How to Get a Marriage License in Albany: Step by Step

If you want your nikah to be a legal marriage in New York as well, you need a marriage license first. Here is how it works in Albany, from applying to collecting the license, in plain steps.

At a glance

Where

Albany City Clerk's Office, City Hall, Room 202, Albany, NY 12207

Booking

By appointment, Monday-Friday, 9 AM-4 PM. Call 518-434-5090.

Fee

$40 The FAQ states both parties must be present with $40. Confirm with the clerk.

Payment

Cash or credit card

Who attends

Both parties must be present.

Valid for

60 days from the day after you receive it.

Same day?

The FAQ says New York law requires a 24-hour wait before a ceremony can be performed. It does not say whether the licence is issued the same day.

Step by step

1. Apply. Both people attend together with the required certified documents.
2. Book or plan your visit. By appointment, Monday-Friday, 9 AM-4 PM. Call 518-434-5090.
3. Gather your ID and documents. See the list below. Bring originals.
4. Attend and pay. Both parties must be present. Cash or credit card
5. Give the license to your officiant. Your imam needs it at the ceremony, and must be authorized to solemnize marriages in New York. 60 days from the day after you receive it.

What to bring

• Birth certificate (or baptismal certificate or naturalization papers if a birth certificate cannot be obtained); all documents must be certified with a raised seal
• Photo ID (driver's licence, non-driver ID or work ID showing a date of birth)
• Passports cannot be used in place of a birth document
• All previous marriage information (divorce, annulment or death certificates)
• No blood test required

Good to know

• The City Clerk's Office is the contact for applying to become a one-day marriage officiant, through the office where the couple applied or will apply for the licence.
• Marriage licences are kept on file where they were issued; the NY State Department of Health can help locate one (518-474-3077).
• The FAQ does not state SSN rules, residency, minimum age or the return deadline for the licence.

Your nikah and the license

The license is what makes your marriage legal. Your nikah is the religious ceremony. If your imam is authorized to solemnize marriages in New York, one ceremony can be both. See imams serving Albany and our New York nikah guide for who may officiate and how the marriage is recorded.

A few common questions

Details come from the Albany City Clerk's Office website, checked in October 2026. Fees, hours and booking rules change, so confirm before you go. Albany City Clerk's Office: marriage license page. Contact: 518-434-5090 (City Clerk). This guide is general information, not legal advice.