How to Fill out a Hawaii Marriage License & FAQs

Asked to officiate a Hawaii wedding? Getting married in Hawaii? Whether you're a new wedding officiant or soon-to-be newlyweds, here’s everything you need to know about the marriage license process, including cost, waiting period, and – most importantly – how to fill out a HI marriage license worksheet and electronic submission correctly the first time!

 

Wedding bells are ringing and ocean breezes are calling, so let’s take a look! 

 

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How to Fill Out a Hawaii Marriage License & FAQs

 

1. How to Fill Out a Hawaii Marriage License (for the Performer / Officiant)

 

The Hawaii Department of Health offers excellent, detailed guidance on how a marriage performer should complete and file the license. We include a link to their instructions below, along with some additional pointers to help you complete your role with confidence.

Understanding Hawaii’s EMRS (Electronic Marriage & Civil Union Registration System): 

 

• In Hawaii, most of the officiant’s legal responsibilities are completed online using the state’s convenient digital portal: Hawaii Electronic Marriage and Civil Union Registration System (EMRS) 

 

• The EMRS system is what marriage performers use to complete and file the marriage license. Just click the link above to get started.

 

• Hawaii Marriage Performer Guidelines: This linked resource (provided by the HDOH) is invaluable! We recommend you read and bookmark it, and reference as needed. You will find step-by-step directions on completing the performer section of the marriage license. Civil Union Performer Guidelines are also available from HDOH.

 

Excerpt from Performer Guidelines: 

 

“The top and lower portion of the marriage license worksheet will be completed by the marriage license agent. 

 

The couple will sign the worksheet in the presence of the agent prior to the marriage and in your presence after the marriage has been performed. 

 

You, [as the wedding officiant / marriage performer], will be responsible for the completion of the performer section in the electronic marriage registration system. If you are using a paper worksheet, use a permanent black ink pen and please make entries accurate and legible.”

 

• In the field marked “Type of Ceremony,” select “Religious” if you are an ordained minister with AMM. As a minister, all weddings you perform are ‘religious’ services, even if the ceremony itself does not have religious elements. (See sample image below.)

 

Above: An image from the HDOH performer webinar slideshow, with the 'Type of Ceremony' area highlighted by AMM. For more information on what to write when the marriage license asks for a 'type of ceremony,' visit AMM FAQ: Ceremony Type on Marriage License

 

 

• The officiant will record the couple’s ‘declared names’ as part of the electronic license filing process – these are the names they’ll use as married people. (See sample image below.)

 

Above: An image from the HDOH performer webinar slideshow, with the 'Declared Names' area highlighted by AMM. Your portal view may look a little different; this image is for educational purposes only.

 

 

Note: Hawaii amended a law in 2019 to allow couples to change their middle and last names by declaring their new names on the marriage license. The couple’s declared names must follow a few rules; these rules are described more in the guidelines linked above, and in the state law (§ 574-1). If you receive an error message while entering the declared names, check these rules, follow any prompts on the screen, and contact HDOH with questions.

 

 

• Don’t forget to check the button at the bottom of the screen, certifying your role as performer.

Above: An image from the HDOH performer webinar slideshow, showing where the marriage performer or civil union performer will click to certify their performance of the ceremony.

 

 

• Follow all instructions given to you along with the license, and reach out to the couple’s license agent or Hawaii DOH with any questions you have. 

 

• Interested in more ‘behind the scenes’ images from the EMRS? The HDOH shared this slideshow presentation several years ago as part of a webinar for marriage and civil union performers: Performer training for the Electronic Civil Union Electronic Civil Union Registration System. Although this electronic system has been updated over the years (and the ECURS has merged into the EMRS), these images still offer a great starting point for understanding the types of information you’ll need when officiating a wedding in Hawaii.

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2. How to Amend a Hawaii Marriage Certificate

 

The State of Hawaii makes it easy to amend a recorded marriage certificate; couples can update gender markers, names, birthdate information (if an incorrect date was recorded), and other important details. 

 

Step One: To correct your marriage certificate, start by gathering the necessary documents. You’ll probably need an official certified copy of your current marriage certificate, documents showing the correct information for your certificate, like your birth certificate, driver's license or government ID, and other relevant paperwork. If you’re updating the gender listed on your marriage certificate (following a sex designation change), you’ll need at least one of the documents listed on this Vital Records page to update your marriage certificate. 

 

Step Two: Next, you’ll need to contact the Hawaii Vital Records office. You may be required to submit a notarized “application for correction,” along with the documents described above. For example, to correct your name and gender, you’ll submit the Affidavit and Application for Correction of Vital Record.

 

For the most up-to-date information for your situation, contact the Hawaii DOH Vital Records office directly. 

 

 

3. Who Can Legally Perform Marriages in Hawaii?

 

Ministers who are ordained online through a reputable and recognized church, including American Marriage Ministries (AMM), can legally officiate weddings in Hawaii and sign the marriage license. Click the link below to get ordained with AMM today! 

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Once you’ve become ordained, you will need to register your minister credentials with the State of Hawaii before performing your first wedding ceremony. The minister registration process is easy to do, but it can take up to two weeks for the state to process your application – so start early! You will need to pay a local fee of approximately $25-$100 dollars to register (6 months registration or 1 year registration). 

 

Click the links below to learn more about applying to be a marriage performer in Hawaii: 

 

• Order Your AMM Minister Credentials 
• How to Officiate Weddings in Hawaii
• Hawaii Marriage Performer Requirements
• Hawaii Department of Health: Introduction to Marriage Performer Registration

 

• See a full list of people eligible to be a Hawaii marriage officiant, including civil officiants and government employees: HRS § 572-12 Marriage; By whom solemnized

 

 

4. How to Get a Marriage License in Hawaii

 

It’s the couple’s responsibility to apply for their marriage license before the wedding day. This process can be started online, using the Hawaii Marriage / Civil Union License Application
Portal.

 

After starting their application, and within 30 days of the wedding ceremony, the couple will meet with a Hawaii marriage license agent to complete the process (public or private agent). The license agent will review the couple’s marriage application, verify their photo IDs, and sign their application document. 

 

• See a Current List of License Agents (here) who are available to issue a marriage license. 

 

Once it’s been issued by the license agent, a marriage licence can be used on any island. The couple must bring their license to the wedding ceremony.

 

Marriage License Requirements: Hawaii

 

To qualify for a marriage license in Hawaii, you must be at least 18 years old or meet the requirements for minors, and provide valid government ID. There are no residency or citizenship requirements, and no blood test requirements. If you were divorced or widowed within 30 days of applying for a marriage license, you’ll also need to provide an original divorce decree or death certificate. See the full current requirements at HDOH Vital Records Marriage License Eligibility.

 

 

5. Sample Marriage License Application: Hawaii

 

Below is a sample Hawaii Marriage License Application Form, which couples will sign along with the license agent when their license is issued. This is not the couple’s marriage license, but it’s important to familiarize yourself with the information.

 

Marriage license application, Hawaii style! This image is a sample license worksheet, provided to give you an idea of the information you'll need to gather during wedding planning.

 

 

6. How Much is a Marriage License in Hawaii?

 

Hawaii marriage license costs will be the same island-to-island (approximately $65+), however the fee may increase periodically to keep up with state budget costs. For the most current marriage license price, click the link below or contact your local clerk’s office: 

 

• How Much Does a Marriage License Cost?

 

 

7. How Long Does it Take to Get a Marriage License in HI? (Waiting Period)

The amount of time you’ll spend applying for your license will vary – it may take longer on some islands than others to meet with a license agent, and seasonal demand might impact appointment availability.

 

You can use your marriage license immediately once it’s been issued however, as there is no waiting period to marry in Hawaii. (Same day weddings are allowed in Hawaii.) Learn more about marriage license waiting periods by clicking the link below: 

 

• Can You Get Married on the Same Day You Get a Marriage License?

 

 

8. How Long is a Marriage License Good For in HI?

 

How long a marriage license is valid in each state is called the “expiration period.” This is the number of days or months you have to use your license after it’s issued – your ceremony must take place within this timeframe. To see the current Hawaii marriage license expiration period, click the link below: 

 

• Marriage License Waiting Period, Expiration, and Return
• See all HI marriage license laws 

 

 

9. How to Obtain a Marriage Certificate in Hawaii (Certified Copy)

 

There are two ways to obtain a certified copy of your Hawaii marriage certificate: online or by mail. The easiest, fastest, and highly recommended method is to order online using the Hawaii Vital Records Ordering and Tracking electronic records portal. 

 

The second method is to order a copy of your marriage record by mail. To order by mail, you’ll first need to download and complete the Request For Certified Copy of Civil Union or Marriage Record. Then, submit this official form by mail to the Hawaii State Department of Health Office of Health Status Monitoring.

 

See the most up-to-date information on how to purchase a copy of a Hawaii marriage record on the HDOH Vital Records website here. 

 

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More Hawaii Wedding Ideas From AMM

 

• How to Get Married in Hawaii: Plan a Wedding in The Aloha State
• A Wedding Officiant's Guide to Performing Destination and Cruise Ship Weddings
• How to Plan a Beach Wedding for Any Time of Year
• How to Perform a Unity Sand Ceremony (for Wedding Officiants)
• How Much Does it Cost to Get Ordained Online in Hawaii to Officiate a Wedding?

 

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Ho‘omaika‘i i kā ‘olua male ‘ana! (Photo:  Daniel Torobekov / Pexels)

 

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