Marriage Licenses

All marriages performed in New York State require a New York State Marriage License. The license is obtained from a municipal clerk and is good anywhere in New York State.

Licenses can be obtained at the City Clerk's Office between the hours of 8:30am - 4:00 pm. Please feel free to call the City Clerk's office with any questions at (607)737-5672 or (607)737-5673.

• →Licenses must be processed with both bride/groom/spouse in person at City Hall and are only valid in New York State.
• →The marriage ceremony may not take place within 24 hours from the exact time that the license is issued.
• →The marriage license is only valid for 60 days, beginning the day after it is issued.
• →Each person must have a current driver's license and an original birth certificate from the Health Department (not a hospital certificate). →No blood tests or physicals are required.
• →If both applicants are 18 years of age or older, no consents are required.
• →If there has been a previous marriage, a certified copy of the Decree of Divorce, Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage, or Spouse's Death Certificate must be presented for all previous marriages at the time of obtaining the new license.
• →If one person is 17 or 16, both parents must sign consent or one parent if that parent has sole custody (proof of custody required)
• →If one person is 15 or under, approval from family court is required
• →The fee for Marriage Licenses in the City of Elmira is $40.
• →Additional details may be obtained from the New York State Department of Health
  Go to New York State Department of Health

When obtaining a copy of a marriage certificate, identification must be shown to the Clerk and there is a $10 fee. If a person is requesting a copy of their marriage certificate and does not live in the City, that person needs to submit a notarized statement which should include the bride/groom/spouse (maiden name) and the marriage date, along with a certified check or money order for $10 made payable to the City of Elmira. Marriage certificates may be requested by the bride/groom/spouse only. If the couple is deceased, relatives can request a verified marriage transcript for $22 check or money order made payable to the City of Elmira (through a Genealogy Marriage Search).

The City Clerk's Office does not maintain the records for Birth Certificates and Death Certificates. These records are maintained by the Chemung County Department of Vital Records.
Go to the Chemung County Department of Vital Records

Relatives of a deceased couple who wish to obtain verification of the date and location of a marriage within City limits may request a Genealogy Marriage Search. The name of the bride/groom/spouse (maiden name) is required for the search. The fee for this search is $22.00. If the person requesting the search does not live in the area, that person should send a certified check or money order payable to the City of Elmira.