INSTRUCTIONS
MarylandNon‐ResidentMarriageLicenseApplication–Affidavit
AMarylandmarriagelicensecanbeused‐amarriageceremonycantakeplace‐ONLYinthecountywherethemarriagelicenseisissued.
Thelicensemustbeobtainedandpresentedtotheofficialwhowillbeperformingthemarriageceremonybeforetheceremonymaytake
place.ItistheresponsibilityofthepartiestoknowtheMaryla
ndcountyinwhichtheceremonysiteislocated,and
toobtainthemarriage
licensefromtheClerkofCircuitCourtforthatcountyor,ifinBaltimoreCity,theClerkofCircuitCourtforBaltimoreCity.Pleasenotethat
BaltimoreCityandBaltimoreCountyaretwoseparateanddistinctpoliticalsubdivisions,andalicenseissuedbytheClerkofCircuitCo
urt
foronepoliticalsubdivisioncannotbeusedintheotherpoliticalsubdivision.
WhocanapplyforaMarylandmarriagelicenseusingaNon‐ResidentMarriageLicenseApplicationAffidavit(NRMLAAffidavit)?An
applicantcanuseaNRMLAAffidavitifneitherpartytobemarriedisaresidentofthecounty/Baltim
oreCitywherethemarriageceremony
willtakeplace.Ifeitherpartyisaresidentofthecounty/BaltimoreCitywherethemarriageceremonywilltakeplace,theNRMLAAffidavit
cannotbeused‐oneofthepar tieswillneedtoapplyforthemarriagelicenseinpersonattheClerk’sOfficeinthatcounty/Baltimore City.
HowtoapplyusingtheNRMLAAffidavit?COMPLETE
FORMONLINEANDPRINTOUT(ORPRINTLEGIBLY)
1. FindoutinwhichMarylandcounty/BaltimoreCitythemarriageceremonywilltakeplace.ThelicensemustbeobtainedfromtheClerkof
CircuitCourtforthatcounty/BaltimoreCity.
2. ContacttheofficeoftheClerkofCircuitCourtforthecounty/BaltimoreCitywheretheceremonywilltakeplacetofindoutwhatthefee
is,inthatcounty,foramarriagelicense.Also,getthemailingaddressforthatCler
k’soffice.Feesvaryfromcountytocounty,andthe partieswill
mailthecompletedNRMLAAffidavit,withtheappropriatefee,tothatoffice.ContactinformationforClerksofCircuitCourtscanbefoundhere
(http://www.mdcourts.gov/circuit/index.html).
3. AParty(s)takestheNRMLAAffidavitform(3pages)totheofficeofapublicofficialinthecounty,state,provinceorcountrywherethe
partyresideswhosedutiesarecomparabletothatofaMarylandClerkofCircuitCourt.Theclerkofanycourt,aProthonotary,aRecorderofDeeds,
oranofficialwhosedutyitistoissuemarriagelicenses,areexamplesof“comparableofficials.”AnotarypublicisNOTa“comparableofficial.”
4. Askthe“comparableofficial”iftheywillexecutetheform.ThisprocessisallowedbyMarylandlaw,butMarylandlawdoesnotgovern
officialsofotherstatesornations.Therefore,anofficialoutsideofMarylandisnotrequiredto,andmaychoosenotto,provideth
isservice.Inthat
event,applicationwillhavetobemadeinpersonattheofficeoftheClerkofCircuitCourtfortheMarylandcountyinwhichthemarriageceremony
willtakeplace.
5. Ifthe“comparableofficial”willprovidetheservice,completeallinformationrequested(allinformationisrequiredbyMarylandlaw,
includingsocialsecuritynumber),butdonotsigntheformuntilthe“comparableofficial”asks.Itmustbesignedinthepresenceofthe
“comparableofficial.”
6. The“comparableofficial”wil
lasktheapplicant(s)tosigntheform,andwillthencompletetheblockatthebottomoftheform,signthe
form,andapplytheSealoftheiroffice.The“comparableofficial”willthenreturnthesignedformtotheapplicant(s)formailing,alongwiththe
appropriatefee,totheMarylandClerkofCircuitCourtforthecounty/BaltimoreCitywherethemarriageceremonywilltakeplace.
7. Ifapartytobemarriedisundertheageof18,andaparentorguardianisprovidingconsent,havetheattached“ConsentofParentor
Guardian”formcompletedandsignedbytheparentorguardian,andwitnessedbyaNotaryPublic.*
8. OncetheNRMLAAffidavitformisfullyexecuted,mailit,alongwithanyConsentofParentorGuardianforms,andacertifiedcheckor
moneyorder(personalchecksarenotaccepted)intheappropriateamount(seeitem2above)forthemarriagelicensefee,payabletoClerkof
CircuitCourt,totheClerkofCircuitCourtfortheMarylandcounty/BaltimoreCityinwhichthemarriageceremonywilltakeplace.Marriage
licensesinMarylanddonottakeeffectuntil2daysafterthedatean applicationisreceivedintheofficeoftheClerkofCircuitCourt,butaregood
for6monthsfromthatdate.Itisrecommendedthattheapplicant(s)mailtheNRMLAaffidavitatleastthree weeksbeforetheweddingdate,to
allowtimefordeliverybytheUSPostOffice,andforresolutionofanyproblemstheClerkmayhavewiththeapplication.Besuretoincludea
phonenumberforatleastoneoftheparties,sotheclerkcancontacttheparties ifthereareanyproblemswiththeapplication,orifadditional
informationisrequired.
9. OncetheNRMLAAffidavitisprocessed,themarriagelicensewillbemailedorheldforpickupaccordingtotheapplicant’sinstructionson
theform.
* NOTE:InsomeMarylandcounties,ifeitherpartyisunder18yearsofage,thelicensewillnotbe mailed,andmustbepickedupatthe
clerk’soffice.Additionaldocumentation(e.g.:birthcertificate;guardianshiporder)mayberequiredtoshowproofthatthe consenting
personisinfactaparentorguardianoftheminorparty.ContacttheClerk’sofficeinadvancetofindoutwh
atadditionaldocumentation,i f
any,willberequired.
MarylandmarriagelawscanbefoundintheAnnotatedCodeofMaryland,FamilyLawArticle,Title2.
CC-FM-066 (Rev. 10/2021)