Car Rentals in New York City and Getting Married in New York City

Getting married in New York is easy with your car rental in New York City. There are a few, simple steps that you will need to remember before you can make the big day happen.

First you will need a marriage license, which is issued by the town or city clerk. You will need to visit them in person because the forms must be signed by the bride and the groom in the presence of the clerk. You will need to bring two pieces of ID, which you should already have when you got your car rental in New York City. One must prove age (birth certificate, baptismal record, naturalization record, or census record) and the other must prove identity (driver's license, passport, employment picture ID, immigration record). There will then be a waiting period of 24 hours from the exact time the license is issued and it is valid for 60 days. If you go out of New York City with your car rental in New York City to apply for the license, the cost is $40. In New York City the cost is $35.

Take the plunge

With a license from the State of New York, a New York State marriage license may be used within the state if you wish to travel with your car rental in New York City. There is no particular form or ceremony required, except that there must be a member of the clergy or public official and at least one other witness that can testify to the couple take each other as husband and wife. The person performing the ceremony must be registered with the City of New York in order to perform a marriage within the city limits.

Choosing your name

The last name people take when they get married can be a very confusing process. When you get married in New York there are a couple things to consider. Do you keep yours? Take theirs? Or make a combination of the two? There are so many options today that the guidelines set out by the state make it a little simpler. The state website says: "Every person has the right to adopt any name by which he or she wishes to be known simply by using that name consistently and without intent to defraud. A person's last name (surname) does not automatically change upon marriage, and neither party to the marriage is required to change his or her last name". The name must have one of the following:

  • the surname of the other spouse;
  • any former surname of either spouse;
  • a name combining into a single surname all or a segment of the premarriage surname or any former surname of each spouse;
  • a combination name separated by a hyphen, provided that each part of such combination surname is the premarriage surname, or any former surname, of each of the spouses.

If you do change your name, be sure to change the rest of your ID as well. If you are flying after dropping off your car rental in New York City, it is best to book your tickets in your name as it appears on your ID (your current name) to avoid hassles at the airport and internationally (if applicable).

For more information, please visit the following websites.
New York State information: http://www.health.state.ny.us/vital_records/married.htm
New York City information: http://nycmarriagebureau.com/about/agency_overview.html

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