Destination weddings

Getting married in Vermont from out of state

Couples living outside Vermont may obtain a marriage license from any Vermont town or city clerk and marry anywhere within Vermont. The license cannot be issued by mail, and marriage by proxy is not permitted. Both sign the application and at least one signs the license before the clerk. Confirm the appointment before planning travel.

The border matters more than the clerk’s town

A Vermont-issued license cannot be used for a ceremony over the border in New Hampshire or New York. For a hypothetical Burlington application followed by a Stowe ceremony, both locations are within Vermont; the completed certificate still returns to the Burlington clerk that issued it. The wedding town does not change that return office.

The fee is $80, the validity period 60 days, and there is no waiting period or blood test. Same-day collection depends on actual clerk access and eligibility review. If the officiant travels too, confirm their authority through the officiant guide; residence alone does not establish every authorization route.

References

Out-of-state applicants and geographic validity

Vermont is straightforward for a couple who live elsewhere, and it comes with three practical requirements. There is no residency requirement, and any town or city clerk can issue the license. But a license cannot be issued through the mail, and you cannot marry by proxy, so at least one of you must sign in front of the clerk.

A Vermont license lets you marry anywhere in Vermont, and only in Vermont. It is valid for sixty days, so the sensible plan is to collect it once you are in the state, in the days before the ceremony. There is no waiting period and no blood test, so a short visit is enough.

Bring the personal details the clerk asks for, and confirm office hours with the clerk directly. Plan the visit early.

Applying for a Vermont marriage license when you live elsewhere

You may obtain a license from any Vermont town or city clerk, and the state's guidance places no residency condition on it. Both of you must sign the application. At least one of you signs in front of the clerk, and the clerk issues the license then.

Ask the clerk's office how it takes applications, what hours it keeps and how quickly a license can be issued.

What to bring to the town clerk for a Vermont license

The state's FAQ lists what you provide: names, towns of residence, and places and dates of birth. You also provide your parents' names, including your mother's maiden name, and their places of birth. Certified copies of your birth certificates can supply most of that.

You are also asked the number of previous marriages and civil unions, and how and when they ended. That information is confidential and does not become part of the marriage certificate.

Marrying in Vermont only: where the license works

With a valid Vermont license you can be married anywhere in Vermont, but only in Vermont. A ceremony just over the border needs that state's license, not this one.

If your officiant comes from another state, check the rules. The state's FAQ says a clergy person living in an adjoining state can marry you if the church, temple, mosque or organization lies wholly or partly in Vermont.

Other out-of-state clergy first need a special authorization from the probate court in the district where the marriage takes place. See who may marry you.

Timing a Vermont wedding for guests and couples travelling in; Because the license lasts sixty days and there is no waiting period, you can collect it the week of the wedding. That suits a couple who arrive shortly beforehand; Plan the officiant early. A temporary registration is filed online before the date. See temporary officiants and the planning checklist.

Is there a waiting period for a Vermont license?

None, and no blood test is required either.

Can we use a Vermont license to marry in another state?

No. With a valid Vermont license you can marry anywhere in Vermont, but only in Vermont.

How long does the license last once we have it?

60 days from the date it is issued. See the deadline calculator.

Can a clergy member from another state marry us in Vermont?

It depends on where they live and where their organization is. See who may marry you.

Can both of us sign the license application at home?

Both must sign it, but at least one signs in front of the clerk. The license is not issued by mail.

Can our officiant come from another state?

Sometimes. Clergy living in an adjoining state can officiate if their organization lies wholly or partly in Vermont, and other out-of-state clergy first need probate court authorization. See who may marry you.

Does a Vermont license work in New Hampshire or New York?

No. The state's guidance says you can marry anywhere in Vermont, but only in Vermont.

Do we need our birth certificates?

Not required by that name, but the state says certified copies can supply most of the information the clerk asks for.

Can we collect the license and marry on the same day?

There is no waiting period, so in principle yes. The practical limits are the clerk's opening hours and your officiant's availability, so ask the clerk's office how it handles a same-day license.

Marriage license: What a Vermont marriage license costs, how long it lasts, which clerk issues it, the age rule and the steps for obtaining and returning it.

Elopement & micro-weddings: Why Vermont's license process (no waiting period, blood test or witnesses; any town clerk) s.

Who may marry you: The full list of who can solemnize a Vermont marriage: judges, justices of the peace, clergy and temporarily registered officiants.

Remarrying: What Vermont says about marrying again: no barrier after divorce or a spouse's death, how the previous marriage ended and what the clerk needs for the application.

Religious & cultural ceremonies: Planning a religious or cultural wedding in Vermont: who may officiate, the venue's rules on rituals, open flames, food and the chosen ceremony space.

More in Planning a Vermont wedding: Vermont outdoor wedding venues that name a real outdoor space, Vermont marriage licence, Rain plans, and the question to ask about them.