What You Need to Know Before You Get Started
Any couple can get married as long as both people are not closely related. In Massachusetts, that generally means that you can’t marry your parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, step-parent, step-grandparent, step-child, step-grandchild, parent-in-law, grandparent-in-law, child-in-law, grandchild-in-law, sibling’s child, or parent’s sibling.
You must be 18 years old to get married in Massachusetts.
Your marriage license expires 60 days from the day you apply, so make sure you plan accordingly. You can apply in any municipality in Massachusetts. The license is valid anywhere in Massachusetts, but not out of state.
You don’t need a medical certificate or blood work to get married.
If you’re divorced, you don’t need to bring your divorce papers, but your divorce must be finalized when you apply for the marriage license. In Massachusetts, divorces become final 90 days after the judge signs the Final Judgment. Other states have different time periods.
Apply for a Marriage License
You can get a marriage license from the City Clerk’s Office. You and your partner must apply together in person. It takes about 30 minutes. Here’s what you each need to bring:
- A current government-issued photo ID.
- Your Social Security Number, if you have one.
- $50.00. The fee can be paid by cash, check, money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover only). Make checks payable to “City of Somerville.”
Once you’ve gathered everything you’ll need, visit the City Clerk’s Office at:
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA 02143
You can apply to get married Monday-Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m. - 12 noon.
Pick Up Your Marriage License
There’s a three-day waiting period after you apply for your license. The waiting period includes holidays and weekends. If you want to waive the waiting period, you’ll need to get a Court Petition for a Marriage Without Delay from a local probate or district court.
Anyone can pick up the license, but they must be prepared to proofread it carefully. Correcting even a minor mistake after the fact will cost $50 and require submitting an affidavit.
Get Married!
The marriage must be solemnized within 60 days of your application. Any of the following people may perform the ceremony:
- Priest
- Minister
- Rabbi
- Other religious official
- Justice of the Peace
- Anyone with a one-day designation from the Secretary of State’s Office. Note that you’ll need to submit this designation with your solemnized license for your marriage to be valid.
You don’t need a witness if a Justice of the Peace performs the ceremony. Some religions do require witnesses, so make sure you check beforehand.
To Get Married at City Hall
The City Clerk can solemnize your marriage at City Hall. You may schedule your ceremony upon completion of your application for a marriage license. Please contact the City Clerk at kwells@somervillema.gov, and include in your message both partners’ names and any days or times you are interested in.
Ceremonies are conducted during City Hall hours: 8:30AM-4:00PM Monday through Wednesday, 8:30AM-7:00PM Thursday, and 8:30AM-12:00PM Friday. Scheduling is dependent on the availability of the City Clerk. Appointments are generally not available during the afternoon and evening on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month, as that is when the City Council meets.
If you have a marriage license from another community, please be sure to bring it with you. If you applied for your marriage license in Somerville, your license will stay on file in the City Clerk’s Office until the day of your ceremony.
We look forward to celebrating your marriage with you!
Getting a Copy of Your Marriage Certificate
If you applied for your marriage license in Somerville, you can get a certified copy of your marriage certificate from the City Clerk’s Office. The fee is $15 per copy and there are 3 ways to do this:
- Use our online portal. You can order up to three copies at once.
- Mail us this form. Don’t forget to include a check or money order (not cash) for the $15 fee. Make checks payable to “City of Somerville.”
- Come to the City Clerk’s Office. You can pay by cash, check, money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover only). Make checks payable to “City of Somerville.” Visit the City Clerk’s Office at:
Somerville City Hall
93 Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA 02143
You can request the record Monday-Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m. - 12 noon.
