How much does a marriage license cost in New Hampshire?

The state set fee is $50, paid when you apply at any New Hampshire city or town clerk. The license is valid for 90 days.

Is there a waiting period to get married in New Hampshire?

No. If your paperwork is in order, a New Hampshire marriage license can be issued the same day you apply, and you can marry that same day.

Do we have to be New Hampshire residents to elope there?

No. Couples from any state or country may apply at any New Hampshire city or town clerk, and the license is valid for a ceremony anywhere in the state.

Who can officiate a New Hampshire elopement?

A New Hampshire justice of the peace or an ordained New Hampshire minister in regular standing can officiate without extra paperwork. Out of state officiants and friends or family can be authorized through a special marriage officiant license from the New Hampshire Secretary of State.

How to Elope in New Hampshire (2026): License, Laws, and Planning Guide

Home / How to elope in New Hampshire

Here is the short version: New Hampshire is one of the easiest states in America to get married in. There is no waiting period, no residency requirement, and one license, $50 at any town clerk, covers a ceremony anywhere in the state. You could apply in the morning and be married by golden hour.

Below is everything the two of you actually need to know, based on the state's official requirements. And if you would rather skip the reading entirely, that is literally the service we provide. Our packages include full license guidance and clerk coordination, so you show up, sign, and go get married somewhere beautiful.

Step 1: The marriage license

Every legal marriage in New Hampshire starts with a state marriage license, and the process is refreshingly simple.

Where: any city or town clerk's office in New Hampshire, regardless of where you live or where in the state you plan to marry.
Who: both of you, together, in person. This is the one part of an elopement we cannot do for you, and honestly, it makes a great little date.
Cost: $50, set by the state.
Waiting period: none. If your paperwork is in order, the license can be issued the same day.
Validity: 90 days from issuance, for a ceremony anywhere in the state.

Step 2: What to bring to the clerk

Bring these and the visit usually takes well under an hour:

A government issued photo ID for each of you, such as a driver's license, a nondriver ID, or a US passport.
A certified birth certificate for each of you.
If either of you has legally changed names since birth, the certified name change document.
If either of you was previously married, the certified document that ended that marriage, such as a divorce decree or a death certificate.

Our couples never guess at this. When you book with us, we confirm the exact documents for your situation, point you to a clerk's office that fits your travel plans, and tell you the best time to walk in. That is the clerk coordination we include in every package.

Step 3: The officiant

New Hampshire law is specific about who can marry you, and this is the step that trips up most couples who plan alone.

These officiants can marry you with no extra paperwork:

A justice of the peace commissioned in New Hampshire.
An ordained minister who resides in New Hampshire and is in regular standing with their denomination.
Certain out of state clergy with a pastoral charge in New Hampshire, within their parish.

Everyone else, including out of state ministers and that friend who got ordained online for your day, needs a special marriage officiant license from the New Hampshire Secretary of State before the ceremony. A few examples of how the state handles it:

Out of state ministers: a $25 application, valid for one marriage.
Out of state officials such as notaries or magistrates: $25, one marriage.
Any other individual, which is how a friend or family member can legally marry you: an $85 application, valid for one marriage for 90 days.

In The Summit and The Signature, we arrange and pay for a licensed officiant, so this entire section becomes someone else's homework. If you dream of a friend performing the ceremony, we will walk them through the special license so it is done right and your marriage is unquestionably legal.

Step 4: The ceremony, anywhere in the state

Your license works in every corner of New Hampshire, a mountain ledge at sunrise, a quiet cove on the seacoast, a wildflower meadow, a garden at a historic estate. After the ceremony, your officiant signs the license and returns it to the issuing clerk, and your marriage certificate follows.

Two practical notes from years of doing this. First, some of the most photogenic public places, including state parks, ask event holders to arrange permission or a permit ahead of time, and the rules differ by park and season. Second, the best locations often have a best hour, when the light is right and the crowds are gone. Both are exactly the kind of local detail we handle when we match you to a location, and every spot we suggest comes with a rain plan.

What it all costs

The legal part of eloping in New Hampshire is about $50 for the license, plus your officiant. Everything else is your choice of experience. For comparison, the average American wedding runs around $36,000 for one day. Our full elopement experiences run from $2,900 to $9,000 and include the photography, the film, the planning, the flowers, and the officiant, which is rather the point of eloping.

A realistic timeline

Whenever you decide: reach out, pick a package and a date. Fall foliage weekends and summer Saturdays go first.
Before the day: we design the day, book the location and vendors, and coordinate your clerk visit. You choose outfits.
License window: any day within 90 days of your ceremony. Many of our couples do it the day before, or the morning of.
The day: you show up in love. We handle the rest, and your sneak peeks arrive within 48 hours.

Common questions

How much does a New Hampshire marriage license cost?

$50, paid at any New Hampshire city or town clerk when you apply. The license is valid for 90 days.

Is there a waiting period?

No. With your paperwork in order, the license can be issued the same day you apply, and you can marry that day.

Do we need to be New Hampshire residents?

No. Couples come from anywhere in the world. Any New Hampshire town clerk can issue the license, and it works statewide.

Can a friend marry us?

Yes, with a special marriage officiant license from the New Hampshire Secretary of State, an $85 application valid for one marriage. We walk your friend through it, or arrange a licensed officiant for you.

Do witnesses need to be there?

New Hampshire's rules focus on the couple, the license, and an authorized officiant. When you book with us, we confirm every current requirement for your specific ceremony as part of the planning, so nothing is left to chance.

Sources: New Hampshire city and town clerk offices, including the City of Concord marriage license office, and the New Hampshire Secretary of State. Requirements can change, and we confirm current details with the clerk for every couple we plan for.

Or skip every step above.

License guidance, clerk coordination, a licensed officiant, a stunning location with a rain plan, photography, and a film your family will cry over. That is what we do, every week, all over New Hampshire.

Start planning your elopement