Marriage Licenses If your wedding will be in North Carolina, you can get a marriage license from the Register of Deeds in any county in the state. In general, both partners must visit the Register of Deeds office, though some counties allow online applications to be submitted before visiting the office to save time.
Obtaining a North Carolina Marriage License Online The license is valid statewide, so you can choose any county office that offers online applications. Complete the Online Application: Visit the online portal of the county's Register of Deeds office.
Applicants over 18 years of age must present a government issued, valid picture ID, driver's license, passport, military ID or birth certificate. Both parties will need to be present when applying for the marriage license if physically possible.
Please allow approximately 15-20 minutes to process the marriage license. You are encouraged to obtain your license prior to your wedding date in the event there may be a problem with your documentation. For example, it could take up to 21 days for DMV to issue you a new Driver's license if yours are expired.
The marriage license must be issued before the wedding. North Carolina has no required waiting period between the issuance of the marriage license and the wedding.
There are two steps to the process: getting an appointment for the marriage license (usually at the clerk of courts office) and then getting an appointment for the magistrate. You may be able to coordinate both steps on the same day. You can find contact info on the county's website and the NC Courts website.
Once a marriage license is obtained, you may be married immediately. No waiting period is required. You must marry within 60 days of the license being issued or the license expires.