Hawaii Marriage License tips from Rev. James Chun
Rev. James Chun shares his tips and advice on how to get your marriage license!
text via Rev. James Chun
There are a few necessary steps you must follow to get your marriage license. The first is to apply for the license. You can do this online or in person at the State Health Department. To make things more efficient, I would suggest that you apply online first before coming to the Health Dept. While online, you will also have the chance to pay for the application.
The application will ask you for your personal information as well as information regarding your wedding ceremony, such as your officiant's name and ceremony location. Be sure to have this with you when applying. Now, you can skip the online process and proceed directly to the Health Department in person. However, filling it out online will help expedite the process when you arrive at the health department.
It is also important to note that the marriage license is valid for up to 30 days from the time you apply. This means you will need to get married within 30 days of getting your license. If you do not get married within that timeframe, the license will expire and you will need to apply for another one.
Remember, this part of the process must be done by you personally. your wedding officiant cannot apply for you. also when you go to the health department, you will need to go as a couple together.
Now that you filled out the online application, you can make your way to the health department. for the purpose of this video we are at the Health Department on the island of Oahu.
At the health department, you will be meeting with a marriage agent. they will ask you a few questions and also have you take an oath to swear you are telling the truth. this process is fairly quick. just be sure to bring your identification with you.
After you have met with the marriage agent, you will be given a marriage license worksheet. you should bring this worksheet with you to your wedding ceremony. after you have completed your wedding ceremony, your officiant will have you sign the document. it is now the responsibility of the officiant to register your marriage with the state of Hawaii.
Once your paperwork has been registered, the health department will take about four to six weeks to mail you the official document. You can also download a temporary marriage certificate as a PDF. All you will need is the locator number that is given to you by the Health Department when you initially met the marriage agent there. if you did not receive a locator number or if you misplaced it, not to worry, your officiant will be able to look it up on the state website. This temporary marriage certificate is available 2 - 3 days after your marriage has been registered.
Helpful Links:
Hawaii Dept. Of Health Marriage Website
Marriage Application and Instructions
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