MarriageLicenseCheck

Bernalillo County marriage license

Issued by the Bernalillo County Clerk's Office, Marriage Department

To marry in Bernalillo County, you apply to the Bernalillo County Clerk's Office, Marriage Department. There, both applicants must appear together and there is no residency requirement.

Fee
$55
Waiting period
NoneMarry the same day
License valid
Never expires
Both must appear
YesTogether, at the same time

Reviewed July 30, 20263 official sourcesSee sources

Where to apply

Bernalillo County Clerk's Office, Marriage Department

Apply online
Yes

The online form only pre-fills the application. Both partners must still come to the Clerk's office to complete the process and receive the license.

Official requirement

Save time by filling out the online application before you visit.

Apply in person
Yes

Walk-ins welcome; no appointment is needed. The Marriage Department is on the first floor of Alvarado Square, 415 Silver Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m., closed noon–1:15 p.m. Arrive before 4:30 p.m. to get a marriage license.

Official requirement

You don’t need to make an appointment.

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
Official requirement

Yes, both of you need to appear in our office to get the marriage license.

Residency
No residency requirement. Applicants do not need to live in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, or the United States.
Official requirement

You don’t need to live in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, or the US to receive a marriage license.

Identification and personal information

We list what the office says it may ask for. We never collect any of it.

Identification
  • Two current forms of government-issued ID for each applicant, from the following list
  • Driver's license or state ID
  • Military ID
  • Social Security card
  • Passport or visa
  • Birth certificate
  • Naturalization certificate

Names must match on all forms of ID. Documents must be original; laminated documents are not accepted.

Official requirement

Both of you must present two current forms of government-issued ID in our office.

Social Security number

This office does not publish this. Confirm with them directly before relying on it.

A Social Security card is listed as an acceptable form of ID, but the Clerk publishes no Social Security number requirement.

Not published by this office
Age
Both applicants must be at least 18 years old to apply without consent or a court order.

No blood test is required. The Clerk issues licenses to all couples, regardless of sex or gender.

Official requirement

Both of you must be at least 18 years old.

Applicants under 18
A 16- or 17-year-old applicant needs parental consent. A 15-year-old applicant needs a court order. The Clerk publishes no provision for applicants under 15.
Applies in some cases

If an applicant is 16 or 17 years old, parental consent is required. If an applicant is 15 years old, a court order is required.

Prior-marriage documents

If a marriage ended

This office does not publish this. Confirm with them directly before relying on it.

The Clerk publishes no requirement to present a divorce decree or to document how an earlier marriage ended. It notes only that divorce records are held by the district court where the divorce was filed, not by the Clerk.

Not published by this office

Fee and payment

Fee
$55

The fee rose from $25 to $55 on June 20, 2025 under Senate Bill 290. American Express is not accepted.

Official requirement

Bring $55 in cash or card (no American Express) and two forms of ID for each person.

Payment methods
  • Cash
  • Card (American Express not accepted)
Official requirement

Please bring $55 in cash or card to pay for the license as well.

Waiting period and expiration

Waiting period
No waiting period

The license is issued immediately during the visit.

Official requirement

There is no waiting period for receiving a marriage license, and it is ready immediately.

Waiver

This does not apply here.

There is no waiting period to waive.

Not applicable here
License expires

This does not apply here.

The Clerk states that licenses do not expire, so there is no expiry period to express as a number of days. Because this record carries no expiry figure, the ceremony-date planner cannot draw an outer boundary for Bernalillo County.

Not applicable here

Also, licenses do not expire.

Where it is valid
May only be used for a wedding held in New Mexico.

The Clerk does not hold records for licenses issued by other counties.

Official requirement

However, a license from Bernalillo County or New Mexico may only be used for a wedding in New Mexico.

Witness and ceremony notes

Witnesses
No witnesses are needed to receive the license. At the ceremony, two witnesses must sign the marriage certificate along with the couple and the officiant.
Official requirement

Then, you, your partner, the officiant, and your two witnesses must sign the certificate.

Officiant
Anyone who is licensed, ordained, or certified may perform the wedding; it does not have to be a judge, and the Clerk does not verify officiant credentials. Couples who want a judge may contact the 2nd Judicial District Court or the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court to schedule a ceremony.
Official requirement

Anyone who is licensed, ordained, or certified may perform a wedding service. It doesn’t have to be a judge. We do not need to verify credentials for your officiant either.

Returning and recording the license

After the ceremony
Within 90 days of the wedding, return the completed certificate to the Clerk's office for recording, in person or by mail using the envelope provided with the license.

Once recorded, certified copies of the marriage record are $3 each, online or in the office.

Official requirement

Within 90 days of your wedding, return your certificate to our office so that we can record it.

Processing
The license is issued immediately during the visit.

Marriage applications are processed until 4:30 p.m.; the office closes for lunch from noon to 1:15 p.m.

Official requirement

No, we issue marriage licenses immediately during your visit.

Ordering the certified record afterwards is a separate request: official certified copy page

Access and language

Published notes
  • The site aims to conform with WCAG 2.1 level AA and the ADA
  • The Recite Me assistive-technology toolbar provides text-to-speech, customizable styling, reading aids, keyboard navigation and translation into over 100 languages
Official requirement

This website aims to conform with WCAG 2.1 level AA and the American Disability Act.

Common questions

How much does a marriage license cost in Bernalillo County?
The fee is $55, set by the Bernalillo County Clerk's Office, Marriage Department.
Is there a waiting period for a marriage license in Bernalillo County?
No. There is no waiting period — the license can be used as soon as it is issued.
How long is a Bernalillo County marriage license valid?
It does not expire — once issued, the license remains valid until used.
Do both partners have to appear in person in Bernalillo County?
Yes. Both applicants must appear together to complete the application.
Do we have to be residents to marry in Bernalillo County?
No residency requirement. Applicants do not need to live in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, or the United States.

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 30, 2026.

  1. Marriage LicensesBernalillo County Clerk's Office · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
  2. Marriage QuestionsBernalillo County Clerk's Office · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30
  3. Accessibility StatementBernalillo County Clerk's Office · issuing authority · retrieved 2026-07-30

Recorded conflicts

  • The Clerk states that New Mexico marriage licenses do not expire. Expiration is therefore recorded as not applicable, with the Clerk's own wording preserved, rather than converted into a day count the authority never published.
  • The FAQ's example ID list (driver's license or state ID, passport, visa, birth certificate) is a subset of the main marriage page's fuller list, which adds military ID, Social Security card and naturalization certificate. The main page's list is recorded; the two pages do not disagree on any item.

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