No matter what state you get married in, you will need to provide ID. In Tennessee, the accepted ID is a current driver's license, a passport, or a certified birth certificate. You are not required to be a resident of Tennessee in order to get a marriage license from this state.
Be sure to bring yourself and your future spouse when applying for the marriage license, as the law requires both parties to be there personally.
There is also a fee of $95, which can be reduced to $35 if both future spouses attend marriage counseling with an approved counselor. You will be required to spend four hours in counseling. However, you will still have to pay the entire fee of $95 if your session is not accepted by either the county in which you will be married or by the counselor.
If you have been divorced, you will be required to provide a copy of the divorce decree. This provides proof that both parties were legally allowed to marry at the time the wedding took place.
Marriage by proxy, which is when one member of the marriage is absent and another person attends as a substitute, is not legal in the state of Tennessee. There are no blood tests required before you can receive a marriage license.
Persons who are between 16 and 18 years of age will need to have parents with them when they apply for the license, and persons below the age of 16 years are not legally allowed to marry without a court order.
Common law marriage is not recognized by Tennessee law. Same sex marriage is not allowed.
According to Tennessee law, you may marry a first cousin because you are not a descendant of the cousin.
There is no waiting period for the marriage license to become effective. However, if either one of the marriage partners is under 18 years of age, there will be a waiting period of 3 days.
Any minister of the gospel may perform wedding ceremonies. Jewish rabbis may also officiate over marriage ceremonies. Anyone officiating in this capacity must be at least 18 years old. The minister must sign the marriage license and deliver it to a clerk affiliated with the county court no later than three days after the marriage has occurred.
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