Find out how to get married in RI
If you're getting married in the state of Rhode Island you must first apply for a wedding license at any in-state county clerk office. These offices, some of which are referred to as the "marriage license bureau," are usually located in the county probate court or circuit court. This document outlines the requirements you must adhere to in order to get a valid marriage license that can be used statewide. Let's begin…
The marriage license fee is $24.00 dollars. Accepted forms of payment are cash.
If both partners are residents you may obtain your license from a Town Clerk of your residence. If only one of you is a resident go to the Town Clerk of that resident. In either circumstance, your license will be valid statewide. If neither partner are residents you must apply for your license in the county where the marriage will take place.
There is no waiting period. You will receive your marriage license immediately after you submit your application.
No, you can get married immediately after your marriage license is issued.
Your license will expire 90 days from the date it is issued. Once it expires, it can no longer be used to get married.
Unfortunately, you'll just have to get a brand new one as your expired one will no longer be recognized as valid by the state nor by the person who will be responsible for officiating your marriage.
You must be at least 18 years of age or older to marry without parental consent. A birth certificate may be necessary to show proof of age.
If either partner is under 18, parental consent forms must be signed. You will need a certified copy of your birth certificate. If you are under 16 you can not marry without a court order.
No blood test or physical exam is required.
If you were previously married, the date of your divorce or the date of your spouse's death must be provided. Bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. If necessary, a copy of your divorce records or spouse's death certificate can be ordered from your local vital records office and mailed to you.
When you are married, you will receive a marriage certificate, which is a piece of paper proving that you are legally married. This document will serve as evidence of your marriage, which you'll need to complete the process of notifying several government agencies about your name change, as well as any non-government institutions that you do business with (ie, banks, employers, credit cards, memberships, etc).
There is an online marriage name change kit that you can use and complete before or after your marriage takes place. It's applicable for Rhode Island or any other state in the union. Completing all the necessary name change documentation prior to your wedding is recommended in order to expedite the name change process.
A proxy marriage, also known as a "proxy wedding," is when one or both partners to be married are unable to physically attend the ceremony. The missing person, or persons, will have someone "stand in" for them and serve as their "proxy."
No, getting married by proxy is not allowed in Rhode Island. There are actually only five states left that do allow marriage by proxy.
The term "common law marriage" refers to an informal marriage, based upon cohabitation and a mutual understanding by both partners, rather than getting married through a civil or religious ceremony. The latter, more common approach, would require an actual Rhode Island marriage license.
No, common-law marriages are not allowed in Rhode Island. This is unsurprising as only one-fifth of the country currently recognizes common law marriage.
Yes, cousin marriages (first, second, etc) are allowed to take place. A man can not marry his aunt, but he can marry his cousin. A woman may marry her uncle provided she is Jewish.
No, same-sex marriages are not allowed or legally recognized in Rhode Island, nor are they recognized on the federal level.
Rhode Island has 40 offices where a marriage license can be acquired. Simply choose a location below to visit. Phone numbers as well as map and accompanying driving direction links are provided for every address.
Barrington Town Clerk
283 Country Road
Barrington, RI 02806
401-247-1900
Bristol Town Clerk
10 Court St
Bristol, RI 02809
401-253-7000
Burrillville Town Clerk
105 Harrisville Main St
Harrisville, RI 02830
401-568-4300
Central Falls City Clerk
City Hall, 580 Broad St
Central Falls, RI 02863
401-727-7400
Charlestown Town Clerk
Town Hall, P.O. Box 849
Charlestown, RI 02813
401-364-1200
Coventry Town Clerk
670 Flat River Road
Coventry, RI 02816
401-822-9173
Cranston City Clerk
869 Park Ave
Cranston, RI 02910
401-461-1000
Cumberland Town Clerk
Town Hall, 45 Broad St
Cumberland, RI 02864
401-728-2400
East Greenwich , City Hall
P.O. Box 111
E. Greenwich, RI 02818
401-886-8603
East Providence , City Clerk
145 Tauton Ave
East Providence, RI 02914
401-434-3311
Exeter Town Clerk
675 Ten Rod Road
Exeter, RI 02822
401-294-3891
Foster Town Clerk , South Killingly Rd
6 Killingly Road
Foster, RI 02825
401-392-9200
Glocester Town Clerk , Town Hall, Main St
1137 Putnam Pike
Chepachet, RI 02814
401-568-6206
Hopkinton Town Clerk
1 Town House Road
Hopkinton, RI 02833
401-377-7777
Jamestown Town Clerk
93 Narragansett Ave
Jamestown, RI 02835
401-423-0200
Johnston Town Clerk
1385 Hartford Ave
Johnston, RI 02919
401-351-6618
Lincoln Town Clerk
Town Hall, P.O. Box C
Lincoln, RI 02865
401-333-1100
Little Compton Town Clerk
Town Hall, P.O. Box 523
Little Compton, RI 02837
401-635-4400
Middletown Town Clerk
Town Hall, 350 E Main Road
Middletown, RI 02840
401-847-0009
Narragansett Town Clerk
25 Fifth Ave
Narragansett, RI 02882
401-789-1044
New Shoreham Town Clerk
P O Drawer 220
Block Island, RI 02807
401-466-2913
Newport City Clerk
43 Broadway
Newport, RI 02840
401-846-9600
North Kingstown Town Clerk
80 Boston Neck Road
North Kingstown, RI 02852
401-294-3331
North Providence , Town Clerks Office
2000 Smith St
N. Providence, RI 02911
401-232-0900
North Smithfield Town Hall , Town Clerk's Office
1 Main St
Slatersville, RI 02876
401-767-2200
Pascoag Village , Burrillville Town Clerk
105 Harrisville Main St
Harrisville, RI 02830
401-568-4300
Pawtucket City Clerk , Recorder Of Deeds
137 Roosevelt Ave
Pawtucket, RI 02860
401-728-0500
Portsmouth Town Clerk
P.O. Box 155
Portsmouth, RI 02871
401-683-2101
Providence City Clerk , Recorder Of Deeds
25 Dorance St
Providence, RI 02903
401-421-7740
Richmond Town Clerk
5 Richmond Townhouse Road
Wyoming, RI 02898
401-539-2497
Scituate Town Clerk
195 Danielson Pike
North Scituate, RI 02857
401-647-2822
Smithfield Town Clerk
64 Farnum Pike
Esmond, RI 02917
401-233-1000
South Kingstown , Town Clerk
180 High St
Wakefield, RI 02879
401-789-9331
Tiverton Town Hall
343 Highland Road
Tiverton, RI 02878
401-625-6700
Warren Town Clerk , Town Hall
514 Main St
Warren, RI 02885
401-245-7340
Warwick County Recorder
3275 Post Road
Warwick, RI 02886
401-738-2000
West Greenwich Town Clerk
280 Victory Highway
West Greenwich, RI 02816
401-397-5016
West Warwick Town Clerk , Town Hall
1170 Main St
West Warwick, RI 02893
401-822-9200
Westerly Town Clerk , Town Hall
45 Broad St
Westerly, RI 02891
401-348-2509
Woonsocket City Clerk , City Hall
169 Main St
Woonsocket, RI 02895
401-762-6400