Lakewood Township Marriage License Guide
Lakewood Township is in Ocean County and is one of the fastest growing municipalities in New Jersey. The Lakewood Township Vital Statistics Department handles marriage license applications as part of the municipal clerk's office. Lakewood processes a high volume of marriage licenses each year due to its large population. The Lakewood Township office offers an online system for some vital records services, which can help you prepare before visiting in person. Both people must still visit the Lakewood office together to complete the marriage license application.
Lakewood Township Marriage License Facts
Lakewood Township Marriage License Office
The Lakewood Township Vital Statistics Department is where you go to apply for a marriage license in Lakewood. This office is part of the Lakewood Township municipal clerk's office at the Lakewood Municipal Building. You can call the Lakewood office to ask about current hours and what to bring for your marriage license visit. The Lakewood staff will walk you through the marriage license process once you arrive.
Both people in the couple need to be at the Lakewood office at the same time. You cannot send one person to fill out the marriage license forms and have the other come later. The Lakewood clerk will ask each of you to provide identification, answer questions about your personal history, and sign the marriage license application. The marriage license fee in Lakewood Township is $28, which is the standard rate set by New Jersey law.
The Lakewood Township Clerk's office has forms and guides you can review before your marriage license visit. The Lakewood office provides a PDF guide to getting a marriage license that lists every document you need. Reading this guide before you go to Lakewood can save time at the counter.
Note: The Lakewood Township online system at lakewoodnj.permitium.com may let you start some paperwork before your visit, but you must appear in person at the Lakewood office to complete your marriage license application.
Requirements for a Marriage License in Lakewood Township
New Jersey sets the requirements for marriage licenses at the state level, so the rules in Lakewood Township match every other town. You must be at least 18 years old to apply for a marriage license without parental consent. Each person needs a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport at the Lakewood office. If you use a passport, bring a separate document showing your New Jersey address. The Lakewood marriage license clerk needs to verify where you live.
You need your Social Security number for the marriage license application in Lakewood. You do not have to bring the card, but you must provide the number. A witness who is at least 18 years old and speaks English must come with you to the Lakewood Township office. The witness does not need to be related to you. Anyone who meets the age and language requirements can serve as your marriage license witness in Lakewood.
If you were married before, bring a certified copy of your divorce decree or the death certificate of your former spouse. The Lakewood Township registrar must see proof that the prior marriage ended before they can issue a new marriage license. These requirements come from Title 37 of the New Jersey Statutes, which covers all marriage license and civil union laws in the state.
Lakewood Township Marriage License Timing
After the Lakewood clerk accepts your marriage license application, a 72-hour waiting period begins. This is a state requirement that applies to every marriage license in New Jersey. You cannot pick up the marriage license from Lakewood until three full days have passed. Plan your wedding date with this in mind. If your ceremony is on a Saturday, you should apply for the marriage license at the Lakewood office no later than the previous Tuesday.
The Lakewood Township marriage license is valid for 30 days after you pick it up from the Lakewood registrar. Your wedding ceremony must happen within those 30 days. If it does not, the Lakewood marriage license expires and you must apply again. You would need to pay the $28 marriage license fee a second time and wait another 72 hours. There is no extension for an expired marriage license in Lakewood Township or anywhere else in New Jersey.
After the wedding, the officiant signs the marriage license and returns it to the Lakewood Township registrar for filing. This step creates the official marriage record. The Lakewood registrar then reports the marriage to the state. Once the marriage record is on file in Lakewood, you can order certified copies of your marriage certificate.
Marriage Ceremony After Getting a Lakewood Township License
Your marriage license from Lakewood Township is valid for use anywhere in New Jersey. You do not have to hold the marriage ceremony in Lakewood itself. Many couples get their marriage license at the Lakewood registrar and then have the wedding at a venue in another town. The Lakewood marriage license works the same no matter where the ceremony takes place within New Jersey.
An authorized officiant must perform the marriage ceremony. New Jersey law allows judges, mayors, and ordained members of the clergy to officiate. A friend or family member can also get authorized through online ordination, which many Lakewood Township couples choose. The officiant signs the marriage license during or right after the ceremony and is then responsible for returning the marriage license to the Lakewood registrar who issued it.
The Ocean County Clerk's office is another resource for marriage license questions. The Ocean County clerk handles marriage records at the county level and can provide copies of marriage certificates filed in any Ocean County municipality, including Lakewood Township.
Marriage Certificate Copies in Lakewood Township
After your marriage has been filed with the Lakewood Township registrar, you can request certified copies of your marriage certificate from the Lakewood office. You will need marriage certificate copies for many things after the wedding. Name changes at the Social Security office, driver's license updates, bank account changes, and insurance paperwork all require a certified copy of the marriage certificate from Lakewood.
The Lakewood Township Vital Statistics office issues certified marriage certificate copies for marriages filed in the township. Each copy comes with an official seal. The fee for marriage certificate copies from Lakewood can change, so ask the clerk when you apply for your marriage license. You can also get marriage certificate copies from the Ocean County registrar's office or from the New Jersey Department of Health in Trenton for older marriage records.
Note: Only certified copies with a raised seal are accepted for legal and government purposes. A plain photocopy of your marriage certificate will not work for name changes or other official uses.
New Jersey Marriage License Laws
The rules that govern marriage licenses in Lakewood Township come from New Jersey state law. The New Jersey Department of Health oversees the statewide system for vital records, including marriage licenses. Title 37 of the New Jersey Statutes sets out who can get a marriage license, what documents are needed, and how the marriage license process works in every municipality including Lakewood.
Under state law, at least one person in the couple must apply for the marriage license in the town where they live. If one of you lives in Lakewood Township, you apply for the marriage license here. If neither of you lives in Lakewood, you would apply in the town where one of you does live. This is why the Lakewood registrar asks for proof of address when you apply for a marriage license.
New Jersey does not require blood tests or medical exams for a marriage license. The $28 fee, 72-hour wait, and 30-day validity period are all set by state law and apply to every marriage license in the state. Lakewood Township follows these marriage license rules exactly as written. Common law marriage is not recognized in New Jersey. You must have a valid marriage license and a ceremony to be legally married.
Ocean County Marriage License Records
Lakewood Township is in Ocean County. The Ocean County Clerk's office maintains marriage license records at the county level and can issue certified copies for any marriage filed within the county. For more about Ocean County marriage license offices, fees, and resources, see the full county page.