Can couples living together in New York be legally married without a license?

NEW YORK (PIX11) – You may have lived with your significant other for quite some time and refer to them as your spouse, but New York State may feel differently.

New York does not recognize common-law marriage .

Only a handful of states recognize common-law marriage, which legally recognizes two people who live together as a married couple without a marriage license or ceremony.

The states that recognize common-law marriages are Kansas, Iowa, New Hampshire, Colorado, Montana, Texas, and Utah. The District of Columbia also recognizes common-law marriages.

How do you get legally married in New York?

“In order to enter into a valid marriage in New York, you must obtain a marriage license and have the marriage ceremony conducted by a person who is allowed to perform such ceremonies,” the New York City Bar website states. “After the waiting period, you must go before a clergy member or magistrate and declare that you take each other as spouses. Only certain people can perform your marriage ceremony,” the website added.

For more information on how to legally marry in New York, click here .

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here .

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