Obtaining a Marriage License
Due to COVID-19 we are encouraging couples to apply for marriage licenses using the Zoom App, and by appointment between the hours of 9am and 3pm Monday through Friday. Please call the office to schedule an appointment. Prior to your Zoom appointment, you will be required to email a copy of both birth certificates, photo ids and Divorce papers if applicable. All documents must be in english. We accept all forms of payment. A credit card authorization form must be filled out and emailed to the Clerk's office, along with your required documents prior to your Zoom appointment. During your appointment, the license will be filled out and subsequently mailed to you in order to obtain your signatures, as well as those of your officiant* and witnesses. After your ceremony, you or your officiant will mail the license back to the Clerk's office, upon which we will prepare your marriage certificate and mail it out to you.
*Please note it is your responsibility to find an officiant to conduct your ceremony. The Town Clerk's office does not perform ceremonies.
*****************************************************************************************************************
Any member of the clerk’s office can issue licenses to couples who appear in person during normal business hours for a NYS marriage ceremony only. There is a $40 fee (cash, check, credit card or money order made out to Town of New Paltz). Documents required/accepted:
-Birth certificates, Baptismal Certificate, School Records
-Current photo identification
-Divorce/annulment papers, death certificates, where applicable.
All documents must be in English. It is the responsibility of the couple to seek translations for documents in foreign languages. Passports do not take the place of birth certificates.
Once the license is issued, there is a mandatory 24-hour waiting period. The license is good for 60 days. It is the responsibility of the couple to seek an officiant to perform the ceremony.
Marriage Transcripts/Certified Copies for couples whose licenses are filed in the Town of New Paltz are available for a $10 fee (cash, check or money order made out to Town of New Paltz). A request form is required along with a photocopy of photo id and a self-addressed stamped envelope (if not appearing in person). *Application for Marriage Record*
The Town Clerk's Office can also provide Marriage Transcripts for Genealogical Purposes. The fees for these records vary depending on the number of years searched. The application must be accompanied by a photocopy of photo id, as well as a self-addressed stamped envelope (if not appearing in person). *Application for Genealogy Record* The purpose or reason for the request must be specific with as much detail as possible.
Information may be released for genealogy research subject to the following requirements:
Marriage Certificate:
- The marriage certificate has been on file for at least 50 years; and
- The bride and groom are known by the applicant to be deceased.
For more information, visit the New York State Department of Health's website at: http://www.health.ny.gov/.