Massachusetts Marriage License Requirements 2026: Fees, 3-Day Wait

In Massachusetts, you start by filing a notice of intention of marriage, together and under oath, with the clerk or registrar of any city or town in the state (M.G.L. c. 207, §§ 19-20). The clerk hands over the license, which the statute calls a certificate, on or after the third day, and it must be used within 60 days of filing (c. 207, § 28). The statute sets no dollar figure, so each city or town sets its own fee: $50 in Boston and Cambridge, $40 in Worcester and Springfield. Both of you must be at least 18, with no exceptions.

For other states, see our guide to marriage license requirements by state.

Information last verified on October 7, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers getting a marriage license in Massachusetts under Chapter 207 of the Massachusetts General Laws, with local practice from the Boston, Cambridge, Worcester and Springfield clerks. It does not cover divorce, ordering old marriage records, common-law marriage, or marriage licenses from other states.

Where to apply for a Massachusetts marriage license

Apply at a city or town clerk's office (in Boston, the Registry Department). Section 19 of Chapter 207 says the couple must "jointly cause notice of their intention to be filed in the office of the clerk or registrar of any city or town in the commonwealth." That means any clerk in the state, not only the one where you live or where the wedding will happen.

The license works statewide. Cambridge says its license "may be used in any Massachusetts city or town," and Springfield says the marriage "may take place anywhere in Massachusetts" during the 60 days after filing.

Both of you must appear in person

The notice is given "before such town clerk under oath by both of the parties to the intended marriage" (c. 207, § 20). No fee is charged for administering that oath. The statute has narrow substitutes for a party who is ill, serving in the armed forces or incarcerated, but the standard path is both of you, together, at the counter.

The city pages we checked all say the same thing in practice. Worcester: "couples must apply together and in person." Cambridge says the application cannot be completed by mail. Boston and Worcester have you fill out the intention form online after you book an appointment, but the sworn signing still happens in person.

How you get in the door varies:

• Boston: "Marriage intention appointments must be booked in advance using our online booking application." The city says walk-ins are not currently accepted. Boston issues the license at the appointment, but you cannot use it to marry until 3 days have passed.
• Springfield: walk-in; both of you appear.
• Worcester: an appointment is required, and you complete the online intention application before you come in.
• Cambridge: both of you come to the City Clerk's Office during its posted application hours.

What to bring

Chapter 207 sets out what the clerk needs, and each city adds its own ID practice.

• Proof of age. The clerk may not issue the license "before receiving proof of age of the parties and verifying that both parties are not less than 18 years of age" (c. 207, § 33A). The statute lists acceptable proof in order of preference: a certified birth record, baptismal record, passport, life insurance policy, employment certificate, school record, immigration record, naturalization record or court record.
• Social Security numbers and addresses. Besides the notice, the clerk collects information for a separate report to the state registrar, "including the social security number and residence address of both parties" (c. 207, § 20). That report is not a public record. Boston and Worcester say that if you do not have a Social Security number, you write down why.
• Parents' information. If either of you was adopted, give your adoptive parents' names (c. 207, § 27). Worcester asks for parental information from everyone.

Local ID rules differ, and one difference trips people up:

If you plan to file in Worcester, bring a birth certificate or passport rather than relying on a driver's license.

The notice includes a statement that no legal impediment to the marriage exists (c. 207, § 20). If a statement on the notice appears to be incorrect, the clerk may refuse to issue the license (c. 207, § 35).

There is no residency requirement in the sections we reviewed. Any clerk in the state may take the notice.

How much a marriage license costs in Massachusetts

There is no statewide fee. Section 19 tells the couple to "pay the fee provided by clause (42) of section thirty-four of chapter two hundred and sixty-two," but that cross-reference no longer leads anywhere: the Legislature's own text of c. 262, § 34 reads "[There are no clauses (37) to (42).]" In practice, each city or town charges its own fee.

For any other city or town, check the clerk's website or call. Fees can change, and the clerk's current page is the final word.

We found no fee discount for premarital education in the Massachusetts sources we checked.

The 3-day waiting period and how to waive it

The clerk can deliver the license "on or after the third day from the filing of notice of intention of marriage" (c. 207, § 28). Sundays and holidays count toward the three days (c. 207, § 19). Worcester's page puts it simply: "the couple must wait three (3) days before a marriage license is made available."

Getting a court waiver

If you need to marry sooner, go to court. Under c. 207, § 30, "a judge of probate or a justice of a district court ... may, after hearing such evidence as is presented, grant a certificate stating that in his opinion it is expedient that the intended marriage be solemnized without delay." The clerk can then issue the license without the wait.

The state court system's instructions say you may file the Marriage Without Delay form at the Probate and Family Court, District Court or Boston Municipal Court in the county where you are seeking your license, and put the total cost at $195 (a $180 filing fee plus a $15 surcharge). Cambridge says you need an order from the Probate and Family Court or a District Court if your wedding is within three days of filing. Ask the court about its current fee and process before you go.

Section 30 also covers extraordinary or emergency cases where the death of either party is imminent: a member of the clergy or the attending physician may ask for the license to be issued immediately.

How long a Massachusetts marriage license lasts

Sixty days from the date you filed the notice of intention, not from the date you picked up the license. Section 28 says the clerk delivers the certificate "not in any event later than sixty days after such filing," and "if such certificate is not sooner used, it shall be returned to the office issuing it within sixty days after the date when notice of intention of marriage was filed."

Boston counts the 60 days from your appointment; Worcester, Cambridge and Springfield also state 60 days. If your plans slip past that window, ask the clerk about filing a new notice.

Minimum age: 18, no exceptions

Both of you must be at least 18. Three sections of Chapter 207 close every route:

• "The clerk or registrar shall not receive a notice of the intention of marriage of a person under the age of 18" (c. 207, § 24).
• The clerk may not issue the license without verifying that both parties are at least 18 (c. 207, § 33A).
• "A magistrate or minister shall not solemnize a marriage if a party to the intended marriage is under the age of 18" (c. 207, § 7).

This changed in 2022. The Legislature banned child marriage in the fiscal year 2023 state budget, Chapter 126 of the Acts of 2022 (approved July 28, 2022, effective as of July 1, 2022), which reworded those sections and repealed § 34, the section that used to allow a court-approved marriage under 18. Older websites that describe a parental-consent or court route for 16- and 17-year-olds are out of date.

A person who married as a minor before the change keeps access to divorce, annulment and protective-order remedies (c. 207, § 25).

Who cannot marry in Massachusetts

Close relatives

Sections 1 and 2 of Chapter 207 list the relatives a person may not marry. The list begins: "No man shall marry his mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, stepmother." It continues through a grandfather's wife, a grandson's wife, a wife's mother, grandmother, daughter or granddaughter, a brother's daughter, a sister's daughter, a father's sister and a mother's sister. Section 2 gives the parallel list for a woman.

Some of these bars are by marriage (a stepparent, a spouse's parent or child). Under § 3, those bars continue after the marriage that created them ends by divorce or death, unless the divorce was granted because that earlier marriage was unlawful or void.

First cousins do not appear on either list.

A marriage that falls within these sections is void without any court judgment (c. 207, § 8). A Massachusetts resident who goes to another state to enter a marriage that would be prohibited here does not get a valid marriage in Massachusetts (c. 207, § 10).

An existing marriage

Under c. 207, § 4, a marriage contracted while either party has a former spouse living is void, except as the statute provides, and § 6 adds a saving rule for a party who acted in good faith. If either of you was married before, ask the clerk what proof of how that marriage ended they want to see. If you were divorced in Massachusetts, you may remarry only after the divorce judgment has become absolute (M.G.L. c. 208, § 24). A judgment of divorce nisi becomes absolute 90 days after it is entered, unless the court orders otherwise (c. 208, § 21). Boston says you cannot apply for a license until at least one day after the divorce is final, so check your divorce decree for the exact date. See Massachusetts divorce laws.

Blood tests

None that we found. The license sections of Chapter 207 we reviewed contain no blood test or medical certificate requirement, and none of the city clerk pages we checked mentions one.

Who can officiate a Massachusetts wedding

Section 38 of Chapter 207 lists who may solemnize a marriage. Apart from a Quaker meeting, a nonresident minister who is pastor of a church established in Massachusetts, and a marriage under the usage of another religious organization that has filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the persons on the list must be Massachusetts residents. The list includes:

• An ordained minister of the gospel in good and regular standing
• An ordained deacon in the United Methodist or Roman Catholic Church
• A commissioned cantor or an ordained rabbi
• A justice of the peace who is also a city or town clerk, registrar, or a court or legislative clerk, or who holds a designation certificate
• A Baha'i representative, a Buddhist priest or minister, a Unitarian Universalist minister, an Ethical Culture leader, or an Imam of the Orthodox Islamic religion
• A Quaker meeting, in its usual manner
• A person recognized by any other church or religious organization that has filed its information with the Secretary of the Commonwealth

Springfield summarizes the practical options: "Marriages are to be performed by a Justice of the Peace, a member of the Clergy or a designated 'one day officiant'."

Clergy and officials from outside Massachusetts

A minister, rabbi or other clergy member who lives outside Massachusetts, or a judge or justice of the peace from another state, may solemnize a particular marriage here only with a certificate from the Secretary of the Commonwealth (c. 207, § 39). The state's guide says to file the non-resident clergy petition no more than 6 weeks before the wedding; the certificate usually arrives 2 to 4 weeks after applying.

A friend or relative: the one-day designation

If you want a friend or family member to marry you, they need a one-day designation. Under c. 207, § 39, "the governor may designate any other person to solemnize a particular marriage on a particular date and in a particular city or town." The designation covers only that one wedding and expires once the ceremony is completed.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth takes applications from 6 months to 1 week before the wedding date, and the Governor's office must approve each one before the certificate issues. Online, the fee is $20 plus a $3.50 expedited fee, and the certificate is sent within 5 business days after approval. By mail, the fee is $25 and processing takes 4 to 6 weeks. There is no residency requirement for the person designated or for either of you.

We found no official Massachusetts source that addresses ministers ordained online. Section 38 requires a minister to be in good and regular standing, and religious organizations outside the named faiths must file their information with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The state's marriage guide adds that a Massachusetts clergy member who has not performed a marriage in the state before must first file forms with the Commissions Section of the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Public Records Division. If your officiant's status is in doubt, the one-day designation is the route the statute plainly provides.

Witnesses

We did not find a witness requirement in the sections of Chapter 207 we reviewed, and none of the city pages we checked mentions witnesses. We could not confirm state guidance either way, so ask your clerk.

Officiating without authority

A person who solemnizes a marriage without authority faces a fine of up to $500, up to one year in jail, or both (c. 207, § 48). The marriage itself is not void for want of authority if it was consummated in the full belief of either party that they were lawfully married (c. 207, § 42).

Proxy marriage

The Chapter 207 sections we reviewed do not provide for proxy marriage. The notice of intention must be given under oath by both parties (c. 207, § 20), with only the narrow substitutes for illness, military service and incarceration described above. If you are considering a proxy arrangement, ask the clerk or a Massachusetts lawyer before you plan around it.

After the ceremony: returning the license and getting copies

The officiant keeps a record of the marriage and returns the certificate to the clerk or registrar who issued it "no later than the tenth day of the month following each month in which marriages are solemnized by him" (c. 207, § 40). The return states the place and date of the marriage and is signed by the officiant. So a wedding on June 14 must be returned by July 10.

Springfield says the original is filed in the city or town where it was issued by the 10th of the following month, and certified copies are available after that. Order them from the clerk who issued your license. A certified copy of the record is prima facie evidence of the marriage (c. 207, § 45).

For copies years later, see Massachusetts marriage and divorce records and our guide on how to get a copy of your marriage certificate.

Changing your name

We did not find a name-change provision in the Chapter 207 license sections. If you plan to take a new surname, use your certified marriage certificate and see Massachusetts name change laws and our guide to changing your name after marriage.

Massachusetts marriage license myths

• "A 16- or 17-year-old can marry with a parent's or judge's consent." Not since Chapter 126 of the Acts of 2022. Sections 7, 24 and 33A bar any marriage under 18.
• "You can only use the license in the city that issued it." You may file with any city or town clerk (c. 207, § 19), and Cambridge and Springfield say the ceremony can take place anywhere in Massachusetts.
• "There is one statewide fee." The statute names no dollar figure; Boston and Cambridge charge $50, Worcester and Springfield $40.
• "Anyone ordained online can officiate in Massachusetts." Section 38 limits officiants to listed persons. A friend uses the one-day designation (c. 207, § 39).
• "The 60 days start when you pick up the license." They start when you file the notice of intention (c. 207, § 28).

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about Massachusetts marriage licenses under Chapter 207 of the Massachusetts General Laws, verified on October 7, 2026. It is not legal advice. City and town fees and procedures can change. For your specific situation, ask the city or town clerk where you will file your intention, or a lawyer licensed in Massachusetts.

Related

• Marriage license requirements by state
• New Hampshire marriage license requirements
• New York marriage license requirements
• Massachusetts marriage and divorce records
• Common-law marriage in Massachusetts

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a marriage license in Massachusetts?

It depends on the city or town, because the statute sets no dollar amount. Boston and Cambridge charge $50, and Worcester and Springfield charge $40.

Is there a waiting period to get married in Massachusetts?

Yes, 3 days. The clerk delivers the license on or after the third day after you file your notice of intention, counting Sundays and holidays (M.G.L. c. 207, §§ 19, 28).

Can the 3-day wait be waived?

Yes, by a Probate and Family Court judge or a District Court justice who finds the marriage should take place without delay (c. 207, § 30). The state court system puts the total filing cost at $195.

How long is a Massachusetts marriage license good for?

60 days from the date you filed the notice of intention, not from the date you picked up the license (c. 207, § 28).

Do we both have to apply in person?

Yes. Both of you give the notice of intention under oath before the clerk (c. 207, § 20), and Worcester, Boston, Cambridge and Springfield all require you to apply together in person.

Do we have to apply in the town where the wedding will be?

No. You may file with the clerk of any Massachusetts city or town (c. 207, § 19), and the license can be used anywhere in the state.

Can a 17-year-old get married in Massachusetts?

No. Since Chapter 126 of the Acts of 2022, a clerk may not accept a notice of intention from anyone under 18, and there is no parental-consent or court exception (c. 207, §§ 24, 33A).

Can a friend officiate our wedding in Massachusetts?

Yes, with a one-day designation from the Governor for your particular marriage, date and city or town (c. 207, § 39). Apply from 6 months to 1 week before the wedding. The fee is $20 plus a $3.50 expedited fee online, or $25 by mail.

Can first cousins marry in Massachusetts?

First cousins are not on the lists of prohibited relatives in M.G.L. c. 207, §§ 1 and 2.

Who returns the marriage license after the wedding?

The officiant, who must return it to the issuing clerk or registrar no later than the 10th day of the month after the month of the wedding (c. 207, § 40).