Marriage License Information

How do I get a marriage license?

Maryland requires that a marriage license be obtained from the Circuit Court Clerk's Office in the county where the marriage is to take place.

It is recommended that you contact the Circuit Court Clerk's Office in the county where you plan to marry as each county has different fees. The requirements for Worcester County are as follows:

• Only one of the parties needs to appear
• The fee is $35.00 cash only.

The following information must be provided by either the man or the woman:

• The full name of each party.
• The place of residence of each party.
• State or Country with providence of birth of each party.
• The age of each party ID is required for both parties (Driver's license, birth certificate, or passport).
• Whether the parties are related by blood or marriage, and if so, the degree of relationship.
• The marital status of each party.
• Whether either party was married previously, and the date and place of each death or judicial determination that ended any former marriage (to include a copy of any divorce decree).
• The social security number of each party. (note: this will be kept in a secure area of the computer and will not be made available for public inspection)
• Copy of final divorce decree, if applicable.

The license is issued at the same time the application is taken. The license will reflect an effective date and time at 6:00 a.m. on the second day after issue, and will be valid for 6 months. This means that for a Saturday wedding, you must apply for a license no later than the close of business on Thursday.

You will be given three copies of the marriage license, which the official performing the ceremony will complete. Instructions for completion and distribution are on the copies of the license. If you would like a civil ceremony, please note that there are no justices of the peace in Maryland. Only the Clerk of the Circuit Court, or an appointed, designated Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court, or a judge may perform civil ceremonies.

In Worcester County, the Clerk of the Court and his designated deputies perform civil ceremonies at the Courthouse between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with the exception of Holidays. Appointments are required. Upon request, the Clerk of the Court will perform civil marriage ceremonies in the circuit court’s wedding chapel. The fee charged for a civil ceremony is $25.00 cash only.

Certified Copies of Marriage Licenses
Certified copies may be obtained from the Clerk's Office or you may request a certified copy by mail. Mail your request to the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Circuit Court for Worcester County, Marriage Records Department, P. O. Box 40, Snow Hill, Maryland 21863.

Please include in your request:
Names of Bride and Groom (Bride's name should be the name she used immediately before the marriage in question)
Date of Marriage
A check or money order in the amount of $5.00 for the certified copy, made payable to "Clerk of Court"
Your return address

For further information on obtaining a copy of a marriage license or questions about civil ceremonies, please call the Clerk's Office at 410-632-5500.