How to Amend a Marriage Certificate

This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.

This article has been viewed 167,684 times.

A marriage license does far more than allow you to marry. You need it to change your surname, qualify for spousal benefits -- such as inclusion on your spouse's group health insurance or survivorship rights -- and establish that your marriage meets all legal requirements established by the state. It's important that the marriage certificate be accurate. If you discover an error, you can correct your marriage certificate through an amendment.

Making Corrections on Marriage Certificates

• Examples of errors include: spelling errors, grammatical errors, adding information to empty "blank" lines.
• Examples of changes to a marriage certificate include: complete changes to first, middle, last or other names of either party; adding to or deleting any name of either party named on certificate.

• You can also get a copy of your marriage certificate from your local office of Vital Records.
• Check with your local county clerk's office for detailed information about what is required in your area.
• If you are currently living in a different county or state from the one where you were first married, you'll need to contact the county in which your marriage was originally held.

• This is required in some states, but not all.
• Sworn statements must be printed, with a signature and the date on which the statement was signed, to be legal.

• Check your local county office for information regarding who should be listed as the recipient of the check, as well as the exact amount of the check.
• If you are out-of-country, you should pay by submitting an international money order payable in US currency.
• Many times, if you are filing for amendment within 1 year of your original marriage, you will not be required to pay a fee.

• In California, for example, you will need to submit an original copy of the VS 24(C) form, including 2 signed affidavits.
• In New York, for another example, you will need an official Amendment Application. [3] X Research source
• In Massachusetts, you must speak directly with a Registry Representative by calling (617) 740-2600 before coming to the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics to file an amendment.

• The amendment will become page 2 of your marriage certificate.
• You'll need to resubmit your amended marriage certificate with every agency you work with. Banks, tax agencies, social social security agencies, etc. will all need copies of your amended marriage certificate.

Changing Your Name on Marriage Certificates

• Be aware that your original name will continue to be listed on your original marriage certificate.
• You will need a certified copy of the document showing your legal name change to be delivered with your request.
• If your name was changed through the naturalization process, you'll be required to show photocopies of the Petition for Name Change from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Certificate of Naturalization with the Department of Homeland Security seal.

• The Name Equality Act of 2007 does not apply to first names. To change your first name requires a court-ordered name change.
• A certified copy of the marriage certificate may be used as a document required for application of a California Driver's License, as a result of the Name Equality Act.

• Since you were previously married, any usual requirement for waiting period should not apply.
• Amendment applications should be made to the Clerk of Court.

Expert Q&A

Marriage certificates are administered differently in different states. Check with your local county administration for detailed information on how to amend a marriage certificate in your location.

Be aware that you will have to contact all state and local agencies with any formal name change documentation.

You Might Also Like

How to Get a Marriage License in Michigan

1. ↑http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/sworn-statements-vs-affidavits.html
2. ↑http://health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords/amendments/
3. ↑http://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/html/marriage/amendments.shtml
4. ↑http://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/html/marriage/amendments.shtml

About This Article

This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. This article has been viewed 167,684 times.

To amend a mistake on your marriage certificate, first write a sworn statement testifying that your amendment request is genuine and true. Provide details of the mistake and the correct information, then sign and date the document. You'll also need to fill in an amendment form, but these differ from county to county, so contact your local Clerk of Court to find out which form you need. Then, submit the paperwork and pay the fee. Keep in mind that the amendment will not replace your original marriage certificate. Rather, it becomes a second page of the document. For more tips from our Legal co-author, including how to change the name on your marriage certificate in California, read on!

• Print
• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

"Thank you for all your information I have been looking for 24 years how to amend my marriage license and nobody has been able to help me. I was giving up but I went online and I found all the information here. I hoped I could get this document fixed, thank you again." . " more