Must Haves

1. You must buy a Vermont marriage license before your ceremony.
2. The license must be given to the officiant before the marriage is performed.
3. The license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue.
4. You must provide the following information to obtain a Vermont marriage license:
• Your legal town of residence
• Your place and date of birth
• Your parents' names, including your mother's maiden name, and the states where they were born
• You will also be asked to provide information about your race, the highest grade you completed in school, the number of times you have been married, and how your previous marriages ended.
5. Be prepared to provide proof for any of the above (i.e. birth certificates, divorce decrees, etc.).
6. You do not need blood tests.

Restrictions

1. You must be at least 18 to marry in Vermont (16 or over with the consent of a parent or legal guardian).
2. Anyone under guardianship must have the guardian's written consent.
3. Vermont does not allow marriage between close relatives.
4. You cannot marry in Vermont to evade the laws of the state where you live.

Obtaining a License

1. For Vermont residents, you may buy the license at the Town Clerk's office in your legal town of residence (either the bride or groom's if both are Vermont residents).
2. For non-residents, you must buy your license in the county you wish to be married in (any town in that county will do). For those of you wishing to get married in Fairlee, you may call the town offices of any town in Orange County.
3. Fairlee Town Clerk's phone number is (802) 333-4363.
4. In all cases, you must appear in person before the Town Clerk--you cannot obtain a marriage license through the mail.
5. The cost of a Vermont marriage license is $20.00 - $23.00 (plus $7.00 for a certified copy of the license). Some counties may require cash or travelers' checks only.

What to do with the License

1. The license must be given to the person (officiant) who will conduct your wedding ceremony.
2. After the ceremony the officiant will complete the sections concerning the date, place, and officant of your ceremony. The officiant must then return it to the Town Clerk's office where it was issued within 10 days.
3. The license becomes offical after it has been recorded in the Town Clerk's office where it was purchased.
4. At the time you purchase your license, you can arrange with the Town Clerk to have a certified copy of the certificate as soon as your marriage is recorded. The fee is $7.00 (for a total of $30.00).

Officiants

1. Your ceremony can be performed by any one of the following: judge, supreme court justice, an assistant judge, a justice of the peace, an ordained or licensed minister, or a rabbi or priest residing in Vermont.
2. A minister, rabbi or priest from another state can perform your ceremony if special authorization from the probate court in the district where the marriage will take place is obtained.
3. Vermont law does not require witnesses.

For More Information contact:
The Vermont Department of Health, Vital Records Unit
108 Cherry Street / PO Box 70
Burlington, VT 05402
802-863-7275 or 800-439-5008