The first and most important advantage to a marriage license is your ability to legally marry. Marriage licenses are required by the Social Security office to change your name, but also afford you a spot in the marriage records, which are useful tools in genealogy.
Did you know that you can apply for your marriage license in any county in Kentucky? We are also a state that does not require blood tests, before a marriage license can be issued.
Getting your marriage license only takes as long as it takes YOU to get through the line, at the Oldham and Jefferson County Clerk’s office. Applications require that both you and your fiancé be present. From there, you’ll need to bring your license to your wedding to have it signed by your officiant (clergy or otherwise). Witnesses to the ceremony must be included on the License, and are many times added on by the officiant. I had my Maid of Honor and The Best Man sign our license. Many times, your officiant will add the witnesses' names to the License, and no signatures, other than his (or her) own are required. Typically, it’s the officiant who sends the signed license to the county clerk’s office for registry. Since your information is sent along with a slew of other certificates to vital statistics, it can take from three to five weeks to receive a certified copy of your marriage license. However, if you’re not taking your honeymoon, and want to avoid a three week wait on your certificate, then you can opt to take the license to your county clerk’s office to have it certified, while you wait.
Here are some application requirements for you to remember:
You must be 18 years of age when applying; If you are under 18 years of age, then parental consent is required, and the license must be issued in the bride’s county of residence.
You must bring a valid form of identification, including your driver’s license, a current state picture I.D., your social security card, your birth certificate or your passport
There’s an application fee of $35.50
It is important to note that Kentucky marriage licenses are only good for a period of 30 days, including the date of issuance. Therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of the application process, I would consider applying for my marriage license a week or two out from my wedding date.
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