides substantially the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as a marriage, entered into in this state or another state or jurisdiction, unless the parties to the marriage will be the same as the parties to such other relationship;
(2) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, at least eighteen years of age;
(3) Except as provided in section 46b-29, not under the supervision or control of a conservator; and
(4) Not prohibited from entering into a marriage pursuant to section 46b-21.
(b) A license may be issued to a minor who is at least sixteen years of age but under eighteen years of age with the approval of the Probate Court as provided in this subsection. A parent or guardian of a minor may, on behalf of the minor, petition the Probate Court for the district in which the minor resides seeking approval for the issuance of a license to such minor. The court shall schedule a hearing on the petition and give notice to the minor, the minor's parents or guardians and to the other party to the intended marriage. The minor and the petitioning parent or guardian shall be present at such hearing. The court may, in its discretion, require the other party to the intended marriage to be present at such hearing. After a hearing on the petition, the court may approve the issuance of a license to the minor if the court finds that: (1) The petitioning parent or guardian consents to the marriage; (2) the minor consents to the marriage and such consent is based upon an understanding of the nature and consequences of marriage; (3) the minor has sufficient capacity to make such a decision; (4) the minor's decision to marry is made voluntarily and free from coercion; and (5) the marriage would not be detrimental to the minor.
Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 46b-21. (Formerly Sec. 46-1). Marriage of persons related by consanguinity or affinity prohibited. No person may marry such person's parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, parent's sibling, sibling's child, stepparent or stepchild. Any marriage within these degrees is void.
How to Get a Connecticut Marriage License
- Who Picks Up License:
- The Couple
- Where License is Valid:
- Town of Issuance
- Marriage License Pick-Up:
- In Person Only
- Cost of License:
- $50.00
- Accepted I.D. Types:
- Photo ID
- Proof of Divorce Required (If Applicable):
- No
- Blood Test Required:
- No
You can secure your marriage license from the Town Clerk. It will cost at least $50, which you must pay when you apply. You will not have to provide proof of divorce or undergo a blood test to get your license.
However, you will have to provide photo identification and some additional personal information to get the license from the clerk in the city in which your ceremony will occur. You cannot use the license to marry in another town or city. The clerk will also require you both to be physically present to get the document and swear to the truth of the information you provide.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-73 Fees for marriage license, burial or removal, transit and burial permit. Marriage license surcharge.
(a) To any person performing the duties required by the provisions of the general statutes relating to registration of marriages, deaths and fetal deaths, the following fees shall be allowed: (1) For the license to marry, fifteen dollars; and (2) for issuing each burial or removal, transit and burial permit, five dollars.
(b) A thirty-five-dollar surcharge shall be paid to the registrar for each license to marry in addition to the fee for such license established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section...
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-24. (Formerly Sec. 46-5a). License. Period of validity. Penalty for solemnization without license. Validity of marriage ceremony.
(a) Except as provided in section 46b-28a, no persons may be joined in marriage in this state until both have complied with the provisions of this section, sections 46b-20a, 46b-25 and 46b-29 to 46b-33, inclusive, and have been issued a license by the registrar for the town in which the marriage is to be celebrated, which license shall bear the certification of the registrar that the persons named therein have complied with the provisions of said sections.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-25. (Formerly Sec. 46-5b). Application for license. No license may be issued by the registrar until both persons have appeared before the registrar and made application for a license. The registrar shall issue a license to any two persons eligible to marry under this chapter. The license shall be completed in its entirety, dated, signed and sworn to by each applicant and shall state each applicant's name, age, race, birthplace, residence, whether single, widowed or divorced and whether under the supervision or control of a conservator or guardian. The Social Security numbers of both persons shall be recorded in the “administrative purposes” section of the license. If the license is signed and sworn to by the applicants on different dates, the later date shall be deemed the date of application.
Applying For a Marriage License in Connecticut
- ULC-Officiated Ceremony Type:
- Religious
- Mandatory Waiting Period:
- None
- License Valid For:
- 65 Days
- License Must Be Submitted:
- By First Week of Month Following Ceremony
If you use a Universal Life Church minister, you will need to ensure you get a religious ceremony marriage license and not a civil license. ULC ministers are religious actors under the law, so even if your ceremony will not be religious in nature, you still require this type of license.
Your license is valid for up to 65 days, and the state does not require a waiting period after you secure it. You can get the license and marry on the same day if you wish.
There is a deadline for returning the license to the town clerk after the ceremony. It can vary. Usually, it will be the first week of the month following the month in which the marriage ceremony took place. It could, therefore, be as little as seven days after the ceremony.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-24. (Formerly Sec. 46-5a). License. Period of validity. Penalty for solemnization without license. Validity of marriage ceremony.
(b) Such license, when certified by the registrar, is sufficient authority for any person authorized to perform a marriage ceremony in this state to join such persons in marriage, provided the ceremony is performed within a period of not more than sixty-five days after the date of application.
Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 46b-34. (Formerly Sec. 46-7). Marriage certificate. Affidavit in lieu of certificate.
(a) Each person who joins any person in marriage shall certify upon the license certificate the fact, time and place of the marriage, and return it to the registrar of the town where the marriage took place, before or during the first week of the month following the marriage. Any person who fails to do so shall be fined not more than ten dollars.
(b) If any person fails to return the certificate to the registrar, as required under subsection (a) of this section, the persons joined in marriage may provide the registrar with a notarized affidavit attesting to the fact that they were joined in marriage and stating the date and place of the marriage. Upon the recording of such affidavit by the registrar, the marriage of the affiants shall be deemed to be valid as of the date of the marriage stated in the affidavit.
How to Become a Wedding Officiant in Connecticut
- Min. Age of Minister:
- Age 18
- Residency:
- Not Required
- Document(s) Required:
- Varies by County
- Online Ordination Recognized:
- Yes
- Relevant Office of Registration:
- Town Clerk
- Latest Document(s) Submission Date Allowed:
- After Ceremony
- Minister I.D. # Issued:
- No
ULC ministers will need to obtain a letter of good standing after ordination because a person cannot be ordained only to perform weddings in the state. The letter will allow the minister to qualify under state law to perform the wedding. However, he or she will also need to perform some other type of ceremony or act prior to the wedding to ensure the validity of the license.
As a minister, the prior act could be meeting with people to discuss religious topics. Notes and details should go into the record in case the state asks for proof of performance. The law is rather specific and a ULC minister who does not ensure he or she is in good standing could invalidate the wedding ceremony.
The minister does not have to live in the state but must be at least 18 years old. It is essential that couples check to verify the minister has legal standing to perform marriages prior to the ceremony to avoid an invalid wedding.
Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 46b-22. (Formerly Sec. 46-3). Who may join persons in marriage. Penalty for unauthorized performance. (a) Persons authorized to solemnize marriages in this state include (1) all judges and retired judges, either elected or appointed, including federal judges and judges of other states who may legally join persons in marriage in their jurisdictions, (2) family support magistrates, family support referees, state referees and justices of the peace who are appointed in Connecticut, and (3) all ordained or licensed members of the clergy, belonging to this state or any other state. All marriages solemnized according to the forms and usages of any religious denomination in this state, including marriages witnessed by a duly constituted Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is, are valid. All marriages attempted to be celebrated by any other person are void.
Getting Married in Connecticut
- Marriage By Proxy Allowed:
- No
- Minister Required to be Present:
- Yes
- Number of Witnesses Required:
- None
- Min. Age of Witnesses:
- Not Applicable
- Couple's Consent Required:
- Yes
- Pronouncement Required:
- Yes
Everyone participating in the wedding must be physically present at the ceremony. By proxy options are not available for the couple or the minister. There is not a witness requirement in Connecticut, though.
You can follow any script or do whatever customs you want in your ceremony. However, state law requires the minister to pronounce you married and that you and your partner must verbally consent to the marriage. Typically, you will do this by saying “I do” during the ceremony.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-24. (Formerly Sec. 46-5a). License. Period of validity. Penalty for solemnization without license. Validity of marriage ceremony.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, in order to be valid in this state, a marriage ceremony shall be conducted by and in the physical presence of a person who is authorized to solemnize marriages.
Finalizing the Marriage
- Officiant's Title on Marriage License:
- Minister
- Church/Ordaining Body:
- Universal Life Church Ministries
- Address of Church:
- Minister's Home Address
To ensure a legally binding wedding, the minister must complete the marriage license. He or she must provide his or her personal information, including his or her title, name, and home address. He or she must list Universal Life Church as the church. It is essential the completion is accurate. This will also include the couple and minister signing the document.
If there are errors on the certificate, it could result in fees and additional work. A completed license must go back to the proper town clerk. It must return by the proper date as well based on the date of the wedding ceremony.
The church does not require reporting of the ceremony, but the minister should keep his or her own records of ceremonies performed. This is a good idea regardless of the state, as it serves as recordkeeping for fees collected to perform the weddings.
After turning in the document, the town clerk may contact the minister with questions or to secure additional information. Having proper recordkeeping can help the minister in a situation such as this.
Remember, it is the minister who must ensure the license gets back to the proper town clerk. If he or she fails to properly register the license, it will invalidate the marriage and can lead to additional issues.