How to Get Married in New Mexico

Securing Your Marriage License

Locate the appropriate county clerk's office. New Mexico marriage licenses are issued in every county by the county clerk. Once you get your license, you can get married anywhere in the state. You don't necessarily have to get married in the same county where your license was issued. If you're planning to have your ceremony in one county and live in another, you may want to get your marriage license in the county where you live. This may be more convenient for you to record the license after the ceremony, especially if you're planning to leave on a honeymoon. To find an address for the correct county clerk's office, go to https://www.sos.state.nm.us/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal/county-clerk-information/ and scroll down until you find the county you want.

Complete your marriage license application. Each county has a license application for you and your intended spouse to fill out together. The application requires each of you to provide personal information, including your Social Security numbers, dates and places of birth, and current addresses. Generally, you'll get a copy of the application to fill out at the county clerk's office.

Find out if you can submit your marriage license application online. Some counties in New Mexico allow you to complete and submit a marriage license application online. While you'll still have to travel to the county clerk's office to show proof of identification, this may save you some time. The county clerk's website will have information on whether you can complete the application and submit it online. If you do submit your application online, copy the transaction or confirmation number so the county clerk can retrieve your application.

Get written permission from your parents if you are under 18. New Mexico allows 16- and 17-year-olds to get married. However, both parents listed on your birth certificate, if living, must sign a written consent form. The form is available at the county clerk's office if your parents want to come with you to get your marriage license. If your parents don't want to come with you to get your marriage license, they can sign the form in advance for you to take with you. However, if they don't sign the form in front of the court clerk, they'll have to sign it in front of a notary. Take the original notarized form with you to the clerk's office. In addition to written permission from your parents, you must also have your original birth certificate and a certified copy to prove your age.

Go to the county clerk's office with your intended. Both you and your intended spouse should have a government-issued photo ID when you apply for your marriage license at the county clerk's office. Your identification should be currently valid and include your photo, full legal name, and date of birth. You'll also need to bring $25 in cash to pay the fee for the license. The clerk will review your application and issue your license immediately. You don't have to wait for it to be issued or return to the office to pick it up. If either you or your intended spouse is not a US citizen, bring your passport from your country of nationality.Tip: If you and your intended spouse are citizens of another country, your New Mexico marriage may not be legally recognized in your home country. It will allow you to get married in New Mexico. However, you will have to get a local license once you return home.

Keep your license in a safe place until your ceremony. Your marriage license doesn't expire, so you can plan your wedding ceremony at any time. However, you must have your marriage license with you on the date of the ceremony. If that date is a long time away, make sure you keep your license secure until then. If you lose your license between the date it's issued and your ceremony, you can always go and get another one. However, you'll have to fill out a new application and pay an additional fee.

Arranging Your Wedding Ceremony

Get married at the courthouse if you want to save money. Once you have your license, you can get married at any time. If you want a simple exchange of vows rather than an elaborate ceremony, you can have a county court judge perform the ritual. Judges typically don't charge any fee to perform an exchange of vows. However, you will have to schedule an appointment. You will also be responsible for bringing your own witnesses. New Mexico state law requires 2 independent witnesses for any marriage. Those witnesses will have to fill out information about themselves and the ceremony or exchange of vows on your marriage license and sign it. They must be over 18. Your witnesses don't have to know you. If you don't have any family or friends in the area, consider asking people in the courthouse if they would be willing to serve as a witness. Many people would be honored to be a part of your special day.

Choose an officiant if you're planning a private ceremony. If you prefer to have a ceremony in a church, temple, or other private venue, you're responsible for providing your own officiant. Anyone who is licensed, ordained, or certified to perform the ceremony can serve as your officiant. Most officiants will charge you a fee for performing the ceremony. However, you might also consider getting a friend or family member to do it for you. There are online organizations where anyone can get ordained for the purposes of officiating a marriage ceremony. Some of these organizations charge a fee, while others are free.

Plan your ceremony and reception. Generally, you're responsible for planning your ceremony and reception, although you can always hire a wedding planner. New Mexico doesn't have any specific legal requirements for the content or procedure of the wedding ceremony, so you're free to do anything that best represents the two of you as a couple and your love for each other. If you're planning an elaborate ceremony and reception with a lot of guests, it's generally best to hire a wedding planner. Otherwise, you'll be fussing with the details and won't have the opportunity to enjoy your big day. Try to find a wedding planner that matches your style—that way, they can speak on your behalf and make decisions that line up with your preferences.

Recording Your License

Get your officiant to fill out and sign your marriage license. After the wedding, give your wedding license to the person who officiated your wedding (or the judge, if you got married at the courthouse). They will fill out and sign the section of your marriage license for the officiant. Make sure this is done the day of the wedding so they're signing it on the right day.

Select 2 witnesses to fill out and sign your marriage license. Your marriage license will have space for 2 witnesses to provide their information and sign indicating that they witnessed your wedding ceremony or exchange of vows. If you had many guests at your wedding, it doesn't matter which guests sign as witnesses as long as they're over the age of 18. If you get married in the courthouse, you're responsible for bringing your own witnesses. Court employees may not be able to serve as witnesses. However, in a pinch, you may still be able to find people in the courthouse who are willing to serve as witnesses.

Take your license back to the county clerk's office. Once you have signatures from 2 witnesses and your officiant, it must be recorded in the office of the county clerk that initially issued the license. You have 90 days after the date of the wedding to have your license recorded or your marriage will not be official. There is no charge for the simple recording of your license after it's been issued.Tip: You don't have to take your license to the clerk's office yourself. Your officiant can take it for you, or even a witness. Just make sure you trust anyone else you have take your license in for you.

Request a certified copy if desired. Once all the required signatures are in place, your license becomes your official marriage certificate. If you want a certified copy for your records, you can get one from the county clerk when you record your license. County clerks charge an additional fee of $2.50 for each certified copy.Tip: If either or both of you are planning on changing your name as a result of the marriage, having certified copies will help smooth that process with Social Security and the DMV.