Where can I obtain a Marriage License?
How can I obtain a Marriage License?
Can I obtain a Marriage License if I am under the age of
18?
How can I obtain a Marriage License if I am Disabled
or Incarcerated?
Can a Marriage License be issued to relatives?
Can a Marriage License be issued to a same sex couple?
When will the Marriage License be issued?
How long is the Marriage License valid for?
Who returns the Marriage License to be recorded?
How can I get certified copies of my Marriage
Certificate?
WHERE CAN I OBTAIN A MARRIAGE LICENSE?
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Office
of the
Office
Telephone: (615) 898-7798 |
HOW CAN I OBTAIN A MARRIAGE LICENSE?
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The Groom (male) and Bride (female) must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to obtain a marriage license. |
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The Groom (male) and the Bride (female) are required to apply for the marriage license together in person and submit:
AND
A Fee of $100.00 is required when applying for the Marriage License. If you have a "Certificate of Completion" form from the County Clerk's office completed and notarized by the Counselor/Minister the fee is $40.00.
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HOW CAN I OBTAIN A MARRIAGE LICENSE IF I
AM DISABLED OR INCARCERATED?
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DISABLED: Anyone having a disability that prevents them from appearing in person to obtain a Marriage License, may submit a notarized statement containing the person’s name, age, current address and the names and address of the parents or guardian. This form can be obtained only in the Office of the Rutherford County Clerk in Murfreesboro. |
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INCARCERATED: Anyone incarcerated desiring to obtain a Marriage License, may submit a notarized statement containing the person’s name, age, current address and the names and address of the parents or guardian. This form can be obtained only in the Office of the Rutherford County Clerk in Murfreesboro. |
CAN
A MARRIAGE LICENSE BE ISSUED TO RELATIVES?
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Tennessee Code Annotated “36-3-101. Prohibited degrees of relationship” states: |
Marriage cannot be contracted with a lineal ancestor or descendant, nor the lineal ancestor or descendant of either parent, nor the child of a grandparent, nor the lineal descendants of husband or wife, as the case may be, nor the husband or wife of a parent or lineal descendant.
CAN A MARRIAGE LICENSE BE ISSUED TO A SAME SEX COUPLE?
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TennesseeCode Annotated “36-3-113. Marriage between one (1) man and one (1) woman only legally recognized marital contract” states: |
WHEN WILL THE MARRIAGE LICENSE BE ISSUED?(a) Tennessee’s marriage licensing laws reinforce, carry forward, and make explicit the long-standing public policy of this state to recognize the family as essential to social and economic order and the common good and as the fundamental building block of our society. To that end, it is further the public policy of this state that the historical institution and legal contract solemnizing the relationship of one (1) man and one (1) woman shall be the only legally recognized marital contract in this state in order to provide the unique and exclusive rights and privileges to marriage.
(b) The legal union in matrimony of only one (1) man and one (1) woman shall be the only recognized marriage in this state.
(c) Any policy, law or judicial interpretation that purports to define marriage as anything other than the historical institution and legal contract between one (1) man and one (1) woman is contrary to the public policy of Tennessee.
(d) If another state or foreign jurisdiction issues a license for persons to marry which marriages are prohibited in this state, any such marriage shall be void and unenforceable in this state.
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The
Marriage License will be issued to the couple the same day it is applied
for. |
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The
Marriage License is valid for thirty (30) days, including the day it is
applied for. |
WHO RETURNS THE MARRIAGE LICENSE TO BE RECORDED?
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The
Officiant (person who performs the marriage ceremony) is required to return
the Marriage License within three (3) days after the date of the Marriage.
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Tennessee Code Annotated “36-3-301. Persons who may solemnize marriages” states… (a)
(1) All regular ministers,
preachers, pastors, priests, rabbis and other spiritual leaders of every
religious belief, more than eighteen (18) years of age, having the care of
souls, and all members of the county legislative bodies, county executives,
judges, chancellors, former chancellors and former judges of this state,
former county executives of this state, the governor, the speaker of the
senate and former speakers of the senate, the speaker of the house of
representatives and former speakers of the house of representatives, the
county clerk of each county and the mayor of any municipality in the state
may solemnize the rite of matrimony. For
the purposes of this section, the several judges of the
(2) In order to solemnize the rite of matrimony, any such minister, preacher, pastor, priest, rabbi or other spiritual leader must be ordained or otherwise designated in conformity with the customs of a church, temple or other religious group or organization; and such customs must provide for such ordination or designation by a considered, deliberate, and responsible act.
(3)
If
any marriage has been entered into by license issued pursuant to this
chapter at which any minister officiated before
(b) The traditional marriage rite of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), whereby the parties simply pledge their vows one to another in the presence of the congregation, constitutes an equally effective solemnization.
(c) Any gratuity received by a county executive, county clerk or municipal mayor for the solemnization of a marriage, whether performed during or after such person’s regular working hours, shall be retained by such person as personal renumeration for such services, in addition to any other sources of compensation such person might receive, and such gratuity shall not be paid into the county general fund or the treasury of such municipality.
(d) If
any marriage has been entered into by license regularly issued at which a
county executive officiated prior to
(e) For the purposes of this section, “retired judges of this state” is construed to include persons who served as judges of any municipal or county court in any county which has adopted a metropolitan form of government and person who served as county judges (judges of the quarterly county court) prior to the 1978 constitutional amendments.
(f)
If
any marriage has been entered into by license regularly issued at which a
retired judge of this state officiated prior to
(g)
If
any marriage has been entered into by license issued pursuant to this
chapter at which a judicial commissioner officiated prior to
(h) The
judge of the general sessions court of any county, and any former judge of
any general sessions court, may solemnize the rite of matrimony in any
county of this state. Any
marriage performed by any judge of the general sessions court in any county
of this state before
(i) All elected officials and former officials, who are authorized to solemnize the rite of matrimony pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a), may solemnize the rite of matrimony in any county of this state.
(j)
If
any marriage has been entered into by license issued pursuant to this
chapter at which a county executive officiated outside such executive’s
county prior to |
HOW
CAN I GET CERTIFIED COPIES OF MY MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE?
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To obtain a copy of a
Rutherford County Marriage License, in person, you must know the date of
marriage, the bride and groom’s name and pay a fee of $5.00. The copy can only be obtained from the Murfreesboro Office. |
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To obtain a copy of a Rutherford County Marriage License, by mail, you must know the date of marriage, the bride and groom’s name, pay a fee of $6.00 and mail the request to the following address: |
Rutherford County Clerk 319 North Maple Street, Suite 121 Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37130