Getting Married in North Carolina

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  § 51-1. Requisites of marriage; solemnization.

  A valid and sufficient marriage is created by the consent of a male and female person who

  may lawfully marry, presently to take each other as husband and wife, freely, seriously and

  plainly expressed by each in the presence of the other, either:

  (1) a. In the presence of an ordained minister of any religious

  denomination, a minister authorized by a church, or a magistrate; and

  b. With the consequent declaration by the minister or magistrate that the

  persons are husband and wife; or

  (2) In accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious

  denomination, or federally or State recognized Indian Nation or Tribe.

North Carolina Marriage Requirements

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  § 51-4. Prohibited degrees of kinship.

  When the degree of kinship is estimated with a view to ascertain the right of kinspeople to

  marry, the half-blood shall be counted as the whole-blood: Provided, that nothing herein

  contained shall be so construed as to invalidate any marriage heretofore contracted in case

  where by counting the half-blood as the whole-blood the persons contracting such marriage

  would be nearer of kin than first cousins; but in every such case the kinship shall be ascertained

  by counting relations of the half-blood as being only half so near kin as those of the same

  degree of the whole-blood

How to Become a Wedding Officiant in North Carolina

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  Chapter 51.

  Marriage.

  Article 1.

  General Provisions.

  § 51-1. Requisites of marriage; solemnization.

  A valid and sufficient marriage is created by the consent of a male and female person who

  may lawfully marry, presently to take each other as husband and wife, freely, seriously and

  plainly expressed by each in the presence of the other, either:

  (1) a. In the presence of an ordained minister of any religious

  denomination, a minister authorized by a church, or a magistrate; and

  b. With the consequent declaration by the minister or magistrate that the

  persons are husband and wife; or

  (2) In accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious

  denomination, or federally or State recognized Indian Nation or Tribe.

  Marriages solemnized before March 9, 1909, by ministers of the gospel licensed, but not

  ordained, are validated from their consummation. (1871-2, c. 193, s. 3; Code, s. 1812; Rev., s.

  2081; 1908, c. 47; 1909, c. 704, s. 2; c. 897; C.S., s. 2493; 1945, c. 839; 1965, c. 152; 1971, c.

  1185, s. 26; 1977, c. 592, s. 1; 2000-58, ss. 1, 2; 2001-14, ss. 1, 2; 2001-62, ss. 1, 17; 2002-115,

  ss. 5, 6; 2002-159, s. 13(a); 2003-4, s. 1; 2005-56, s. 1; 2007-61, s. 1; 2009-13, s. 1; 2012-194,

  s. 65.4(a).)

Applying For a Marriage License in North Carolina

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  § 51-16. Form of license.

  License shall be in the following or some equivalent form:

  To any ordained minister of any religious denomination, minister authorized by a church,

  any magistrate, or any other person authorized to solemnize a marriage under the laws of this

  State: A.B. having applied to me for a license for the marriage of C.D. (the name of the man to

  be written in full) of (here state his residence), aged ____ years (race, as the case may be), the

  son of (here state the father and mother, if known; state whether they are living or dead, and

  their residence, if known; if any of these facts are not known, so state), and E.F. (write the

  name of the woman in full) of (here state her residence), aged ____ years (race, as the case may

  be), the daughter of (here state names and residences of the parents, if known, as is required

  above with respect to the man). (If either of the parties is under 18 years of age, the license

  shall here contain the following:) And the written consent of G.H., father (or mother, etc., as

  the case may be) to the proposed marriage having been filed with me, and there being no legal

  impediment to such marriage known to me, you are hereby authorized, at any time within 60

  days from the date hereof, to celebrate the proposed marriage at any place within the State. You

  are required within 10 days after you shall have celebrated such marriage, to return this license

  to me at my office with your signature subscribed to the certificate under this license, and with

  the blanks therein filled according to the facts, under penalty of forfeiting two hundred dollars

  ($200.00) to the use of any person who shall sue for the same.

  Issued this ____ day of ____, ____

  ____________________ L.M.

  Register of Deeds of ____ County

  Every register of deeds shall, at the request of an applicant, designate in a marriage license

  issued the race of the persons proposing to marry by inserting in the blank after the word "race"

  the words "white," "black," "African-American," "American Indian," "Alaska Native," "Asian

  Indian," "Chinese," "Filipino," "Japanese," "Korean," "Vietnamese," "Other Asian," "Native

  Hawaiian," "Guamarian," "Chamorro," "Samoan," "Other Pacific Islander," "Mexican,"

  "Mexican-American," "Chicano," "Puerto Rican," "Cuban," "Other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino,"

  or "other," as the case may be. The certificate shall be filled out and signed by the minister,

  officer, or other authorized individual celebrating the marriage, and also be signed by two

  witnesses present at the marriage, who shall add to their names their place of residence, as

  follows:

  I, N.O., an ordained or authorized minister or other authorized individual of (here state to

  what religious denomination, or magistrate, as the case may be), united in matrimony (here

  name the parties), the parties licensed above, on the ___ day of ______, ___, at the house of

  P.R., in (here name the town, if any, the township and county), according to law.

  ________________ N.O.

  Witness present at the marriage:

  S.T., of (here give residence).

  (1871-2, c. 193, s. 6; Code, s. 1815; 1899, c. 541, ss. 1, 2; Rev., s. 2089; 1909, c. 704, s. 3;

  1917, c. 38; C.S., s. 2502; 1953, c. 638, s. 2; 1967, c. 957, s. 7; 1971, c. 1072; c. 1185, s. 27;

  1999-456, s. 59; 2001-62, s. 11.)

How to Get a North Carolina Marriage License

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  § 51-8. License issued by register of deeds.

  Every register of deeds shall, upon proper application, issue a license for the marriage of

  any two persons who are able to answer the questions regarding age, marital status, and

  intention to marry, and, based on the answers, the register of deeds determines the persons are

  authorized to be married in accordance with the laws of this State. In making a determination as

  to whether or not the parties are authorized to be married under the laws of this State, the

  register of deeds may require the applicants for the license to marry to present certified copies

  of birth certificates or such other evidence as the register of deeds deems necessary to the

  determination. The register of deeds may administer an oath to any person presenting evidence

  relating to whether or not parties applying for a marriage license are eligible to be married

  pursuant to the laws of this State. Each applicant for a marriage license shall provide on the

  application the applicant's social security number. If an applicant does not have a social

  security number and is ineligible to obtain one, the applicant shall present a statement to that

  effect, sworn to or affirmed before an officer authorized to administer oaths. Upon presentation

  of a sworn or affirmed statement, the register of deeds shall issue the license, provided all other

  requirements are met, and retain the statement with the register's copy of the license. The

  register of deeds shall not issue a marriage license unless all of the requirements of this section

  have been met.

Finalizing the Union

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  § 51-7. Penalty for solemnizing without license.

  Every minister, officer, or any other person authorized to solemnize a marriage under the

  laws of this State, who marries any couple without a license being first delivered to that person,

  as required by law, or after the expiration of such license, or who fails to return such license to

  the register of deeds within 10 days after any marriage celebrated by virtue thereof, with the

  certificate appended thereto duly filled up and signed, shall forfeit and pay two hundred dollars

  ($200.00) to any person who sues therefore, and shall also be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

  (R.C., c. 68, ss. 6, 13; 1871-2, c. 193, s. 8; Code, s. 1817; Rev., ss. 2087, 3372; C.S., s. 2499;

  1953, c. 638, s. 1; 1967, c. 957, s. 5; 1993, c. 539, s. 415; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c);

  2001-62, s. 7.)