North Dakota Marriage Laws § 14-03-17Application for license.

1. When application is made to a recorder, unless the board of county commissioners designates a different official, for a marriage license, the recorder, or designated official, shall inquire of the applicant concerning the legality of the contemplated marriage. The recorder, or designated official, may examine other witnesses. The facts concerning the legality of the marriage may be submitted to the recorder, or designated official, by affidavit. The recorder, or designated official, also shall require each applicant to submit the following facts upon blanks provided by the county, together with documentary evidence of age: a. An affidavit by each of the applicants showing that each is over the age of eighteen years. In addition, each applicant shall exhibit to the recorder, or designated official, a birth certificate or other satisfactory evidence of age. If either applicant is under the age of eighteen years, the recorder, or designated official, shall require the written consent of: (1) Either parent of the minor applicant, if the parents are living together; (2) The parent having the legal custody of the minor applicant, if the parents are not living together; (3) The surviving parent, if one of the parents of the minor applicant is deceased; or (4) The guardian, or person under whose care and government the minor applicant is, if both parents of the minor applicant are deceased, or if a person other than a parent has legal and actual custody of the minor applicant. b. An affidavit showing whether either or both of the parties have been divorced. If a decree of divorce has been granted to either or both of the parties, a certified copy of the decree must be filed with the application. A license shall not be issued if it contravenes any provisions of the divorce decree. 2. All affidavits must be subscribed and sworn to before a person authorized to administer oaths. The recorder, or designated official, shall retain on file all papers and records pertaining to all marriage licenses. Anyone knowingly swearing falsely to the statements contained in any affidavit mentioned in this section is subject to the penalty provided in section 14-03-28. 3. Each application for a marriage license must also contain a statement regarding surname options which is consistent with section 14-03-20.1. 4. Each application for a marriage license must contain the social security number of each applicant.

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