Legalities of Getting Married in Hawaii
by Many people dream of getting married on one of the Hawaiian Islands. While there are so many things to plan that you can do from home, getting a marriage license is not one of them. You have to be in Hawaii in order to obtain your license and you can’t legally get married without one.
If you plan to get married in Hawaii, there are certain features of this state’s laws that you need to be aware of. You don’t need a blood test and you don’t have to have witnesses. However, there are rules associated with who can obtain a marriage license. Both the man and the woman must be over the age of 18. This state does not issue marriage licenses for same sex couples as this marriage is not legally recognized. If you are younger than 18, you can still obtain a license with written permission from both sets of parents, who do not have to reside in the state. However, you will need written approval from the judge of the Family Court. You can obtain the appropriate forms from the licensing agent.
For those under 18, proof of identity is needed in the form of a birth certificate. If you are 19 years of age or over, the only identification you need is a valid passport, a valid photo ID or a driver’s license. In all cases, both the man and the woman have to appear in person to obtain the license. Proxies are not acceptable and you cannot submit an application by mail and have the license returned in the same manner. Cousins can marry, but the relationship between the couple cannot be any closer than first cousins.
The marriage license is valid for a 30-day period and if you have a license from another state, this license is not valid in Hawaii. The person who is conducting your ceremony will only accept a license issued by the state of Hawaii. You can obtain an application by mail or you can obtain one online and print it off. It is best if you have this application completed before you appear before a licensing agent.
You do need to have an appointment at the Marriage License Office. This is something that you can make in advance before you leave home to ensure that you will have your license in time for the date of your wedding. The office is open from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. Monday to Friday, but is closed on state holidays.
The cost of obtaining a marriage license is $60, which you must pay in cash. After you get married you can have your marriage certificate mailed to you and the normal period of time for this is 120 days. If you pay an extra $10, you can receive the certificate within three weeks.
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