Our complete list of the 5 Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Code relevant to marriage. American Marriage Ministries provides a comprehensive list of laws for Northern Mariana Islands related to the marriage license, who can officiate weddings, and officiant registration.
Northern Mariana Islands MENUThe law(s) below are the relevant statutes relating to who can solemnize marriage and officiant registration in Northern Mariana Islands (where applicable).
Below you can read through our curated list of all Northern Mariana Islands laws related to marriage, weddings, officiants, and marriage licenses. If it is in any way marriage related, you will find it here.
(a) (1) The Governor or a mayor is authorized to grant a license for marriage between two persons. Upon the filing of an application for the license, the Governor or a mayor shall collect from the parties the following fees: (i) Ceremony fees (Non-Residents), $75; (ii) Ceremony fees (Residents), $30; (iii) Marriage License Application (Non-Residents), $125; (iv) Marriage License Application (Residents), $50; (v) Documentation Fee, $25; and (vi) Marriage License Copy, $25. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, one hundred percent (100%) of the fees collected by a respective mayor under this section shall be deposited into that respective mayor's office account which the Secretary of Finance shall establish without further legislative appropriation. Such funds shall be used for the operations conducted by each respective mayor. All fees collected by the Governor shall be deposited into the general fund. (2) As used in this Article, a resident is a person who has been in the CNMI for at least twelve months prior to applying for a marriage license. Such person must have established residency in the CNMI by keeping a current mailing address for at least twelve months before applying for a marriage license or having maintained and continue to maintain accounts at the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation or having paid income taxes for more than six months for the year prior to submitting an application for a marriage license or having maintained and continue to maintain a local account(s) with a banking institution doing business in the CNMI. (3) For purposes of this Article, if one party to a marriage application is a resident and the other is non-resident, the applicants must pay the applicable fees set forth in subsection (a)(1) for non-residents. (b) To obtain a license to marry, the parties shall file with the Governor or a mayor an application in writing setting forth as to each party: his or her full name, age, citizenship, residence, occupation, if any, whether previously married and the manner of dissolution of any prior marriage or marriages. If the statements in the application are satisfactory and it appears that the parties are free to marry, the Governor or a mayor shall issue to the parties a license to marry. Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent the issuance of a license to marry to two citizens of the Trust Territory.
39 TTC § 52; amended by PL 4-11, § 2; PL 4-17, § 3; (a) amended by PL 20-53 § 2 (Apr. 7, 2018), modified.
To make valid the marriage contract between two noncitizens or between a noncitizen and a citizen of the Trust Territory, it is necessary that: (a) The male at the time of contracting the marriage be at least 18 years of age and the female at least 16 years of age, and if the female is less than 18 years of age she must have the consent of at least one of her parents or her guardian; (b) Neither of the respective parties has a lawful spouse living; and, (c) A marriage ceremony be performed by a duly authorized person as provid- ed in this chapter.
39 TTC § 51.
The presence of two witnesses, at least, is required for the celebration of a marriage between two noncitizens or between a noncitizen and a citizen of the Trust Territory. The marriage ceremony shall be performed in the Common- wealth. The marriage rite may be performed and solemnized by an ordained minister, a judge, the Governor or by any person authorized by law to perform marriages, upon presentation to that person of a license to marry as prescribed in 8 CMC § 1202. The person solemnizing a marriage may receive a fee to be stipulated by the parties, or the gratification tendered.
39 TTC § 53.
It is the duty of every person authorized to perform marriages to make and preserve a record of every marriage performed by that person, regardless of the citizenship of the parties, showing the names of the persons married, their places of residence and the date of marriage, and to deliver to the bride immediately after the ceremony a certificate of the record of the marriage, signed by the person performing the marriage, two witnesses, if there were as many as two, and the persons married. Not later than 10 days after the ceremony, the person performing the marriage shall send a copy of the marriage certificate to the clerk of courts of the Commonwealth Trial Court to be recorded in the marriage register. Forms issued by the Governor for the marriage certificates shall be used when available, but lack of these forms does not excuse failure to provide the bride with the certificate and the clerk with the copy required above in substan- tially the same form, and containing the same information as in the forms issued by the Governor.
39 TTC § 54.
Marriage contracts between parties, both of whom are citizens of the Trust Territory, solemnized in accordance with recognized customs, shall be valid, a notice of the marriage, showing the names and addresses of the persons married, their ages and the date of marriage, shall be sent to the clerk of courts of the Commonwealth Trial Court, who shall, upon its receipt, record it in the marriage register.
39 TTC § 55.
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