Do you need any specific paperwork to get married in Las Vegas?

Yes. Here are the requirements.

You don't need a blood test. Nor is there a waiting period. Both people getting married must be 18 and proof of age is required in the form of government-issued identification. That's the first "paperwork."

The second, of course, is a license. For that, you have to fill out an application by supplying all kinds of information for both parties to the marriage, including date of birth, maiden name, Social Security number, number of times you've been married, when and where the last marriage ended, both parents' names at birth and birthplaces, along with new names if one or both is changing them and mailing address.

The marriage license costs $102 and is good for one year.

Both parties must appear in person before a clerk at the Clark County Marriage Bureau.

Whoever performs your marriage ceremony must file the Marriage Certificate with the county Marriage Bureau within 10 days. Once it's filed, you can order a certified Marriage Certificate, which is your legal proof that you did the deed, online from the website; it's $20 per certified copy.

The ceremony must be performed in Nevada by an officiant licensed in Nevada and you'll need a witness.

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Comments

Valerie Dec-09-2021

Courthouse wedding?

Can you get married directly at the courthouse without having the intermediate step of getting someone else to perform a wedding ceremony? I would think so, but that makes the drive-through weddings even more mysterious.

Dave_Miller_DJTB Dec-09-2021

Similar requirements to other states, but oh, so different...

Nevada's marriage license requirements are no different than any other state. Except in Nevada, you are issued the license and can use it right away. Elsewhere, there is a waiting period before it is issued and/or can be used. Nevada's equivalent requirement is that both parties must be reasonably alert and sober.

On the flip side, becoming licensed to officiate the ceremony is a bigger challenge. But that's more of a desire to protect the state's wedding industry than for moral or legal reasons.

Note that Clark County's main Marriage License Bureau at 201 E Clark Avenue in Las Vegas used to be open 24/7/365. That changed a few years ago as a budget cutting thing. It's now 8am-midnight, but still 365 days. Other locations have more normal business hours.

And in case anyone doubt's Vegas's desire to remain the quicky wedding capitol, according to the Clark County Marriage License Bureau website, they're planning on operating a temporary location at McCarran in February.

JimBeam Dec-09-2021

Divorce

I was married in Vegas many, many years ago. So I'm doing this from memory - or it might have changed - but don't you also need a certified copy of your previous divorce papers? I remember the couple ahead of us had trouble with that. If you apply and say you've been married before, they need to see official paperwork from the divorce proceedings. And they couldn't be paper copies or PDFs, it had to be the original kind certified by the court clerk. Anyone know if that requirement still exists?

Dave_Miller_DJTB Dec-09-2021

Documents

I’m also an ordained officiant. www.ReverendDaveMiller.com

Yeah, most states do require bringing divorce certificates or death certificates if you’ve been previously married.

Nevada? I don’t know.

As I tell all of my couples in our preliminary meetings, it’s best to call the city office that issues marriage licenses, in the city where the wedding will occur, to ask all these questions before hand. Particularly if it’s a destination wedding.

Of course, worst case scenario, you could still have the wedding ceremony and take care of the license afterwards.

Brian Soper Dec-09-2021

Misery loves company

That's an awful lot of hoops to jump through to make yourself miserable....

James Mason Dec-12-2021

marriage in Vegas

HaHaHa did it the 2nd time in Vegas 1996. Marriage license
bureau was open 24/7. So was the JP for the marriage ceremony one block away. $29 for the license, $29 for the JP. $29 a night for the Golden Nugget which included a comp dinner at the Italian restaurant with the singing waiters that was on  floor 2. Just celebrated 25 really.Those were the days:)

Question of the Day - 09 December 2021

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