City and County of Honolulu marriage license
To marry in City and County of Honolulu, you apply to the Hawaii State Department of Health, Vital Records — Marriage and Civil Union License Program, issuing through authorised license agents. There, both applicants must appear together, there is no residency requirement and the license is valid throughout the state.
- Fee
- $65
- Waiting period
- NoneMarry the same day
- License valid
- 30 daysFrom issuance
- Both must appear
- YesTogether, at the same time
Reviewed July 26, 20264 official sourcesSee sources
Where to apply
- Apply online
- Yes
The online system takes the application and the fee only. Both applicants must still appear together in person before a license agent to be issued the license. The Department separately warns that a paid online application stays available for issuance for up to one year — that is the life of the application, not of the license, which is void 30 days after issue.
Official requirementIt's highly recommended that couples complete the online application with payment by credit card before meeting with an agent.
- Apply in person
- Yes
The license is issued by the Department of Health through authorised license agents, not by the City and County of Honolulu, which issues no marriage licenses. On Oahu the agents include the Department's own main office at 1250 Punchbowl Street, Room 101, Honolulu, open Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. excluding holidays, and private agents commissioned by the Department. Appointments for the Oahu office are booked through the scheduling link published on the Department's marriage license page, or by email.
Official requirementFor any person to lawfully marry in the State of Hawaii, a license for that purpose must be obtained from an authorized agent (Section 572-1.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes).
When to apply
We will work out when you can apply. We never ask for names, dates of birth or any other personal detail.
Who must appear
- Both applicants
- Yes
The Department's electronic registration system and its current agent listing both repeat the rule. Proxies are expressly not allowed.
Official requirementApplicants must appear together in person before an agent prior to the ceremony to pick up their license. Proxies are not allowed.
- Residency
- No residency requirement. There is no state residence or United States citizenship requirement for either applicant.Official requirement
There are no state residence or U.S. citizenship requirements.
Identification and personal information
We list what the office says it may ask for. We never collect any of it.
- Identification
- A valid government-issued photo ID for both applicants (passport, driver license, state ID or similar)
- A certified copy of the birth certificate for any applicant under 19
- A certified divorce decree, if the divorce was finalised less than 30 days before the license is picked up
- A certified death certificate, if a prior spouse died less than 30 days before the license is picked up
- A certified copy of a legal name change, if applicable
- A certified translation of any divorce decree or death certificate not written in English
Additional documentation may be required depending on the circumstances and at the discretion of the individual license agent. Blood tests are not required.
Official requirementBoth applicants must present a valid government issued photo ID (Passport, Driver License, State ID, etc.).
- Social Security number
This office does not publish this. Confirm with them directly before relying on it.
The Department publishes no Social Security number rule on its marriage license pages.
Not published by this office- Age
- Both applicants must be 18 or older. Proof of age is required, and any applicant under 19 must present a certified copy of their birth certificate.
Cousins may marry, but the applicants may be no more closely related than first cousins.
Official requirementThe legal age to enter into a legal marriage or civil union is 18 years old.
- Applicants under 18
- An applicant under 18 must present a certified copy of their birth certificate, and parental or guardian consent is required, given with the consenting adult's government-issued photo identification and documentation of the relationship.
The Department does not publish the full under-18 procedure and asks applicants under 18 to contact its marriage license office directly.
Applies in some casesParental or Guardian consent is required with governmental issued photo identification and documentation of relationship.
Prior-marriage documents
- If a marriage ended
- A certified divorce decree or death certificate must be shown to the license agent only if the divorce was finalised, or the prior spouse died, less than 30 days before the license is picked up. A document not written in English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
This 30-day threshold is specific to Hawaii and differs from other jurisdictions; several require a decree regardless of how long ago the divorce was granted.
Applies in some casesIf previously married, proof of original divorce decree or death certificate needs to be presented to the marriage agent by the applicant if the divorce or death occurred less than 30 days prior to picking up the license.
Fee and payment
- Fee
- $65
Made up of a $60 application fee and a $5 portal administration fee. All fees are non-refundable, including for an application that is never used.
Official requirementThe cost to obtain a marriage or civil union license is $65.00 ($60 application fee + $5 portal fee).
- Payment methods
- Credit card, paid online through the Department's electronic registration system when the application is submitted
The Department publishes no other payment method for the license fee. The $5 portal administration fee is part of that online payment.
Official requirementIt's highly recommended that couples complete the online application with payment by credit card before meeting with an agent.
Waiting period and expiration
- Waiting period
- None
The Department states this explicitly rather than leaving it unsaid. The license is issued during the agent appointment and the ceremony may be held the same day.
Official requirementOnce the license has been issued, there is no waiting period before the marriage can take place.
- Waiver
This does not apply here.
There is no waiting period to waive.
Not applicable here- License expires
- 30 days
The 30 days run from the day the agent issues the license, not from the date of the online application. Applicants may meet an agent no more than 30 days before the ceremony date.
Official requirementIf the ceremony is not performed within the 30-day period, the license is null and void.
- Where it is valid
- Valid anywhere in the State of Hawaii, and only within the State of Hawaii.
The Department publishes only this statewide limit. The online application asks for the island of the ceremony in order to list nearby agents, but no island-level restriction on the license itself is published.
Official requirementThe license is only valid within the State of Hawaii.
Witness and ceremony notes
- Witnesses
This office does not publish this. Confirm with them directly before relying on it.
The Department publishes no witness requirement or count for the ceremony.
Not published by this office- Officiant
- Everyone who performs a marriage or civil union in Hawaii must first be licensed by the State Department of Health. Performers register online through the Department's electronic registration system, which also lets couples look up registered performers.
Licenses to perform marriages and civil unions are issued under section 572-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes. This differs from states such as Illinois, where officiants register with no government office.
Official requirementAll marriage performers (officiants or solemnizers) must be licensed by the State of Hawaii before performing a marriage or civil union.
Returning and recording the license
- After the ceremony
- The performer completes the ceremony information in the Department's electronic registration system and certifies it electronically, after which the couple can access an electronic temporary marriage or civil union certificate.
The Department publishes no filing deadline for the performer on these pages.
Official requirementPerformers must complete the ceremony information and certify electronically so that couples will be able to access their electronic temporary marriage/civil union certificates.
- Processing
- The license is issued during the appointment with the license agent.
The Department advises planning early, because most private agents have limited evening and weekend availability.
Official requirementDuring the meeting the agent will review your application, verify photo IDs and any necessary documentation, and issue the license.
Ordering the certified record afterwards is a separate request: official certified copy page
Access and language
- Published notes
- Official requirement
- The Department's vital-records pages are published in English, Cantonese, Chuukese, Hawaiian, Ilokano, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Marshallese, Samoan, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Tongan, Vietnamese and Visayan
- Language and accessibility requests for Department programmes go to the HDOH Non-Discrimination Coordinator on (808) 586-4400
- The Department asks for sufficient notice so that accommodation requests can be met
To request language or accessibility for HDOH programs or public meetings, please contact the HDOH Non-Discrimination Coordinator, at (808) 586-4400
Common questions
- How much does a marriage license cost in City and County of Honolulu?
- The fee is $65, set by the Hawaii State Department of Health, Vital Records — Marriage and Civil Union License Program, issuing through authorised license agents.
- Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in City and County of Honolulu?
- No. There is no waiting period — the license can be used as soon as it is issued.
- How long is a City and County of Honolulu marriage license valid?
- The license is valid for 30 days from issuance. A ceremony after that date requires a new license.
- Do both partners have to appear in person in City and County of Honolulu?
- Yes. Both applicants must appear together to complete the application.
- Do we have to be residents to marry in City and County of Honolulu?
- No residency requirement. There is no state residence or United States citizenship requirement for either applicant.
Each answer restates the verified rule above; the official wording and sources are in the numbered sections.
Sources and reviewed date
Every fact above is quoted from one of these pages. Reviewed July 26, 2026.
- Marriage and Civil Union LicensesHawaii State Department of Health, Vital Records · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
- License AgentsHawaii State Department of Health, Vital Records · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
- Hawaii Electronic Marriage and Civil Union Registration SystemHawaii State Department of Health · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
- Marriage and Civil Union License Agent Listing (May 2026)Hawaii State Department of Health, Vital Records · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-26
Recorded conflicts
- The Department's electronic registration system states that a paid online application stays available for issuance "up to one year from the application date". That is the life of the application, not of the license: the license itself is null and void if the ceremony is not performed within 30 days of issue. The two clocks are recorded separately and the one-year figure is never used as an expiration.
- The eligibility section of the marriage license page says a certified birth certificate is required "for anyone 18 years of age or under", while the documentation list on the same page says "Any applicant under the age of 19". Both describe the same group; the record uses the under-19 wording.
- The Oahu office's appointment booking link is hosted on a third-party scheduling service rather than a government domain, so no appointment URL is recorded here. The link itself is published on the Department's marriage license page.
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