A marriage license is a document that grants a couple the right to be married in keeping with the laws of the land. Usually, marriage licenses are granted by state or country governments. However, churches in some countries are endowed with the ability to issue marriage licenses as well. In most places, a couple can have a wedding ceremony and exchange vows, but the union will not be recognized by the government and other legal organizations unless a marriage license was issued first.

In the United States, each state grants marriage licenses and has different requirements and procedures for issuing them. However, all states require the couple to be of marriageable age, which is usually 18. In some states, a person can obtain a marriage license at a younger age, but he or she must have written parental consent first.

To obtain a marriage license, both members of the couple must apply for it in person, usually at a clerk of courts office or a similar location. Upon appearing in person, there is a marriage license application to fill out, and each person must present acceptable identification, such as a driver's license or state identification card; a birth certificate or passport may be accepted as well. However, those who were born outside of the United States may be required to produce additional documentation. If either party was married before, he must provide proof that he is no longer married to another person, such as an official divorce judgment or death certificate.

In some states, the happy couple must provide proof of vaccination against certain communicable disease or other proof of immunity. Some also require those hoping to be married to submit to blood tests and medical examinations. For example, some states require each member of the couple to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases as well as such things as measles and tuberculosis. However, a number of states have done away with such requirements.

In most places, there is a set waiting period between the time a couple is granted a marriage license and the day on which the ceremony may occur. This waiting period is intended to give each member of the couple time to think things through and change his or her mind if desired. However, the waiting period can be waived in some cases. For instance, this may happen if a member of the couple is arriving in town soon before the ceremony is scheduled to take place.

It is the job of the person who performs the wedding ceremony to sign and send a copy of the marriage certificate to the agency responsible for recording marriage documentation in that location. If the official who performs a wedding ceremony fails to do so, the newlyweds may still be recognized as legally married. However, they may have a harder time proving it. The reason for issuing marriage licenses is usually to keep accurate records of the unions of citizens of a particular country or state, prevent illegal marriages, and protect people from unknowingly marrying those who are infected with health-damaging infections.