The People Getting Married or Forming a Civil Union Instructions is a one-page sheet from the Office of the City Clerk of the City of Jersey City Municipal Clerk. It tells couples who have applied for a Marriage License or Civil Union License how to pick it up, complete it in ink, return the signed copies and order certified copies of the certificate. The sheet is not an application; it covers what happens after you apply. On FillingPDF you can view and download or print the PDF, while the license and certificate process itself runs through the Jersey City Clerk's Office at City Hall, 280 Grove Street.
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What is People Getting Married or Forming a Civil Union Instructions – Jersey City, NJ?
The People Getting Married or Forming a Civil Union Instructions is a City of Jersey City Office of the City Clerk sheet telling couples who applied for a license how to pick it up, complete it, return signed copies and order certified copies.
The sheet follows the license through four stages. First, you review the license for accuracy before leaving the Clerk's Office. Second, after a 72-hour waiting period, you pick up four copies labeled #1, #2, #3 and #4 and get a second chance to check them. Third, after the ceremony, copies #1 and #2 are filed with the city or town in New Jersey where the ceremony took place. Fourth, you may request certified copies of the Marriage/Civil Union Certificate, which are not provided automatically and require a separate application and fee.
Copy #3 is for the couple to keep and copy #4 is for the officiant's records. The sheet also states what the Clerk's Office does not do: it does not process name changes. Those go through the Social Security Administration or, for New Jersey residents, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.
Two other documents are named on the Clerk's pages: the Marriage License Application (REG-77) and the certificate request form (REG 37). This sheet is neither of them.
Who needs to file People Getting Married or Forming a Civil Union Instructions – Jersey City, NJ?
Couples who have completed a Marriage License or Civil Union License application with the Jersey City City Clerk's Office use this sheet. It also helps the person who performs the ceremony, since the officiant receives all four copies to sign and keeps copy #4.
The Clerk's wedding page sets who can apply for the license in Jersey City: at least one partner lives in Jersey City, or both partners live in another state and are getting married in Jersey City. Ceremonies must take place within New Jersey, and judges and religious officials such as ministers, rabbis and imams can serve as officiants. Only one partner needs to be present to pick up the license.
Do not rely on this sheet for:
- Name changes. The City Clerk's Office does not process them. Use the Social Security Administration (www.socialsecurity.gov) or, if you are a New Jersey resident, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (www.njmvc.gov).
- Certified copies for a ceremony held in another city. Request them from the city or town where the ceremony was performed, even if the license came from Jersey City.
When to file People Getting Married or Forming a Civil Union Instructions – Jersey City, NJ
You pick up the license by appointment after the 72-hour waiting period that follows your application. After the ceremony, copies #1 and #2 must be filed within five (5) days of the ceremony date with the city or town in New Jersey where it took place. The Clerk's wedding page adds that a Marriage License is valid for only 30 days and that the office needs three (3) weeks' notice before your ceremony to schedule the license appointment.
Check the license for errors at both reviews, before you leave the Clerk's Office the first time and again at pickup. Errors found after you leave the second time cost a correction fee, may require additional Vital Records such as a Birth Certificate, and significantly delay the finalization of your marital or civil union status.
The sheet sets no deadline for ordering certified copies, which are requested separately once the license is filed.
Documents you need
- Completed REG 37 form, to request certified copies of your Marriage/Civil Union Certificate by mail.
- A photocopy of your driver's license or another government-issued photo ID, sent with the REG 37 mail request.
- A self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of the certified copies, included with the mail request.
- A check or money order payable to "City of Jersey City" covering the per-copy fee, included with the mail request.
- Additional Vital Records, such as a Birth Certificate, only if the Clerk's Office requires them to process a correction after you have left the office the second time.
How to fill out People Getting Married or Forming a Civil Union Instructions – Jersey City, NJ
Review the license before leaving
After you complete the application, check the license for accuracy and correct spelling before you leave the City Clerk's Office. Accuracy is your responsibility.
Book your pickup after 72 hours
Make an appointment to collect the license after the 72-hour waiting period. You will receive four copies labeled #1, #2, #3 and #4 and can review them a second time.
Complete all four copies in ink
Print every entry clearly in black or blue ink on all four pages. No cross-outs, erasures or White-Out are allowed, and colored ink or felt-tipped pens are prohibited.
Return copies #1 and #2
After the ceremony, file copies #1 and #2 within five days with the city or town where it took place. In Jersey City, mail them in the envelope provided or use the City Hall lobby drop-box, and do not staple them together.
Keep copies #3 and #4 as directed
Copy #3 stays with you and your partner, and copy #4 is for the officiant's records.
Request certified copies if needed
Fill out the REG 37 form and send it with a photocopy of your photo ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order payable to "City of Jersey City", or make an in-person appointment at 201-547-5150.
How to submit People Getting Married or Forming a Civil Union Instructions – Jersey City, NJ
There are three ways to deal with the Jersey City Clerk after the ceremony: return copies #1 and #2 by mail, by the City Hall drop-box or in person, and request certified copies by mail or in person.
- Returning copies #1 and #2 (ceremony in Jersey City): mail them to the City Clerk's Office in the envelope provided, or place them in the blue drop-box in the lobby of City Hall (the Clerk's page says no appointment is needed). Do not staple the two copies together. If the ceremony was elsewhere, file them with that city or town.
- Certified copies by mail: fill out the REG 37 form and mail it to the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall-280 Grove Street, Room 118, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302, with a photocopy of your driver's license or other government-issued photo ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order payable to "City of Jersey City". A per-copy fee applies; ask the Clerk's Office for the current amount.
- Certified copies in person: make an appointment by calling the Office of the City Clerk at 201-547-5150 (Option #3 for marriage matters, per the Clerk's wedding page).
FillingPDF lets you view and download the official PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using cross-outs, erasures or White-Out on the license; any copy showing them will be rejected by the State.
- Filling in the license with colored ink or felt-tipped pens instead of black or blue ink on all four pages.
- Stapling copies #1 and #2 together when returning them.
- Filing copies #1 and #2 later than five days after the ceremony.
- Skipping the two accuracy reviews and finding a misspelling later; a correction fee applies and the finalization of your status is delayed.
- Assuming certified copies arrive automatically; they need a separate application and fee.
- Asking the City Clerk's Office to process a name change, which it does not do.
- Requesting certified copies from Jersey City when the ceremony took place in another city, which must supply them.
- Mailing the REG 37 request without the photo ID photocopy, the self-addressed stamped envelope or the check or money order.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Jersey City marriage and civil union license instructions?
They are a one-page sheet from the Jersey City Office of the City Clerk for couples who have applied for a license. It covers the 72-hour wait, completing four copies in ink, returning copies #1 and #2 within five days, and ordering certified copies.
Is this the form for a Jersey City birth certificate?
No. This sheet is about marriage and civil union licenses and certificates. It mentions a Birth Certificate only as a Vital Record you may have to produce when processing a correction to a license. It does not explain how to order one.
How long do I wait to pick up my marriage license in Jersey City?
You must wait 72 hours after applying and then make an appointment to pick up the license. You receive four copies, labeled #1 to #4, and can review them again at pickup. Only one partner needs to attend the pickup.
Where do I return copies #1 and #2 of the license?
File them with the city or town in New Jersey where the ceremony took place, within five days of the ceremony. For a Jersey City ceremony, mail them to the City Clerk's Office in the envelope provided or leave them in the blue drop-box in the City Hall lobby.
How do I get a certified copy of my Jersey City marriage certificate?
Certified copies are not automatic. Send the REG 37 form with a photocopy of your photo ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order payable to "City of Jersey City", or call 201-547-5150 for an in-person appointment. A per-copy fee applies.
Can the Jersey City Clerk change my name after marriage?
No. The City Clerk's Office does not process name changes. They are handled by the Social Security Administration, or by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission if you are a New Jersey resident.
What happens if my license has a mistake after pickup?
If you find incorrect or misspelled information after leaving the Clerk's Office the second time, a correction fee applies, you may need to produce additional Vital Records such as a Birth Certificate, and finalizing your status will be significantly delayed.
Can I fill out these instructions on FillingPDF?
The document is an instruction sheet, not an application. FillingPDF is an independent service that lets you view and download the PDF; it does not file anything with the Jersey City Clerk, and every step is completed through the Clerk's Office.
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