How to get legally married in Hawaii: license, officiant, and paperwork

Key takeaways

• One license, issued in person: couples apply online, then both partners meet a license agent together in Hawaii, no sooner than 30 days before the ceremony. Proxies aren't allowed.

• $65 and 30 days: the license costs $65 ($60 application fee plus a $5 portal fee), can't be refunded, and expires 30 days from and including the day it's issued. There's no waiting period.

• No residency, citizenship, or blood test: the state requires none of them. Each partner needs a valid government-issued photo ID.

• The officiant must hold a Hawaii license: every marriage performer is licensed by the Hawaii Department of Health, including friends ordained online.

• Beaches need a permit when someone is paid: a commercial wedding on a state beach requires a right-of-entry permit from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Why a Hawaii wedding is simpler than marrying abroad

The guide to getting legally married in Italy runs through apostilles, sworn translations, and town hall appointments. Hawaii has none of that. It's a US state, so a wedding there under a Hawaii license produces a US marriage record, and there's nothing to legalize or translate when you get home.

The process has three parts: an online application, a short in-person meeting with a license agent once you arrive, and a ceremony led by a state-licensed officiant within 30 days. Everything below comes from the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), which issues both the license and the certificate.

Step 1: apply for the license online

Both partners fill in one application on the state's marriage portal and pay the $65 fee there. The fee isn't refundable, so check the spelling of every name before you submit. Once you've paid, write down or print the Authorization Code (also called the Locator ID), because the agent uses it to find your application. The DOH's marriage and civil union license page links to the portal and lists current fees.

The license process is also where each partner declares the middle and last name they'll use after the wedding, so settle any name change before you start.

Step 2: meet a license agent together

The license itself is issued at a meeting with an authorized agent, no sooner than 30 days before the ceremony. Both partners must appear together, in person. The agent reviews the application, checks photo IDs, and hands over the license.

Documents to bring to the agent

Agents can ask for more depending on the circumstances.

• A valid government-issued photo ID for each partner, such as a passport, driver's license, or state ID.

• A certified divorce decree, only if a divorce was finalized less than 30 days before you pick up the license.

• A certified death certificate, only if a former spouse died less than 30 days before you pick up the license.

• A certified copy of any legal name change, if it applies.

• A certified translation of any decree or certificate that isn't in English.

Where the agents are

The main office is in Honolulu, at 201 Merchant Street, Suite 100, open Monday to Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. except state holidays, and it takes appointments online or by email. The DOH lists agent phone lines for the Big Island, Kauai, Maui, and Molokai, and publishes a list of private agents across the islands. Booking the agent for a day or two after landing leaves time to fix a problem before the ceremony.

Step 3: hold the ceremony within 30 days

The license is valid for 30 days, counting the day it's issued, and only inside Hawaii. If the ceremony doesn't happen in that window, the license is void and you'd have to apply and pay again. There is no waiting period, so a ceremony the same afternoon is allowed.

Hawaii law requires every person who performs a marriage to be licensed by the DOH. That applies to clergy, professional officiants, and a friend who was ordained online. A friend can register as a performer on the state portal, and approval usually arrives by email, but registrations that can't be checked online go to manual review, so build in a few weeks. The DOH's license page doesn't list witnesses among its requirements; if you want to be certain for your ceremony, ask your officiant.

Beach ceremonies and the state permit

Sandy beaches in Hawaii are state land, not county land, so a county park permit doesn't cover the sand. Under Hawaii Administrative Rules section 13-221-35, any commercial activity on unencumbered state beaches needs a right-of-entry permit from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the department names a beach wedding as an example. "Commercial" means someone is paid for goods or services, which covers a hired officiant, planner, or photographer.

Permits are booked online through the department's Wiki Permits system for listed beach sites. The applicant must submit a certificate of liability insurance, and the state portal lists the fee at 10 cents per square foot per event per day, with a $20 minimum. The permit belongs to whoever's being paid, so ask your officiant or planner to confirm they hold one for your beach and date.

Getting your marriage certificate afterward

The license and the certificate aren't the same document. The license lets the ceremony happen. The certificate shows that a legal marriage took place, and it's the document you'll need for a name change, insurance, or taxes.

Certified copies are ordered from the DOH, online or by mail. Copies cost $10 for the first and $4 for each additional copy, plus a $2.50 administration fee for every five copies. Three copies come to $20.50. The DOH says orders can take four to six weeks. Only people with a direct interest in the record can order it, and that includes both spouses. If you'll use the certificate in another country, the DOH also issues apostilles, by mail only.

Planning the paperwork around the trip

A workable order is: book the officiant first, apply online a few weeks before you fly, see the agent soon after landing, and order certificate copies once you're home. A planner can take care of the agent appointment and the beach permit, and it's worth asking whether that's included in the fee. There's a separate guide to choosing a destination wedding planner covers which questions to ask before you hire one.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need a blood test or to live in Hawaii to marry there?

No. The Hawaii Department of Health says there are no state residency or US citizenship requirements and that blood tests are not required.

Can we get the marriage license before we fly to Hawaii?

You can complete the online application and pay before the trip. The license itself won't be issued until both of you meet an agent in person in Hawaii, no sooner than 30 days before the ceremony.

Is a Hawaii marriage valid in our home state?

Yes. A marriage performed under a Hawaii license is recorded by a US state, and other states recognize it the same way they recognize a marriage from any state. Since the Supreme Court's 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, that includes same-sex marriages.

Can a friend officiate our Hawaii wedding?

Yes, if they register with the Hawaii Department of Health for a license to perform marriages before the ceremony. An online ordination alone isn't enough.