Clerk's Office

Marriage FAQs

  • Am I married after I receive my license?

    To be legally married, a marriage ceremony must be performed by any person authorized to perform a marriage in the State of Nevada. Your options are:

    One witness to the marriage ceremony is required by law. Chapel brochures are available in the 1st floor hallway of Building A at the 9th Street complex for your selection. You may also call the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitor's Authority at (800) FOR-RENO, (888) 367-7366. The Chamber of Commerce  at (775) 636-9550. To be married at Lake Tahoe you may call the Incline Village/Crystal Bay Chamber of Commerce at (775) 831-4440.

    A marriage license issued in the State of Nevada may be used anywhere within Nevada. If a Nevada license is used anywhere other than Nevada, the ceremony and the marriage are not legal. A marriage performed in Nevada with a Nevada license is a legal marriage.
  • Do we both need to be present to purchase a marriage license?

    Both parties must be present at the time their license is issued unless there are extenuating circumstances. Single signature licenses will only be issued with supervisor / management approval. If you feel you may qualify to be issued a single signature license, please contact our office prior to coming in so that we can discuss the specifics of your situation.
  • Do we need a blood test?

    Blood tests are not required in Nevada, and there is no waiting period.
  • How do I get certified copies of my marriage application/certificate?

    You can request a copy of the Marriage Application online. You are not requesting a license to be married. You must be present in our offices to request a Marriage License. By clicking the "online" link above, you will be taken to our secured server. When you have completed your request, you will need to click on continue to return to our site. If you do not feel comfortable submitting your request online, you may obtain a copy by mail from:

    Washoe County Clerk
    1001 E. 9th Street, Bldg. A
    Reno, NV 89512

    When ordering a certified copy by mail, please remit $.50 per page copy charge and $6.00 for the certification (most documents are one page in which case the fee would be $6.50 for a certified copy). You will be notified if there are additional pages.

    Visa, MasterCard, Money Orders or Cashier Checks only, no personal checks. Please include the date of marriage and names of the bride and groom with your request. You may also call us at (775) 784-7287 as we do accept phone orders with a Visa or MasterCard credit card only.

    You can obtain a true, legal certified copy of your marriage record (marriage certificate) from the Washoe County Recorder's Office. You can download the request form and mail or fax it to the Recorder's Office. The Recorder's Office is located in the Washoe County Administration Complex, 1001 E 9th Street, Building A, Room 150. The hours of service are Monday through Friday, 8AM to 5PM. The fee per certified copy is $15.00. When requesting certified copies through the mail from the Recorder's Office you will need to allow 10-15 working days for processing. The mailing address is WASHOE COUNTY RECORDER, 1001 E. 9th Street, Bldg. A, RENO, NV 89512. It is Nevada State law that within 10 days after you have had a marriage ceremony performed, that the minister must deliver the original marriage certificate to the Washoe County Recorder's Office for official recording. If you need a certified copy of your marriage certificate sooner than 10 days, check with the agency performing your ceremony, as they may be able to help expedite the processing of your certificate.

  • What do I need to change my name with Social Security and the DMV?

    Social Security and the DMV require a certified copy of your Marriage Certificate, which will be recorded with the County Recorder after your ceremony.
  • What if I'm divorced?

    You do not need to bring your divorce papers, however, if you have been divorced or your previous marriage has been annulled, the divorce or annulment must be final in the state where granted. You must know the year of the divorce or annulment and where the papers were filed.
  • What if I'm not 18?

    Effective October 1, 2019 persons under the age of 17 are prohibited from marrying (see AB 139). Nevada residents under the age of 18 and over the age of 17 may obtain a marriage license with parental consent AND a certified copy of a Nevada Court Order.

    The fee for filing a Petition for a Minor Marriage with the court is $255.00.

    A full packet is required to be completed and filed with the Second Judicial District of the State of Nevada. For your convenience, you may download the forms here:

    Alternatively, you may visit the Second Judicial District Court's website for more information below (navigate to "All Other Family Related Packets" and then to "MM Petition for Court Authorization for the Marriage of a Minor"):
    https://www.washoecourts.com/Main/FormsAndPackets

    For additional information about the process to obtain a court order, you may contact the Second Judicial District Court by phone at (775) 328-3110 or in person at 75 Court Street, Reno, Nevada 89501.

    Once a court order authorizing the marriage of a minor has been entered, you must bring a certified copy of the Order to the County Clerk to obtain a marriage license.

  • What information do we need to purchase a marriage license?

    Each applicant must provide government issued photo ID containing the person’s legal name and date of birth (see Marriage FAQs:  What Should I Bring for Identification? and What If I’m Not 18? for more information).  Your name and birth date will appear on your marriage license exactly as they appear on the ID you present.

    Nevada Revised Statute 122.040(3) requires each applicant to provide the following information under oath:

    1. Information about applicant:
      1. Place of residence (city and state or, if outside the U.S.A., name of country)
      2. Place of birth (city and state or, if outside the U.S.A., name of country)
      3. Social Security Number (documentation is not required). If a person does not have a Social Security Number, the person must state that fact
      4. Prior marriages (documentation is not required)
        1. Number of this marriage (1st, 2nd, etc.)
        2. How most recent marriage ended (death, divorce or annulment)
        3. Where most recent marriage ended (city and state, if outside U.S.A., name of country)
        4. When most recent marriage ended (month and year)
    2. Parental Information
      1. Father's name
      2. Father's place of birth (state or, if outside the U.S.A., name of country)
      3. Mother's name (maiden)
      4. Mother's place of birth (state or, if outside the U.S.A., name of country)
    3. Mailing address for the couple

  • What should we bring for identification?

    IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

    Except as otherwise provided in this section, before issuing a marriage license, the county clerk shall require each applicant to provide proof of the applicant’s name and age (NRS 122.040-2).

    The marriage license must contain the name of each applicant as shown in the documents presented (NRS 122.050).

    The following documents are acceptable as proof of age and name (NRS 122.040-2):

    • Driver’s license
    • Driver’s instruction permit
    • State ID card
    • Passport
    • United States military ID
    • United States military dependent ID
    • United States certificate of citizenship or naturalization
    • Permanent or Temporary United States resident ID card.

    Additional documents containing the applicant’s age, name, photo, and/or date of birth may be accepted on a case-by-case basis with managerial approval.  If you do not have any of the documents listed above but would like to discuss if what you have will suffice, we recommend speaking with the Marriage & Business Division Operations Manager prior to visiting our office.

     

    IMPORTANT NOTE:

    Your Marriage License and Certificate will be prepared with your legal name exactly as it appears on the identification presented. It is your responsibility to present the proper identification to have your name reflected as you desire. For example, if you want your Marriage License and Certificate to reflect your full middle name, the identification you present must contain your full middle name - not an initial.

    Errors discovered after the ceremony may be corrected upon written request to this office. Marriage records WILL NOT be changed after the ceremony to reflect names that are different from the names on the identification presented at the time the license was issued unless extenuating circumstances exist and proof of the correct name is provided. Corrections of marriage records will be approved on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to a fee. No fee will be charged for corrections due to clerical errors made by County Clerk staff.

  • Where are you located and how are the road conditions?

  • Where can I find information related domestic partnerships?

  • Who May Marry?

    Persons at least 18 years of age, not nearer of kin than second cousins or cousins of the half blood, and not having a living spouse, may be joined in marriage. Both parties must appear at the Marriage License Bureau in either Reno or Incline Village.

Call 311 to find resources, ask questions, and utilize Washoe County services. Learn More »
Call 311 to find resources, ask questions, and utilize Washoe County services. Learn More »