People sometimes confuse a marriage license with a marriage certificate. They are different documents with different purposes.

Marriage Licenses and Marriage Certificates

• A marriage license is the piece of paper that authorizes you to get married. In most states you apply for a marriage license through the county clerk’s office where you want to be married. You may both apply in person, or in some counties, you may complete the application online.

• A marriage certificate is the document that proves you are married.

Typically, after the wedding ceremony, you, your spouse, and the witnesses will sign the marriage license. The person who performs your wedding ceremony will sign the license and submit it to a county office. The county will issue your marriage certificate—usually within a month.

Get a New or Duplicate Marriage License

Most marriage licenses expire within 30 days to a year, depending on the issuing state.

• If your license expires before you get married, you can apply for a new one.

• If your license is lost or destroyed after the wedding, and before it's submitted to the county, the person who officiated your wedding should take action—they should contact the office that issued your license to get a duplicate.

Get a Copy of Your Marriage Certificate

For a certified copy of your marriage certificate, contact the vital records office in the state where you were married. You will find instructions on how to request a copy and information on any fees.

Although the guidelines vary by state, all requests should include:

• Full names of both spouses at the time of marriage

• Month, day, and year of the marriage

• Place of the marriage (city or town, county, and state)

• Purpose for requesting the copy of the marriage certificate

• Relationship to the people whose marriage certificate is being requested

• Your daytime telephone number (include area code)

In Rhode Island, a marriage license and a marriage certificate serve different purposes. A marriage license is a document that authorizes a couple to get married and can be obtained from the city or town clerk's office where the marriage is to take place. Both parties typically must apply in person. This license usually has an expiration date, which can range from 30 days to a year. If the license expires before the ceremony, a new one must be applied for. If it is lost or destroyed after the ceremony but before it is recorded, the officiant should contact the office that issued the license for a duplicate. After the wedding, the signed marriage license is submitted to the county office, which then issues a marriage certificate as official proof of marriage. To obtain a certified copy of a marriage certificate in Rhode Island, one should contact the Rhode Island Department of Health's Office of Vital Records. The request must include full names of both spouses at the time of marriage, date and place of marriage, the purpose for the request, the requester's relationship to the married individuals, and a daytime telephone number. Fees may apply for the issuance of a certified copy.