Marriage License Information
The following is the present set of legal requirements to obtain a marriage license in Louisiana.
 Each applicant must have reached their 18th birthday—except that applicants more than 16 years of age, but less than 18, will need the signed consent of both parents or an order from a judge.
Each applicant must provide a satisfactory form of picture identification. This may be a passport or a driver's license. You will also need to provide parents names, mothers maiden names, and the state (country and state if outside the USA) in which you and your partner were born.
For each person, you MUST have a certified copy of your birth certificate (a regular copy is not acceptable). If you are not able to obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate, you may make a sworn affidavit as an alternative - there is a fee to do so. In addition, if you have been married before, anywhere, you will need the original or certified copy of the final divorce decree or death certificate.
If you are not a resident of the USA and you are unable to obtain certified copies, you will need a notarized statement setting forth your particulars in an affidavit. There is an additional fee for the Notary.
The Clerk of the Court will also require the Social Security Number for each of the couple - although only one need be present (with paperwork for both) to obtain the license. Usually, a marriage license may be obtained only during 'normal' business hours.
The procedure here is quite simple - you must obtain a marriage license (cost is about $30 cash) by presenting proper documentation (in person) at the local Parish (County) offices. For New Orleans, it is now at the 2nd City Court, 225 Morgan Street in the suburb of Algiers. They are open on Monday - Friday, 9:00AM to 3:00 PM - except legal holidays. The courthouse is located a short walk from the free Mississippi River ferry that runs from downtown New Orleans to Algiers on the Westbank. The usual office located in central New Orleans at 325 Loyola Ave. in Room 101 was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding. I do not know of a scheduled date for the opening of those offices. A marriage license obtained anywhere in Louisiana is valid anywhere in the state.
The license fee is payable only in CASH and is about $30.00.
(The above procedures are not difficult, but they may be time consuming.)
The State of Louisiana does not require a pre-marital blood test.
For couples who are NOT residents of Louisiana wishing to be married in New Orleans, there is NO waiting period - you may be married at any time after you have your marriage license. Elsewhere in the state and for residents of Louisiana, there is a 72-hour (3-day) waiting period after issuance of the license before the conduct of the marriage ceremony. However, couples may apply to a Judge or Justice-of-the-Peace for a waiver of the waiting period.
The wedding ceremony must be accomplished within 30 days or the license becomes invalid.
After the ceremony, the license is signed by the Bride, Groom, Officiant and two witnesses. I will then forward it to the government offices for official registration.
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