Marriage Licenses

Two people who are eligible to marry may get a marriage license. Same-sex marriage is legal in Rhode Island, therefore Rhode Island no longer allows couples to enter into a civil union.

What couples should do to get a Rhode Island marriage license

• If both people live in Rhode Island, apply for a marriage license at the city or town hall where either person lives.
• If only one person lives in Rhode Island, apply for a marriage license from the city or town hall where the Rhode Islander lives.
• If neither person lives in Rhode Island, apply for a marriage license from the clerks' office in the city or town where the marriage ceremony will be performed.

Required documentation

• Both people must provide a photo identification and birth certificate when applying for a marriage license. Check with the clerk’s office where you will apply for a marriage license for any requirements regarding approved forms of identification and proof of birth.
• If either person has been married before or was in a civil union, you must have proof of divorce, being widowed, or that relationship has legally ended.
• The town or city clerk must get a certified copy of the decree granting the divorce or a certified copy of the final dissolution of the previous relationship. A certified copy of a record has a raised State seal on it.
• If the other person in the previous relationship is dead, the town or city clerk must get a certified copy of the death certificate.