Medford Marriage License

Medford marriage licenses are issued by the City Clerk at City Hall, Room 103, 85 George P. Hassett Drive. Both partners must apply in person together, present valid proof of age, and pay the $30 fee. The office has extended Wednesday hours until 7:30 PM, making it one of the more accessible offices in Middlesex County for people with daytime work schedules. Here is what you need to know before your visit.

Medford City Clerk's Office

The Medford City Clerk handles all vital records for the city, including marriage license applications. The office is in Room 103 on the ground floor of City Hall at 85 George P. Hassett Drive. Getting there is straightforward. The building is near Medford Square and close to several MBTA bus lines. If you are driving, there is parking available near City Hall.

The department page is updated regularly and is the most reliable source for current hours and any fee changes.

Wednesday evening access is the standout feature here. If both partners work regular daytime hours, planning your application visit for a Wednesday means you can go after work without taking time off. Most clerk offices in the area close by 4:30 PM. Medford's 7:30 PM Wednesday close is a real advantage.

Friday hours are limited. The office closes at 12:30 PM on Fridays, so treat it essentially as a half-day. If you are trying to file on a Friday, aim to arrive by 11:30 AM at the very latest. Monday through Thursday gives you much more flexibility.

Note: Payment is cash or check only. Bring one of those two options; the office does not accept credit or debit cards.

Eligibility and Who Files in Medford

To file a marriage intention in Medford, at least one partner must be a Medford resident. The license follows where you live, not where you plan to hold the ceremony. If neither of you lives in Medford but you want to marry here, you file at the clerk's office in the town or city where one of you lives.

Both partners must be 18 or older. Massachusetts set 18 as the firm minimum in July 2022, with no exceptions for parental consent. That change applies statewide, including Medford. The city clerk has no authority to issue a license to anyone under 18, regardless of circumstances.

Both parties also need to be legally free to marry at the time of application. If either person was previously married, you will need to confirm that prior marriage ended. Divorce, annulment, or death of a prior spouse each apply. The clerk may ask for the date and location of that prior marriage, and possibly for documentation. A final divorce decree is the most common document people bring. Widowed applicants typically bring a death certificate. Come prepared and the process moves faster.

Documents for a Medford Marriage License

State law under MGL c. 207 § 33A specifies what counts as proof of age, and a driver's license is not on the list. This is one of the most common mistakes people make at clerk offices across Massachusetts. A birth certificate, a passport, an I-94, or an I-551 (green card) are the acceptable options. One of those is required from each partner.

You also need your Social Security number. The card itself does not need to come with you; just know the number. The clerk enters it on the application form. You will also be asked for your full legal name, date of birth, place of birth, and your parents' full names including your mother's maiden name before marriage. Having all of this on hand before you go avoids the awkward pause of trying to remember specific details at the counter.

The 3-Day Waiting Period in Medford

Massachusetts law requires a 3-day waiting period after filing a marriage intention before the ceremony can take place. The day of filing does not count. Sundays and holidays count as days. So if you apply on a Monday, the earliest you can hold the ceremony is Thursday.

After the waiting period, you return to the Medford City Clerk's office to pick up the license. From that point, you have 60 days to hold the ceremony. The 60-day clock starts at the filing date, not the pickup date. Do not let the license sit unused for too long. If you miss the 60-day window, you start over.

The emergency waiver process exists for cases where the 3-day wait is a genuine problem. Under MGL c. 207 § 30, you can petition a Probate or District Court. The fee is around $195 and a judge decides whether to approve it. The state's waiver guide is at mass.gov/guides/marriage-without-delay. Start that process as early as possible because it is not instant and approval is not guaranteed.

After Your Medford Ceremony: Records and Copies

When the ceremony is complete, your officiant must return the signed license to the Medford City Clerk's office. This is required under MGL c. 207 § 40. The clerk records the marriage and keeps the original. You get certified copies, not the original license itself. Make sure your officiant understands this responsibility before the ceremony. It is ultimately on them to return the document.

Certified copies are available from the Medford City Clerk after the marriage has been recorded. They cost $10 each. You can also get certified copies from the state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) at 150 Mount Vernon Street in Dorchester. The RVRS phone number is 617-740-2600 and they hold marriage records from every city and town in Massachusetts. Their website at mass.gov/orgs/registry-of-vital-records-and-statistics has more details on ordering copies remotely.

Plan to order at least two or three certified copies. You will likely need them for a name change with the Social Security Administration, updating your driver's license, changing bank accounts, updating insurance, and filing taxes jointly. Ordering them all at once saves time and usually costs less per copy than reordering later.

If you need an officiant, the state keeps a directory of justices of the peace at mass.gov/info-details/justice-of-the-peace. For a one-time designation to allow a friend or family member to perform the ceremony, the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office offers a One-Day Marriage portal at sec.state.ma.us.

State Marriage Law and Medford Applications

All Medford marriage licenses are governed by MGL Chapter 207. The Medford City Clerk has no authority to modify, waive, or work around the rules in that statute. Age minimums, waiting periods, document requirements, and officiant rules all come from state law. The city's role is to apply those rules consistently and accurately.

The state's overview at mass.gov/getting-married-in-massachusetts is one of the clearest plain-language guides to the full process. Reading it before your visit to Medford City Hall is worth a few minutes of your time. It explains things in sequence and answers most of the common questions without requiring you to read the statute directly.

Nearby Cities with Marriage License Pages

These cities near Medford each have their own clerk's office and local marriage license details.

Middlesex County Marriage Licenses

Medford is in Middlesex County. For a broader look at how marriage licenses work across the county, visit the Middlesex County marriage license page.