Marriage Intentions

Getting Married

Notice: All couples planning to file a marriage intention with the City of Worcester must make an appointment and complete the online intention application. Please use the following link to schedule your appointment and you will receive an email confirmation with a link to the application. Schedule Now.

Please keep in mind:

After completing the marriage intention form, the couple must wait three (3) days before a marriage license is made available. At that time the license must be picked up in person and given to the wedding officiant to be completed on the day of the ceremony. No ceremony may take place during the three (3) day waiting period.
A marriage license is only good to use for 60 days in Massachusetts from the date you applied. You also can't use the marriage license outside of Massachusetts. You have to get married in the state.

Any couple can get married as long as each person is 18 or older, and currently not married.

To apply for a marriage license, couples must apply together and in person.

When you show up to City Hall, you and your partner need to provide:

Your legal names, and what last name you will use after marriage.
Your current residence.
Your dates of birth and where you were born. Proof of age will be required and must list your name and age/date of birth. Acceptable documents are listed in order of preference. State issued drivers' licenses or IDs are not acceptable. If you are unable to provide any of the following proof of age documents, please contact our office:

Birth Certificate
Baptism Certificate/Religious Naming Ceremony
Passport
Life Insurance Policy
Employment Certificate
School Record
Immigration Record
Naturalization Record
Court Record

The names of your parents, including maiden names, and whether or not your parents were married when you were born.
If you were previously married, we will need to know how many times.
If you were previously married, we need to know the date you were divorced or see your annulment papers.
Your Social Security numbers (if you do not have a Social Security number, you have to write down why - for example, it was never issued or you are not a resident).

The cost of the marriage intention is $40. Acceptable forms of payment are cash, money order or check. Payments should be made out to the City of Worcester. We do not accept credit/debit cards.

Marriage Intention Process - Spanish

How to Obtain a Certified Copy - Marriage Certificate

The Office of the City Clerk maintains the records of Birth, Marriage and Death. Learn how to search for or obtain a certified copy of a marriage certificate.

Marriage Certificates