Marriage Intentions - Filing

If you are getting married in the State of Massachusetts, you may file your marriage intentions at ANY Massachusetts City/Town Clerk's Office.

Applying for a Marriage License in Plymouth:

• The Marriage Intention paperwork must be completed using the Online Portal. You may use your own computer or a kiosk located in the lobby at the Town Offices

 ONLINE PORTAL TO APPLY FOR A MARRIAGE LICENSE

Both parties must appear together in the Town Clerk’s Office to sign & file the completed paperwork and take the oath
• Please plan to arrive 60 minutes before our office closes to apply in person and 30 minutes if you apply online.  After you file your paperwork,       there is a three (3) day waiting period before your license can be issued
• Marriage licenses are valid for 60 days from the date of filing your intention paperwork
• There is a $40 Fee for filing intention paperwork in Plymouth
• You must be 18 years of age or older to file your marriage intentions

How to obtain a license

To obtain a marriage license, couples must complete the marriage intention paperwork using the online portal and then appear together at the Office of the Town Clerk to sign & file the intention of marriage, take the oath and make the payment.

Requirements

Persons seeking a marriage license must be at least eighteen years of age.

Waiting Period

After the completion of the marriage intention, there is a mandatory three-day waiting period before the marriage license can be issued. A waiver of the waiting period may be granted by the county probate and family court. In that instance, the couple should bring the court waiver to the Town Clerk and a marriage license may be issued immediately.

The marriage license is valid for a sixty-day period from the filing date of the marriage intention. This is when both parties come to the Town Clerk’s Office to sign & file the paperwork – it is not from the date of submitting the application through the online portal.

Recording the Marriage

Following the marriage ceremony, the official who performs the ceremony must mail back the marriage license to the Town Clerk’s Office that processed the marriage intention. Once the Town Clerk receives the license, it will be processed and recorded. 

Requesting a Certified copy of your Marriage License

Your certified marriage certificate can only be obtained from the Town Clerk's Office in which you filed your marriage intention. Your license is not available in the town you reside in or the community your marriage ceremony was held in (unless that is where you filed your intentions).

Your certified marriage certificate is available after the recording of your marriage (return of your license with officiant certification) for a fee of $15. Couples can request certified marriage certificates online.

Payment options

We accept Cash, Checks - made payable to: The Town of Plymouth or Credit / Debit cards (convenience fee included).

There is a $40 fee due at the time of your marriage intention filing. 

Performing your ceremony

If the person performing your ceremony is a clergy member or Justice of the Peace from another state he/she will need a solemnizer certificate to perform the ceremony: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commissions/download/nonresclergyapp.pdf

If the person performing your ceremony is not a Justice of the Peace or clergy member he/she will need a one-day solemnizer certificate to perform the ceremony:  https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OneDayWeb/External/Welcome.aspx

Officiant is available at Town Offices during business hours or by appointment.  Justice of the Peace services are offered during business hours at the Town Offices, upon availability and at the discretion of the Town Clerk.