How to Get Married in New Hampshire (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · New Hampshire · Last updated 2026-05-18
New Hampshire runs its marriage-license system on its own family-law code. On the timing side: There is no waiting period. The license validity window is: not more than 90 days. The state's common-law-marriage rule: Recognized for inheritance purposes only, after the death of one partner. This guide details what New Hampshire requires from license application through return of the signed license to the clerk after the ceremony.
Key Considerations
License timing in New Hampshire has two pieces. The waiting period sets when the ceremony can lawfully happen: There is no waiting period. The validity window sets when the license stops being usable: not more than 90 days. Ceremonies are scheduled inside the intersection of those two rules.
License fee and age eligibility are the two threshold New Hampshire marriage questions. 50. See the state agency website. No person below the age of 18 years shall be capable of contracting a valid marriage. A couple that has not confirmed both before appearing at the clerk's office risks a delayed or denied application.
Two formation rules complete the New Hampshire marriage picture. Recognized for inheritance purposes only, after the death of one partner. state law fixes the officiant categories; in nearly every state these include ordained or credentialed religious clergy and current judicial officers, with additional state-specific categories for civil celebrants and ministerial designees (consult the state code). The first tells you whether New Hampshire will recognize a marriage that never went through a ceremony at all; the second tells you which ceremonies the state will recognize.
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Relevant Documents
Marriage-license filings in New Hampshire typically include the application form itself, the applicants' photo identification, and a premarital-course completion certificate where the state's discount program applies. Couples planning to claim a premarital-course incentive (where the state has one) generally must deliver the course certificate at filing; post-filing presentation usually does not retroactively earn the benefit. New Hampshire issuing clerks collect the marriage-license fee at the application appointment.
Beneficiary Designation Forms
Documents that specify who receives assets from retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and other financial accounts upon your death.
Durable Power of Attorney
Authorizes someone to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated, ensuring your affairs can be managed without court intervention.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Designates someone to make medical decisions for you if you're unable to do so, ensuring your healthcare preferences are respected.
Prenuptial Agreement
A contract entered into before marriage that establishes rights to property and financial support in case of divorce or death. This document can protect pre-marital assets and outline financial responsibilities during marriage.
Updated Will
A legal document that specifies how your assets should be distributed after death. Marriage typically invalidates previous wills in many jurisdictions, making it important to create a new one that includes your spouse.
Relevant Laws
Marriage License Requirements (RSA 457:7)
In New Hampshire, couples must obtain a marriage license from any town or city clerk in the state before getting married. The license is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. Both parties must appear in person, provide identification, and pay the required fee. No blood tests or waiting periods are required in New Hampshire.
Age Requirements (RSA 457:4-6)
The minimum age to marry in New Hampshire is 18 years. Previously, the state allowed minors to marry with parental consent and court approval, but in 2018, New Hampshire raised the minimum marriage age to 18 for both parties with no exceptions.
Prohibited Marriages (RSA 457:1-2)
New Hampshire prohibits marriages between certain relatives. Marriages between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, siblings (whole or half blood), aunts/uncles and nieces/nephews, and first cousins are not permitted. Same-sex marriage has been legal in New Hampshire since January 1, 2010.
Solemnization Requirements (RSA 457:31-32)
Marriages in New Hampshire may be performed by justices of the peace, ministers of the gospel who are residents of the state and ordained according to the usage of their denomination, ministers commissioned or licensed by recognized churches, and judges. The officiant must complete the marriage certificate and return it to the town clerk within 6 days of the ceremony.
Name Change Options (RSA 5-C:43)
After marriage, either spouse may adopt the surname of the other, retain their birth surname, or adopt a hyphenated combination of both surnames. The name change can be indicated on the marriage license application and becomes official when the marriage is registered. For other name changes, a separate legal process through the probate court is required.
Regional Variances
New Hampshire Marriage Requirements
In New Hampshire, couples must obtain a marriage license from any town or city clerk in the state, regardless of residence. The license is valid for 90 days from issuance. Both parties must appear in person with valid ID. There is no waiting period after receiving the license, and you can marry immediately. New Hampshire requires no blood tests or medical exams. The minimum age to marry is 18, with no parental consent exceptions for minors. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2010.
Manchester, as New Hampshire's largest city, follows state laws but may have higher marriage license fees than smaller municipalities. The City Clerk's office typically processes a higher volume of marriage licenses and may require appointments during busy seasons.
Portsmouth is a popular wedding destination in New Hampshire. The City Clerk's office provides marriage licenses during regular business hours. Due to its popularity for destination weddings, it's advisable to check with the clerk's office well in advance during summer months when demand is higher.
Nashua follows state marriage laws but has specific local office hours for obtaining marriage licenses. The City Clerk's office requires both parties to appear together with proper identification, and accepts credit card payments for license fees, which some smaller towns may not.
As the state capital, Concord's City Clerk's office is particularly knowledgeable about state marriage laws and can provide detailed information about the process. They offer extended hours on certain days of the week, which can be convenient for couples with work constraints.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Apply for the New Hampshire marriage license at the issuing clerk's office
Before the ceremony days after starting50. Bring valid government-issued photo identification for each applicant and any documentation the clerk requires (proof of termination of any prior marriage, for example).
Have identification and prior-marriage paperwork ready when filing the application
Before the ceremony days after startingStandard documents include a current driver's license or passport for each applicant, plus a certified divorce decree, annulment order, or spouse's death certificate for anyone previously married.
Where the state recognizes a premarital-course incentive, plan the course before applying
Before the ceremony days after startingthis state has not been verified in this sourcing pass as having a statutory premarital-preparation-course discount; a small group of states (notably Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas) do offer fee or waiting-period reductions for approved-course completers (consult the state code). The clerk applies the fee reduction or waiting-period waiver based on the original course-completion certificate produced at filing.
Calendar the post-license waiting period (if any) before the ceremony
Before applying days after startingThere is no waiting period. Scheduling the ceremony inside the waiting window will make the marriage unenforceable, so the date must fall on or after the earliest lawful day.
Verify how long the license is good for and align the ceremony date inside that window
Before the ceremony days after startingnot more than 90 days. A late ceremony is not a curable defect; the parties would have to start the application process over.
Solemnize the marriage with an officiant the state recognizes
At the ceremony days after startingstate law fixes the officiant categories; in nearly every state these include ordained or credentialed religious clergy and current judicial officers, with additional state-specific categories for civil celebrants and ministerial designees (consult the state code). Verifying the officiant's authority in advance is important because a defective solemnization is one of the few errors the marriage code does not always cure retroactively.
Have the officiant return the executed license to the clerk after the ceremony
After the ceremony days after startingThe clerk records the marriage and issues the certified certificate; many states impose a strict return deadline (often 10 to 30 days), so the officiant should not delay.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apply for the New Hampshire marriage license at the issuing clerk's office | 50. Bring valid government-issued photo identification for each applicant and any documentation the clerk requires (proof of termination of any prior marriage, for example). | - | Before the ceremony |
| Have identification and prior-marriage paperwork ready when filing the application | Standard documents include a current driver's license or passport for each applicant, plus a certified divorce decree, annulment order, or spouse's death certificate for anyone previously married. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Where the state recognizes a premarital-course incentive, plan the course before applying | this state has not been verified in this sourcing pass as having a statutory premarital-preparation-course discount; a small group of states (notably Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas) do offer fee or waiting-period reductions for approved-course completers (consult the state code). The clerk applies the fee reduction or waiting-period waiver based on the original course-completion certificate produced at filing. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Calendar the post-license waiting period (if any) before the ceremony | There is no waiting period. Scheduling the ceremony inside the waiting window will make the marriage unenforceable, so the date must fall on or after the earliest lawful day. | - | Before applying |
| Verify how long the license is good for and align the ceremony date inside that window | not more than 90 days. A late ceremony is not a curable defect; the parties would have to start the application process over. | - | Before the ceremony |
| Solemnize the marriage with an officiant the state recognizes | state law fixes the officiant categories; in nearly every state these include ordained or credentialed religious clergy and current judicial officers, with additional state-specific categories for civil celebrants and ministerial designees (consult the state code). Verifying the officiant's authority in advance is important because a defective solemnization is one of the few errors the marriage code does not always cure retroactively. | - | At the ceremony |
| Have the officiant return the executed license to the clerk after the ceremony | The clerk records the marriage and issues the certified certificate; many states impose a strict return deadline (often 10 to 30 days), so the officiant should not delay. | - | After the ceremony |
Frequently Asked Questions
Recognized for inheritance purposes only, after the death of one partner. Where a state does still recognize common-law marriage, the elements (present-tense agreement to be married, cohabitation in the state, holding out as married) vary in detail, and a couple relying on the doctrine should document each element.
50. Pricing is best confirmed against the issuing clerk's published fee schedule. In states with a premarital-course discount, the course-completion certificate is presented at the application appointment to claim the reduction.
There is no waiting period. The waiting period (if any) starts running from the date the license is issued, not from the date the application is filed; the date that controls is the issuance date on the license itself.
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