For those couples planning to tie the knot on Thursday, a marriage license is needed before a ceremony can be performed. With the clerk's office typically issuing more than 100,000 marriage licenses every year, weddings are still a popular Las Vegas pastime.
Marriage licenses can be obtained at the Las Vegas Marriage Bureau, 201 Clark Ave., in the Regional Justice Center, from 8 a.m. to midnight every day. For those who also would like a civil ceremony, hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
In March, Henderson City Hall, 240 Water St., also will be able to issue marriage licenses on a limited basis on Thursdays and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a noon to 12:30 p.m. lunch break. More hours will be added if necessary.
A recent change to state law requires that all couples present photo identification and proof of age in order to receive a marriage license. Acceptable forms of identification include a driver's license, state issued ID, driver's permit or passport, or a birth certificate accompanied with a secondary form of identification that contains your name and photograph, military identification and identification issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
Applicants must be male and female, be at least 18 years of age and not nearer of kin than second cousins or cousins of half-blood and not have a living spouse. Divorced applicants are required to know the month, day, year, city and state of their divorce. Divorces must be final and filed with the courts where it was granted, and divorcees are not required to bring the divorce decree.
Minor applicants, ages 16 or 17, can get married if they have the consent of a parent or legal guardian. Minors need an original or certified copy of the birth certificate that includes the name of the consenting parent. Legal guardians must have a certified copy of the court ordered guardianship papers. Parents and guardians must have acceptable identification to prove they are the parent on the birth certificate or the legal guardian on the guardianship order.
If the parent or guardian cannot be present, minors should bring an original, notarized statement in English, containing the parent or legal guardian's full name, relationship to the minor, the minor's full name, birth date and a statement saying consent is given to marry.
All documents must be original or certified copies. U.S. citizens must know their Social Security number for the affidavit of application for a marriage license. There is no blood test and no waiting period after a license is issued.
A marriage ceremony must be performed in Nevada within one year from the date of issuance of the marriage license. Ceremonies may be performed in any wedding chapel, church or the Civil Marriage Commissioner's Office.
The marriage license fee is $55 cash. For more information, visit www.accessclarkcounty.com/clerk/Marriage_Information.htm or call 671-0600.
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