You are not required to be a resident of the State of Idaho to get a marriage license, but your marriage ceremony (either civil or religious) must take place in Idaho. [1] X Research source As of 2015, same-sex marriages are recognized in all U. S. States. If you are age 16 or 17, you must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian, or provide a notarized statement of consent signed by your parent or guardian. If you are under the age of 16, you will need a notarized statement of parental consent and permission from the court. In the State of Idaho, proxy marriages (where a person stands in as a proxy if one or both partners cannot physically attend the wedding) are not permitted. Common law marriages (where two partners cohabit and choose to forego a formal civil or religious ceremony) are also not permitted in Idaho. [2] X Research source Marriages between relatives of any degree are prohibited and considered void from the beginning, regardless of the relationship’s legitimacy. Polygamous marriages are illegal and void. The only way a spouse may marry another person without being divorced is if the former marriage has been annulled or dissolved, or if the other spouse has been missing and presumed dead for five successive years. There is no blood test required in the State of Idaho. However, at the recorder’s office, you will need to read and sign a premarital AIDS educational pamphlet in front of a county representative. [3] X Research source
a social security card (if you are a non-U. S. resident, you should instead bring a valid ID from the country where you hold citizenship) a current driver’s license, state-issued ID card, passport, or birth certificate (the county will accept either your original birth certificate or certified copy)
Some County Recorder’s offices will accept credit/debit card payments. [4] X Research source However, most do not accept checks or cards, and will only take cash. In some counties, you may have to pay an additional fee (approximately $20) to get married on a Saturday. Contact your County Recorder’s office to find out exactly how much your marriage license will cost and what form(s) of payment that office accepts.
You typically do not need an appointment to receive your marriage license. However, you may want to call your local recorder’s office just to be sure. If you’ve been divorced or widowed, you will need to provide the date of your divorce or the date of your spouse’s death. [5] X Research source
You will receive two copies of your marriage license. One copy has a gold seal, and is yours to keep; the other copy must be filed with the county within 30 days of the ceremony. Your Idaho marriage license does not expire. However, if it is not used within one year, you will need to contact the Idaho Department of Vital Records and Health Statistics to learn how to proceed. [6] X Research source Remember that you are not legally married after obtaining a marriage license. You will still need to have an authorized clergy member, judge, or otherwise designated official perform a civil or religious ceremony.
Your marriage license is only valid in Idaho, but you do not have to get married in your county of residence. You can find wedding venues by searching online. However, you’ll probably need to plan your venue out in advance and reserve your date to ensure that it’s available. If you prefer to get married at the courthouse, a judge can and will marry you there. You will need to make an appointment in advance, and you’ll need to pay additional fees. [7] X Research source Contact your courthouse’s judicial secretary to make an appointment for a judge to perform the ceremony.
Authorized judicial officials include a current or retired supreme court justice, appeals judge, district judge, federal judge, district court magistrate, as well as a current/former governor or the current lieutenant governor. Other qualifying officiants include a current tribal judge or tribal official of an Idaho Indian tribe, or a priest/minister of any denomination.
A civil ceremony will typically involve the exchange of vows and rings, just like a religious ceremony would. [10] X Research source Many people choose to have a judge perform the ceremony in a courthouse. [11] X Research source If you decide to have your ceremony at a destination outside a courthouse, you can choose someplace that has personal significance (like a park where you had your first date), or you may choose a location out of convenience. Search online for ideas and inspiration. There are many resorts and retreat locations in Idaho that host weddings, so find a place that fits you budget and your aesthetic.
For religious ceremonies, you can legally be married by a priest/minister of any denomination. If you have someone you’d like to become ordained to serve as an officiant, he or she can easily do this online. You can get ordained through an interfaith ordination service like the Universal Life Church or the American Marriage Ministries. [12] X Research source Ordination is free and does not expire, though it may be restricted to the state in which you register.
Contact the church/temple in advance to secure a date for your wedding. You’ll typically need to give at least six months’ notice (though you may wish to give a full year’s notice) if you want to reserve a date. [14] X Research source Some religions require the wedding to be held at the specific place of worship one of the partners is affiliated with. However, permission can typically be granted to have the wedding in a different place of worship if the marrying couple makes a request to their religious leader. Look for information online to find out who in your church/temple makes reservations and arrangements for a wedding ceremony. Be honest with your pastor/priest/deacon. If you lie about anything and he or she finds out, that religious leader may refuse to perform the wedding. You’ll need to pay your parish/church/temple for the preparations they make, as well as for hosting the wedding itself. These fees may be a voluntary donation, or a specified amount (typically between $300 and $500). Make sure you have an official copy of your baptismal certificate if you wish to get married in a church. You may also need to prove to the pastor/priest/deacon that you are an active member of that parish.
hiring a caterer or catering the wedding yourself renting a reception hall inviting family and friends of both partners hiring a DJ to provide music
his/her name and capacity (priest, minister, judge, etc. ) the officiant’s phone number and mailing address, including the city, county, state, and zip code in which the officiant resides the full date of the ceremony (day, month, and year) the city and county in which the ceremony was performed (remember that it must be performed somewhere in the State of Idaho) the printed names and signatures of any witnesses present, though witnesses are not required in Idaho the officiant will need to sign the marriage certificate in order for it to be official
If you want to change your name(s), you will need to bring a certified copy of your marriage license to both the Social Security Office and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You will receive the certified copy of your license by mail at your current address after the officiant has filed the license with the Recorder’s Office. You can find your local Social Security Office by entering your zip code on the Social Security Administration’s website at https://secure. ssa. gov/ICON/main. jsp. You can find your local DMV office by browsing through the Idaho DMV directory at http://itd. idaho. gov/itddmv/.
You’ll need to change your address if you move in with your partner (or vice versa). You can change both your driver’s license and vehicle registration with one simple form through the Idaho Transportation Department, available online at http://itd. idaho. gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Address. pdf. After completing the change of address form, you can submit the form by mail, by fax, through email, or in person at your local DMV. [16] X Research source Once you’re married, you’ll be eligible to either add your partner to your insurance policy or be added to your partner’s policy. If your partner has children, you’ll need to contact your insurance agency to add them as new dependents. You may choose to merge your bank accounts, or you may decide to keep them separate. Joint accounts are convenient, but depending on your respective incomes and expenditures, you may decide to maintain separate accounts. [17] X Research source If you choose to have a joint bank account, make sure both partners contribute equally. You can still maintain separate accounts in addition to the joint account, but make sure your partner knows about your other account so it doesn’t seem like a secret. [18] X Research source Decide on a way to split up utilities, bills, rent/mortgage, and other expenses. There’s no right or wrong way to do this, so long as both partners feel that the arrangement is fair and the expenses are covered.
