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Getting married in New Jersey: bring a witness when you apply, and the license is issued 72 hours later

In New Jersey, you have to bring a witness aged 18 or older with you when you apply for the Marriage License, which is unlike most states. The fee is US$28, and after you submit the application there is a 72-hour wait before the Local Registrar issues the license; once issued, the license is valid for 30 days.

There are also rules on which municipality you apply in: if neither of you is a New Jersey resident, you apply in the municipality where the ceremony will take place, and the license is valid only in that municipality. If you need to register the marriage in Taiwan, a certificate issued in New Jersey is authenticated by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York.

Which municipality to apply in

The New Jersey Department of Health's rules (web page reviewed 2025-08-13; application fact sheet dated June 2018; checked 2026-10-26):

What to bring to apply

The application must be sworn and signed in front of the issuing official, and the Department of Health warns you not to sign it before you get to the registrar. Each of you must be 18 or older and not currently in another marriage or civil union. For other points for foreigners applying, see foreigners marrying in the US.

72 hours, 6 months, 30 days

Build the 72 hours into your plans: submit on a Monday, for example, and the earliest you can get the license is Thursday. For a comparison across states, see the official rules checked for 9 states.

How many witnesses are needed at the ceremony, who can officiate, and how the license is returned afterwards are not covered on the Department of Health pages we found this time; go by the local registrar of the issuing municipality.

How non-residents can plan a New Jersey wedding

  1. First decide which municipality the ceremony will be held in, then ask that municipality's registrar about office hours or how to book an appointment.
  2. On the day you apply, both of you bring proof of identity and your Social Security numbers (if you have them), plus one witness aged 18 or older and US$28.
  3. After submitting, wait 72 hours and go back to pick up the license.
  4. Within 30 days of the license being issued, hold the ceremony in the same municipality; if you move to another municipality, the license can't be used.
  5. After the ceremony, request certified copies from that municipality or the state office, then send them to TECO in New York for authentication.

Certified copies

Certified copies of the marriage certificate can only be requested from the municipality where you married or the state office, in person, online or by mail (application fact sheet, June 2018). Authentication uses up one copy, so order several at once (item 10 of the checklist); check that recording is complete a week or two after the ceremony (item 9 of the checklist).

Registering in Taiwan and TECO in New York

For the full steps to register in Taiwan, see registering a US marriage in Taiwan in five steps; for a comparison of offices, see which TECO office to send your marriage certificate to.

Common questions

Do we need to bring a witness to apply for a New Jersey marriage license?

Yes. The application documents listed by the Department of Health include one witness aged 18 or older; also bring proof of identity, proof of residency (for residents), your Social Security numbers and the US$28 fee.

Can non-residents marry in New Jersey?

Yes, but you must apply in the municipality where the ceremony will take place, and the license is valid only in that municipality.

How long is the wait to marry in New Jersey?

The license is issued 72 hours after you submit the application; the ceremony must be held within 30 days of the license being issued.

New Jersey's 72 hours, 30 days and registering in Taiwan are all on the timeline in the My Wedding Plan checklist: confirming the recording is item 9, certified copies item 10, and registering in Taiwan item 15. The checklist has a free version, and you can start without giving an email address.

Sources (checked 2026-10-26)

This article follows the New Jersey Department of Health's official page and application fact sheet; for each local registrar's office hours and whether an appointment is needed, go by that municipality's notices.

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