Marriage is a socially recognized and accepted union between two individuals. In legal terms, it is a contract that allows couples, rights on each other's finances and property. Marriage makes a couple responsible and liable for each other's activities. Every country enforces legal policies for registering marriages, as this certification is a documented proof of a marriage. This is important as many people opt for traditional marriages as opposed to civic ceremonies. This increases the need for authorizing the marriage in a court of law or by authorized legal practitioners.

Couples need to register their marriage, regardless of whether it is a religious ceremony or a civil procedure. A marriage has to be authorized in the presence of a qualified officer belonging to a particular state. In the U.S., only the signing of a license recognizes two people as married and so couples must register for a marriage certificate with the government after the wedding ceremony. They then file for a certified copy of the marriage license and a marriage certificate with the government. A nominal fee is charged for the issue of a marriage license.

To obtain a marriage license, couples need to provide a driver's license or photo identification. They are also required to furnish details regarding their complete names, dates of birth and complete addresses including the county name, city and state where the couple resides. Other information includes parents? full names, mother's maiden name and the name of the state where the parents were born. Details regarding previous marriages are also needed.

It is possible to obtain a confidential marriage license or a public marriage license. A confidential license is a private record and the latter is a public record that is open to all interested parties. In cases of misplacing of the identification documents, couples may be permitted to obtain marriage licenses in the presence of two witnesses who have valid identifications. The requirements for a marriage license vary from state to state.