Maine Wedding Laws
Maine has several features that make it appealing as a wedding destination. Have the ceremony along a granite trail or on the coastline and then hold the reception at a lobster shack, if you wish; all are prevalent in Maine. Another appealing feature is that Maine marriage requirements are very reasonable, so planning your wedding should be relatively easy.
Maine Marriage Requirements
- Min. Age of Couple:
- Age 18 or Age 16 with Guardian Consent
- Residency:
- Not Required
- Min. Distance of Kin Allowed:
- Second Cousins
- Marriage Equality:
- Yes
Maine welcomes all couples wishing to get married in the state, including LGBT+ couples, regardless of whether they are residents or non-residents. However, it does require that you and your spouse-to-be meet the age requirement. Both of you must be at least 18 in order to consent to the marriage. The laws of the state allow exceptions for minors at least 16 years old who have the written consent of their parents or legal guardians. In the cases of minors under the age of 16, a probate judge must determine whether the marriage is in the couple's best interest. If deemed to be so, the judge can then officially authorize the marriage.
Marriages between relatives closer in blood than second cousins are prohibited in Maine. However, if first cousins wishing to wed first undergo genetic counseling from a recognized physician to understand potential risks to their offspring, the state may make an exception and allow them to marry.
§652
- Parties under 18 years of age. A marriage license may not be issued to persons under 18 years of age without the written consent of their parents, guardians or persons to whom a court has given custody. In the absence of persons qualified to give consent, the judge of probate in the county where each minor resides may grant consent after notice and opportunity for hearing.
[PL 2019, c. 340, §10 (AMD).]
- Parties under 16 years of age. The clerk or State Registrar of Vital Statistics may not issue a marriage license to a person under 16 years of age without:
A. The written consent of that minor's parents, guardians or persons to whom a court has given custody; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
B. Notifying the judge of probate in the county in which the minor resides of the filing of this intention; and [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
C. Receipt of that judge of probate's written consent to issue the license. The judge of probate shall base a decision on whether to issue consent on the best interest of the parties under 16 years of age and shall consider the age of both parties and any criminal record of a party who is 18 years of age or older. The judge of probate, in the interest of public welfare, may order, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that a license not be issued. The judge of probate shall issue a decision within 30 days of receiving the notification under paragraph B. [PL 1997, c. 683, Pt. E, §5 (AMD); PL 1997, c. 683, Pt. E, §6 (AFF).]
How to Get a Maine Marriage License
- Who Picks Up License:
- The Couple
- Where License is Valid:
- Any County in Maine
- Marriage License Pick-Up:
- In Person Only
- Cost of License:
- $40.00
- Accepted I.D. Types:
- Photo ID
- Proof of Divorce Required (If Applicable):
- Yes
- Blood Test Required:
- No
To obtain a Maine marriage license, you must pay a $40 fee and present yourselves, in person, to a city clerk. If either or both of you live in Maine, it is recommended that you obtain your license in the city where you reside. However, there is no requirement for you to obtain the license in the city where the wedding is to take place.
If either or both of you have been married before, you must be able to produce evidence of a divorce, annulment, or death of a former spouse. If such documents are written in a language other than English, you must assume the expense to have them translated. First cousins wishing to marry must also present proof of having undergone genetic counseling.
Otherwise, obtaining your license is a simple matter of filling out a written application and then swearing an oath that the information you provided is accurate.
§651
- Application. (CONFLICT: Text as amended by PL 2019, c. 340, §5) The parties wishing to record notice of their intentions of marriage shall submit an application for recording notice of their intentions of marriage. The application may be issued to any 2 persons otherwise qualified under this chapter regardless of the sex of each person if the clerk or State Registrar of Vital Statistics is satisfied as to the identity of the applicants. The application must include a signed certification that the information recorded on the application is correct and that the applicant is free to marry according to the laws of this State. The applicant's signature must be acknowledged before an official authorized to take oaths. An application recording notice of intention to marry is not open for public inspection for 50 years from the date of the application except that:
A. The names of the parties for whom intentions to marry are filed and the intended date of marriage are public records and open for public inspection; and [PL 2013, c. 424, Pt. B, §5 (RPR).]
B. A person with a researcher identification card under Title 22, section 2706, subsection 8 is permitted to inspect records and may be issued a noncertified copy of an application. [PL 2013, c. 424, Pt. B, §5 (RPR).]
[PL 2019, c. 340, §5 (AMD).]
- Related parties. If the parties recording notice of their intentions to marry are related as described in section 701, subsection 2, the parties shall submit to the clerk or the State Registrar of Vital Statistics, at the time of recording their intentions to marry, a certificate from a physician stating that the parties have received genetic counseling from the physician. The physician making the certification required by this subsection shall sign the certificate.
[PL 2019, c. 340, §6 (AMD).]
- Prior marriages. Persons recording notice of intention to marry, either of whom has been previously married, shall submit with the application a certificate or certified copy of the divorce decree or annulment of the last marriage or the death record of the last spouse. If both have been previously married, both shall submit the certificates or certified copies. The clerk or State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall make a notation on the application under subsection 2 showing the title and location of the courts, the names of the parties to the proceeding for the divorces or annulments and the date when the decrees became absolute. In the case of a death of a former spouse, the clerk or State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall show the name of the deceased along with the date and place of death.
[PL 2019, c. 340, §6 (AMD).]
- Recognition of foreign divorces. A record of divorce from another state or foreign country is evidence of divorce. If the record is not in English, the record must be translated into English by a disinterested 3rd person at the parties' expense.
[PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
- Resident defined. For the purposes of this chapter, "resident" means a person whose habitation is fixed in a place within this State and to which that person, whenever temporarily absent, has the intention to return. A person is a resident of a municipality if the place of habitation is within that particular municipality. The clerk of a municipality or the State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall consider a person who qualifies as a resident under Title 21-A, section 112 for voting purposes a resident for the purposes of this chapter.
[PL 2019, c. 340, §7 (AMD).]
Applying For a Marriage License in Maine
- ULC-Officiated Ceremony Type:
- Religious
- Mandatory Waiting Period:
- None
- License Valid For:
- 90 Days
- License Must Be Submitted:
- Within 7 Working Days of Ceremony
Once you obtain your marriage license in Maine, the wedding must take place within 90 days or it becomes void. However, there is no waiting period once you obtain your license. The wedding can take place as soon as possible after you obtain it, even on the same day, if that is your wish. The officiant who solemnizes the ceremony must then return the completed license within seven working days of the ceremony to either the state registrar or the city clerk who issued it.
§652-3. Void after 90 days. The license is void if not used within 90 days from the day the intentions were filed in accordance with section 651.
How to Become a Wedding Officiant in Maine
- Min. Age of Minister:
- Age 18
- Residency:
- Not Required
- Document(s) Required:
- Varies by City
- Online Ordination Recognized:
- Yes
- Relevant Office of Registration:
- City Clerk
- Latest Document(s) Submission Date Allowed:
- After the Ceremony
- Minister I.D. # Issued:
- No
An officiant wishing to solemnize a wedding in Maine must be at least 18 years old. A civil ceremony can be performed by a judge, justice, notary, or lawyer who lives in Maine. A temporary registration certificate may be available to non-residents. Anyone licensed to preach by an ecclesiastical body or religious seminary, a member of the clergy, or an ordained minister can perform wedding ceremonies in Maine whether they reside in the state or not.
Online ordination by the Universal Life Church means that ministers are recognized as religious actors under the state law of Maine. However, neither personal beliefs, especially with regard to religion, nor gender has any bearing on their authority to perform wedding ceremonies. Nevertheless, it may be a good idea for ULC ministers to order the Classic Wedding Package that contains all the necessary documentation to prove their credentials if needed.
§655. Authorization; penalties
- Persons authorized to solemnize marriages. The following may solemnize marriages in this State:
A. If a resident of this State:
(1) A justice or judge;
(2) A lawyer admitted to the Maine Bar; or
(4) A notary public under Title 4, chapter 19; [PL 2011, c. 111, §2 (AMD).]
B. Whether a resident or nonresident of this State and whether or not a citizen of the United States:
(1) An ordained minister of the gospel;
(2) A cleric engaged in the service of the religious body to which the cleric belongs; or
(3) A person licensed to preach by an association of ministers, religious seminary or ecclesiastical body; and [PL 2011, c. 111, §3 (AMD).]
C. A nonresident of the State who has a temporary registration certificate issued by the Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics pursuant to subsection 1-A. [PL 2011, c. 111, §4 (NEW).]
[PL 2011, c. 111, §§2-4 (AMD).]
Getting Married in Maine
- Marriage By Proxy Allowed:
- No
- Minister Required to be Present:
- Yes
- Number of Witnesses Required:
- 2
- Min. Age of Witnesses:
- 18
- Couple's Consent Required:
- Yes
- Pronouncement Required:
- Yes
To be legal and binding, a wedding ceremony in Maine must take place in the presence of the officiant and at least two other adult witnesses. In the physical presence of the minister and witnesses, the couple must make a solemn and formal declaration to take one another as spouses. Otherwise, you may plan your ceremony to reflect your own tastes and traditions.
§654. Record of marriages
- Copy. Every person authorized to unite persons in marriage shall make and keep a record of every marriage solemnized by that person in conformity with the forms and instructions prescribed by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics pursuant to Title 22, section 2701.
[PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
- Return of marriage license. The person who solemnized the marriage shall return the marriage license to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics or the clerk who issued the license within 7 working days following the date on which the marriage is solemnized by that person. The clerk and the State Registrar of Vital Statistics each shall retain a copy of the license.
[PL 2019, c. 340, §13 (AMD).]
- Statement including officiant and witnesses. The marriage license returned must contain a statement giving the names of the parties united in marriage, place and date of the marriage, the new name of either party if either party intends to change that party's name, the signature of the person by whom the marriage was solemnized and the names of the 2 witnesses. The person who solemnized the marriage shall add the title of the office by virtue of which the marriage was solemnized, the residence of the person who solemnized the marriage and:
A. The date ordained or authorized by a religious faith to perform marriages; [PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 (NEW); PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. E, §2 (AFF).]
B. The date the notary public's commission expires; [PL 2011, c. 111, §1 (AMD).]
C. The date the lawyer was admitted to the Maine Bar; or [PL 2011, c. 111, §1 (AMD).]
D. The date the person's temporary registration certificate was issued under section 655, subsection 1-A. [PL 2011, c. 111, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 2019, c. 82, §2 (AMD).]
Finalizing the Marriage
- Officiant's Title on Marriage License:
- Minister
- Church/Ordaining Body:
- Universal Life Church Ministries
- Address of Church:
- Minister's Home Address
Within seven working days of the ceremony, the officiant must submit the completed marriage certificate to either the clerk who issued it originally or the State Registrar of Vital Statistics. The certificate must include information about the ceremony, including the date and place that it occurred and the names of the witnesses, as well the names of the couple, including any name changes that have resulted.
The certificate must also include information about the officiant, including his or her name, personal address, title, and date of ordination. The certificate should also include the name of the civic or ordaining body, which in the case of a ULC minister is Universal Life Church Ministries.