Marriage Certificate vs Marriage License

[LuvMyPortuGAL 1]

So, We go to City Hall and get our license. It is a leagl looking document with lots of places for information bout us two. We go to JP and git hitched. The JP signs and does other things to the legal looking document and gives it back. We go to city hall and drop it off.

They in turn very quickly mail us TWO things.

Two "official copies" of the legal looking thing with lots of names and dates and other info. We also received ONE a less legal looking thing that is very pretty and looks like a merit award I might receive after completing a professional development course for work, with all the colors, swirls, gold seals and other goodies. It even says "CERTIFICATE" on it. The legal this also says "Affidavit, License and CERTIFICATE".

So I drop off my packet with the legal looking document throughout to FedEX, all nervous about the possibility of stupid mistake, but happy it is done.

Then I go back to work and look at VJ to find that someone had questioned "license vs certificate". So I panic!! OMG! What if I put the incorrect "certificate" in with my applications? In a frenzy, I call home to have a copy of the fancy certificate of merit emailed to me. I print off three copies and rush back to OfficeMax hoping to have beaten the FedEx guy. WHEW! I beat'em! So I open the box and insert fancy looking certificate next to legal looking document. Better too much information than not enough I guess!

So, the question is, did I need to go through all that trouble? Does it matter which one I used? It isn't totally clear anywhere which is which. I don't even know if other municipalities provide two such documents.

Any input on this would be appreciated. Perhaps we can help future VJers from having a similar panic attack.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Well firstly the "pretty" one is your display copy. I think the reason they send this is because if someone steals that, it's not your real "legal" one. It's just a prettier version. My pretty version was given by the church and neither my husband or I signed it, just our witnesses. We'll put the pretty one in a frame and put it up somewhere, but the legal one will go somewhere for safe-keeping (whether it's a safe or some other fire-proof box).

The legal one should have your state information on it. Usually what they do is when you go to the court house, you fill in an application for a LICENCE to get married, kinda like permission. We had one friend sign the licence as proof that he knows us and that we're gunna get married. The court house then types that information into the computer, and usually prints it out and so this is your LICENCE to marry, which becomes your CERTIFICATE of marriage once you, your husband, the witness and the person who marries you sign it.

Then they take a copy of that, and in our case, photocopied it onto "State of Iowa" pretty bordered paper and then stamped a seal on it to make it official. THIS is your legal marriage licence/certificate. It should have the date of marriage on it, the details of the person who married you, the witness signatures and all of that.

Hope that explains it I think it differs from state to state but it should be roughly the same.

[caybee 21]

Different states do it different ways, but it was the same for us. The JP had us sign the marriage license and signed off on it herself, and then she filed it. We took our certified copy with us that same day. We didn't get a "pretty" one later.

[LuvMyPortuGAL 1]

Well firstly the "pretty" one is your display copy. I think the reason they send this is because if someone steals that, it's not your real "legal" one. It's just a prettier version. My pretty version was given by the church and neither my husband or I signed it, just our witnesses. We'll put the pretty one in a frame and put it up somewhere, but the legal one will go somewhere for safe-keeping (whether it's a safe or some other fire-proof box).

The legal one should have your state information on it. Usually what they do is when you go to the court house, you fill in an application for a LICENCE to get married, kinda like permission. We had one friend sign the licence as proof that he knows us and that we're gunna get married. The court house then types that information into the computer, and usually prints it out and so this is your LICENCE to marry, which becomes your CERTIFICATE of marriage once you, your husband, the witness and the person who marries you sign it.

Then they take a copy of that, and in our case, photocopied it onto "State of Iowa" pretty bordered paper and then stamped a seal on it to make it official. THIS is your legal marriage licence/certificate. It should have the date of marriage on it, the details of the person who married you, the witness signatures and all of that.

Hope that explains it I think it differs from state to state but it should be roughly the same.

Sounds like our situations are different. No church wedding, just civil.

When we signed up for license we got a legal document that is the "affidavit, license, and certificate". That is what we and other important people (JP and witness) signed when we were married. That is what went to city hall. That is also what was sent to us, now with a raised seal. Also we received the pretty colored thing that looks nothing like the legal document. It does have a gold sticker that is also raised and has a pretty border around it. It says "Certificate". If I were to guess, I would think either one would work but would hate to have an RFE because the wrong one was sent. That is why I sent both.

[NatPatBen 3]

You got a lot of documents! And for free at that. I wish my state/city/county gave you multiple copies. We paid $7 for each certified copy of the marriage certificate. We still haven't received the original in the mail, so I'll call about that this week.

Here, the marriage license was what we filled out to get married. We turned that into the JoP and he wrote things on a marriage certificate. Usually, he'd file this, but since I immediately wanted certified copies, he gave it to me to take to the courthouse to get the copies & leave the original with them.

[Nik+Heather 121]

You got a lot of documents! And for free at that. I wish my state/city/county gave you multiple copies. We paid $7 for each certified copy of the marriage certificate. We still haven't received the original in the mail, so I'll call about that this week.

Here, the marriage license was what we filled out to get married. We turned that into the JoP and he wrote things on a marriage certificate. Usually, he'd file this, but since I immediately wanted certified copies, he gave it to me to take to the courthouse to get the copies & leave the original with them.

For most vital records (birth, death, marriage certs) you never get the "original". The closest you will ever come is a certified copy, unless, like the OP, aparently, :JEALOUS: they also send you a nice looking official thing. Really, I wasn't sure I was married for reals when I saw what our county calls the official document they sent me to show people as proof!!

Our marriage license had two parts. The semi-pretty part, where we (witnesses + us + celebrant) all signed, and a second more to the point section where we all signed again. The pretty part we just got to keep, the shorter part was filed. The "certified copy" was a photocopy of that with the raised stamp and some initials under the words, "I certify that this is a true replication of the document held in county records" (or near enough).

[rogerj 0]

In our location in Georgia, our certified marriage certificate is exactly that: Certified! Stamped by a machine with an embossed panel on the official seal. Also, cost $5.

[edp333 9]

To address your first question, "Is there a real difference?" The piece of paper begins as a marriage license allowing you to get married. Once you get married, sign the license, and turn it in to the government it becomes a marriage certificate. Even though it is the same piece of paper, a license allows you to get married and a certificate shows you are legally married.