Marriage License Information

TO OBTAIN A MARRIAGE LICENSE

To obtain a marriage license at our Clerk’s office, you will need the following:

  • Both parties need to be present at the same time. See Who May Marry in Virginia for age requirement and prohibited marriages in Virginia. If both parties cannot be present, please contact our office to request an affidavit.

  • Both parties must have a valid, non-expired government issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, or DMV issued ID card

Shenandoah County Circuit Court
Shenandoah County Circuit Court

REQUIREMENTS

  • There are no residency requirements and couples may purchase their marriage license at any Circuit Court in Virginia.

  • The marriage ceremony must be performed in Virginia within 60 days after the license is issued. The day the license is issued counts as Day 1 as there is no waiting period required between application and issuance of the license and a couple may be married immediately after the issuance of a license.

  • No blood test is required.

  • For divorced persons, there is no statutory waiting period before marriage after the divorce is granted. A copy of divorce decree is not required.

  • Marriage licenses are issued Monday - Friday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. We are requesting that only the parties applying come to the office during the application process. We will have one public station available to use if you cannot complete it prior to coming to the office.

COMPLETE THE APPLICATION

INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR MARRIAGE LICENSES

  • Full name

  • Address

  • Date of birth

  • Place of birth (state or foreign country)

  • Number of this marriage (first, second, third, etc)

  • Marital status (widowed or divorced, if previously married)

  • Education (highest grade completed)

  • Full birth names of both parents (first, middle, and maiden last)

OFFICIANTS FOR THE CEREMONY

Our office does not provide "Justice of the Peace" services at the Courthouse for immediate unions. There is a list of authorized civil celebrants available in our office or on the website. An officiant who is authorized by a circuit court in Virginia must perform the ceremony and complete the certificate at the bottom of the license. VIRGINIA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ONLINE ORDINATIONS.

If you have an individual that you want to perform the ceremony and they are not currently authorized by a Virginia circuit court, the individual will need to contact a circuit court within their judicial circuit to petition to become a one-time civil celebrant, if they live in Virginia. If the individual does not live in Virginia, please contact our Civil Division at (540) 459-6150 to see if they could be authorized under § 20-23. AGAIN, VIRGINIA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ONLINE ORDINATIONS.

Contact Us

MARRIAGE LICENSE INFORMATION

PHYSICAL & MAILING ADDRESS

Shenandoah County Circuit Court P.O. Box 406
112 South Main Street
Woodstock, VA 22664-1423

OFFICE HOURS

Monday-Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

CIVIL CELEBRANTS

Our office does not provide "Justice of the Peace" services at the Courthouse for immediate unions.

If you do not have someone to perform your ceremony, you can contact a civil celebrant on the list below.

Civil celebrants for Shenandoah County include:

NAME CHANGE AFTER MARRIAGE

  • Social Security - Complete Social Security Administration Form SS-5 and either mail it or take it to your nearest Social Security office. Include a certified copy of your marriage record. There is no fee for filing Form SS-5. You should receive your new Social Security card within four weeks, and your Social Security number will not change.

  • Driver's License - Bring your driver's license, Social Security card, and a certified copy of your marriage record the Department of Motor Vehicles office nearest you (if you are a Virginia resident).

  • Voter Registration - Notify your local registrar's office of your name change.

  • Personal Property - Notify your local Commissioner of the Revenue's Office of your name change within 30 days.

  • Address Changes - If you will also be changing your address, do not forget to notify the Registrar's Office, Commissioner of the Revenue's Office, the U.S. Postal Service and the Internal Revenue Service with IRS Form 8822.