How to Get Married Online in Massachusetts

By Distant Vows | Updated 2026

If you are trying to figure out how to get married online in Massachusetts, you will quickly discover that Massachusetts still relies on a city and town clerk system built around a document called the Notice of Intention of Marriage, a mandatory three-day waiting period, and a rule that ceremonies must take place within the Commonwealth. Both partners must appear together in person at any city or town clerk’s office to file the Notice of Intention, provide identification, and pay the license fee before a license is issued.

By using Utah’s fully legal online marriage system through Distant Vows, Massachusetts couples can get married online in Massachusetts 100% virtually and receive a U.S. marriage certificate that is valid in Massachusetts and all 50 states.

If you are comparing rules across the country, you can also review our full guide on how to get married online in all 50 states. It is a helpful starting point if you want to understand how Massachusetts compares with other states and why many couples choose Utah’s online marriage system.

How Massachusetts Marriage Usually Works if You Don’t Get Married Online in Massachusetts

Massachusetts marriages are governed by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 207. Rather than a standard marriage license application, Massachusetts law uses a document called the Notice of Intention of Marriage, which both partners must complete and sign together in person at any city or town clerk’s office in the Commonwealth. The license can be filed in any municipality regardless of where either partner lives or where the ceremony will take place. The fee varies by town and typically ranges from $20 to $40, which usually includes one certified copy of the marriage certificate.

After the Notice of Intention is filed, Massachusetts requires a mandatory three-day waiting period before the license can be picked up. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays count toward the three days, but the day the application is filed does not. The waiting period can be waived only by a court order, and the waiver is not automatic. Couples who want to waive the waiting period must petition Family and Probate Court or District Court, pay a $195 court fee, attend a hearing, and present the certified court order to the clerk’s office before the license is released. The court waiver itself expires after three days if unused.

Once the license is picked up, it is valid for 60 days from the date the Notice of Intention was filed, and the ceremony must take place within Massachusetts. Out-of-state clergy who want to perform a Massachusetts ceremony must file a non-resident clergy petition with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office in advance, a process that typically takes two to four weeks. Massachusetts does not require witnesses to be present at a ceremony by statute, which is unusual compared to most states, but religious ceremonies may require witnesses under the rules of the relevant religious organization.

Massachusetts also has a distinctive divorce finality rule that directly affects when a divorced person can remarry. Under Massachusetts law, a divorce does not become absolute until 90 days after the divorce nisi is entered by the court. A person cannot even file a Notice of Intention of Marriage until that 90-day period has fully elapsed. Couples who are uncertain about the exact absolute date of their divorce are advised to contact the court where the divorce was granted before attempting to apply for a marriage license.

Massachusetts does not recognize common-law marriage. Couples who want to get married online in Massachusetts through Utah receive a certificate that establishes formal legal married status just as a traditional Massachusetts license would. Massachusetts was the first state in the United States to legalize same-sex marriage, which took effect on May 17, 2004, following the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health decision.

Documents, Waiting Period, and Age Requirements in Massachusetts

Both applicants must be at least 18 years old to marry in Massachusetts. The Commonwealth eliminated all provisions allowing anyone under 18 to marry, effective July 2018, and the minimum age of 18 now applies without exception.

City and town clerks across Massachusetts list the following as standard requirements when filing a Notice of Intention of Marriage:

Valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, state ID, military ID, or passport showing name and date of birth. Some clerks also accept a birth certificate combined with a separate photo ID.
Both applicants’ Social Security numbers, requested on the application.
Both applicants’ mothers’ maiden names and the location where each applicant’s parents were born, which Massachusetts collects for state vital records purposes.
The legal last name each person will use after the marriage, declared at the time of filing. As in Oregon, the name to be used post-marriage must be declared on the intention form and cannot be changed after filing without a court process.
If either applicant was previously married or in a registered domestic partnership, they must confirm the relationship has ended. In Massachusetts, a divorce is not final until 90 days after the divorce nisi, so neither party may file the Notice of Intention until that period has passed.

Massachusetts has a narrow in-person exception for active-duty military members, which is one reason couples who want to get married online in Massachusetts through Utah find the process simpler. For everyone else who wants to get married online in Massachusetts, the Utah route requires no in-person visit at all. If one applicant is a Massachusetts resident and the other is on active military duty and unable to appear, the resident partner may file the Notice of Intention alone. Outside of military service, serious illness, or incarceration, both partners must appear together in person with no exceptions.

Are Online Weddings Allowed Directly if You Want to Get Married Online in Massachusetts?

Some Massachusetts city clerks, including Boston’s Registry Division, allow couples to complete an online pre-application and book an appointment in advance before their in-person visit. However, both partners must still appear together at the clerk’s office to sign the Notice of Intention in person and complete the filing. There is no Massachusetts municipality where the full license process can be completed without both partners physically present.

Massachusetts law also does not provide any mechanism for a ceremony to be conducted entirely by video under a Massachusetts license. The license is valid only for ceremonies performed within the Commonwealth, and the officiant must be authorized to perform marriages in Massachusetts, which requires out-of-state clergy to file a separate petition weeks in advance. These combined barriers are why so many couples who want to get married online in Massachusetts choose to marry under Utah law through a live video ceremony and use their Utah marriage certificate in Massachusetts instead.

4 Steps to Get Married Online in Massachusetts with Distant Vows (Through Utah)

With Distant Vows, the same four-step process applies whether you want to get married online in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, or Illinois. The legal engine is always Utah’s online marriage system, which allows couples to apply for a license and hold a ceremony entirely over video while still being recognized nationwide.

Step 1 – Verify Your Eligibility

First, you confirm that you and your partner meet basic Utah requirements and complete Distant Vows’ quick intake form. Typically, you both must be 18 or older, not currently married to anyone else, and able to join a live video call together. This foundation lets couples who want to get married online in Massachusetts do so in a way that is fully valid under Utah law.

Confirm you are legally free to marry, whether single, divorced, or widowed.
Gather valid government-issued photo IDs, such as a Massachusetts driver’s license, state ID, passport, or military ID.
Make sure you have a stable internet connection and a device with audio and video so you can comfortably get married online in Massachusetts.

Step 2 – Choose Your Package and Ceremony Date

Next, you choose a Distant Vows package and select a ceremony date and time that works for your schedule in Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, Lowell, or anywhere else. You can keep the ceremony short and simple or personalize it with vows, readings, and guests watching online as you get married online in Massachusetts.

Select a basic legal-only ceremony or a more personalized experience.
Pick a time that works for your time zone and any guests joining from Massachusetts or overseas.
Tell us if you need witness support, custom vows, religious or civil wording, or language options.

Step 3 – Apply for Your Utah Online Marriage License

After you pick your date, you complete a Utah online marriage license application. Utah County’s system lets you submit everything digitally, including your information, ID uploads, and signatures. You never have to visit a Utah courthouse, you face no three-day wait and no $195 court waiver fee, and you do not need to appear at a Massachusetts city or town clerk’s office, because the license is issued by Utah even though your goal is to get married online in Massachusetts. This is what makes the Utah route so practical for couples who want to get married online in Massachusetts quickly.

Fill out the secure Utah County application form online from your home in Massachusetts or anywhere in the world.
Upload clear images of your IDs and any requested documents, such as divorce decrees if applicable.
Respond to any brief follow-up from the Utah clerk if they need clarification before issuing the license.

A Utah online marriage license is valid for 32 days from the date it is issued, and Distant Vows schedules your ceremony within that 32-day window so your marriage is properly created under Utah law.

Step 4 – Attend Your Online Ceremony and Get Your Certificate

On your wedding day, you and your partner join a live video ceremony with a Utah-licensed officiant. Two adult witnesses are required and they can join from anywhere in the world. If you do not have friends or family available, you can invite them at no charge, or use our witness service for a small fee.

Join from your home in Massachusetts or from anywhere in the world, as long as you are both on the same live video call.
Participate in a real-time ceremony where you exchange vows and say your “I dos.” This is the moment you actually get married online in Massachusetts, even though the legal ceremony is taking place under Utah law.
After the ceremony, your officiant files the certificate in Utah and you receive your official Utah County marriage certificate digitally and, if requested, by mail.

Massachusetts In-Person Marriage vs Online Utah Marriage

Before you decide how to get married online in Massachusetts, it helps to compare the two approaches side by side. The table below highlights the key differences between the traditional Massachusetts process and using Distant Vows to get married online in Massachusetts through Utah.

Feature	Traditional Massachusetts Marriage	Get Married Online with Distant Vows (Utah)
License document	Notice of Intention of Marriage, filed at any Massachusetts city or town clerk’s office. Both must appear in person together.	Utah County online marriage license application. No in-person visit required.
Waiting period	Three days after filing, with Sundays and holidays counting. Waivable only by court order at a cost of $195.	No waiting period. No waiver fee.
License validity	60 days from the date of filing. Ceremony must take place within Massachusetts.	Utah license valid for 32 days. Ceremony can be attended from Massachusetts or anywhere in the world.
Out-of-state officiant	Must file a non-resident clergy petition with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, a 2 to 4 week process.	Not required. Distant Vows officiants are licensed under Utah law.
Divorce finality rule	Massachusetts divorce is not final for 90 days after the divorce nisi. Neither partner may file a Notice of Intention until the 90-day period has fully elapsed.	Utah’s own requirements apply. Utah does not impose a 90-day post-divorce waiting period.
Name change declaration	Post-marriage name must be declared on the Notice of Intention at time of filing. Cannot be changed after the form is submitted without a court process.	Not required at time of license. Name change is handled after the ceremony using your Utah certificate.
Witnesses required	Not required by Massachusetts statute, though religious ceremonies may have their own requirements.	Two adult witnesses required under Utah law. Distant Vows can provide them if needed.
Valid in Massachusetts	Yes.	Yes, and in all 50 states once properly issued and filed in Utah, because Massachusetts recognizes marriages valid where they were performed.
International use	May require apostille or legalization depending on the foreign country’s rules.	Utah certificates can receive an apostille for use in many countries, even if you get married online in Massachusetts. Learn more at Distant Vows apostille services.

Military Couples in Massachusetts

Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Massachusetts is the Air Force’s primary center for C4ISR technology development and acquisition. The host unit is the 66th Air Base Group, and the base is home to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Digital and Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, and Networks Directorates. MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the Air Force’s federally funded research and development center for advanced technology, is located on the Hanscom campus. Unlike most Air Force bases, Hanscom does not operate a traditional flight line; its mission is entirely focused on electronic systems development rather than aircraft operations, making it home to a large population of engineers, program managers, and contractors alongside uniformed personnel.

For Guard members and reservists at Hanscom, Westover, Joint Base Cape Cod, or Natick Labs who want to get married online in Massachusetts but whose partners are in different states or deployed overseas, the in-person clerk requirement, three-day waiting period, and $195 waiver fee create real obstacles. Utah online marriage eliminates all of those barriers when you choose to get married online in Massachusetts through Distant Vows. Both partners join the live video ceremony from wherever they are, and no Massachusetts clerk visit is required. You can read more about how this works for service members at Distant Vows for Military Couples.

Immigration and Long-Distance Couples in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has one of the most globally diverse immigrant populations of any state in the country, and its mix of countries of origin is notably different from national patterns. While nearly one in four immigrants nationwide are from Mexico, only about one percent of Greater Boston’s foreign-born population is Mexican. Instead, Brazilians have been the largest single immigrant group in Massachusetts since 2010. According to a 2024 report by Instituto Diáspora Brasil commissioned through the Boston Foundation, approximately 348,195 Brazilians reside in Massachusetts, making it home to the second-largest Brazilian population of any state in the country. The Brazilian government’s own consular estimate for all of New England is approximately 420,000. Major concentrations exist in Framingham, Marlborough, Milford, and Lowell.

For binational couples where one partner remains abroad and who want to get married online in Massachusetts, the in-person requirement and out-of-state clergy petition process make the traditional route difficult to coordinate remotely. When you get married online in Massachusetts through Utah, your partner can be anywhere in the world. The Utah County certificate is accepted by USCIS for spousal visa and green card applications. If you need your marriage recognized in another country, Distant Vows can help you obtain an apostille so your certificate is accepted internationally. You can learn more at Distant Vows apostille services.

Couples researching international marriage recognition may also want to read our guide on whether getting married online affects immigration cases.

Using Your Utah Certificate in Massachusetts

After you get married online in Massachusetts through Utah, your certified Utah County marriage certificate is your primary legal document for updating your records. Massachusetts agencies and businesses accept any valid U.S. marriage certificate and do not require it to be Massachusetts-issued.

Change your name with the Social Security Administration first. The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles checks SSA records, so updating SSA before visiting the RMV prevents delays.
Update your Massachusetts driver’s license or state ID through the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. This step is the same whether you get married online in Massachusetts through Utah or used a traditional Massachusetts license.
Adjust your name and marital status with banks, employers, schools, and insurance providers.
Use your certificate for USCIS spousal visa and green card applications.

One practical difference from using a Massachusetts license: because you get married online in Massachusetts through Utah’s system, you do not declare your post-marriage name on the Notice of Intention at the time of filing the way Massachusetts traditionally requires. Instead, you handle the name change separately after the ceremony using your Utah certificate, which gives you more flexibility in timing and options compared to the Massachusetts process.

Many couples who get married online in Massachusetts also use their marriage certificate to complete a legal name change after the ceremony. You can learn more in our guide on how to change your name after getting married online.

Related Online Marriage Guides

If you are researching marriage laws across the Northeast, you may also want to read:

FAQ: Getting Married Online in Massachusetts

Is it legal to get married online in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts recognizes marriages that are valid where they are performed. When you get married online in Massachusetts through Utah’s system, your marriage is valid in Utah and must be recognized in Massachusetts even though the ceremony happens over video. Massachusetts’s own requirements about in-person clerk visits and in-state ceremonies apply only to Massachusetts marriage licenses, not to marriages legally performed in Utah. Couples who get married online in Massachusetts through Utah receive the same federal recognition.

Do we still need to file a Notice of Intention of Marriage in Massachusetts?
No. If you choose the Utah online route, your license is issued by Utah County. You do not need to file a Massachusetts Notice of Intention or appear at a Massachusetts city or town clerk’s office to be legally married. Couples who get married online in Massachusetts through Utah rely entirely on the Utah license, and the resulting certificate is valid in Massachusetts just like any other U.S. marriage certificate.

What documents are required under the traditional Massachusetts process?
Both applicants must appear together in person at any Massachusetts city or town clerk’s office with valid photo ID. You will need both Social Security numbers, both parents’ names and birthplaces, and the post-marriage name you intend to use. If either applicant was divorced in Massachusetts, the divorce is not final until 90 days after the divorce nisi, and neither party can file until that period has passed.

How much does it cost to waive the three-day waiting period in Massachusetts?
Waiving the waiting period requires petitioning Family and Probate Court or District Court and paying a $195 court fee. After a hearing, if the court grants the waiver, you must bring the certified order to the clerk’s office. The waiver itself expires in three days if unused. There is no waiting period at all for the Utah online marriage route.

Can military couples get married online in Massachusetts?
Yes. Under Massachusetts law, if one applicant is a Massachusetts resident and the other is on active military duty and cannot appear in person, the resident may file the Notice of Intention alone for a traditional Massachusetts license. For the Utah online route, no in-person appearance is required at all. Both partners join the ceremony by video from wherever they are. You can read more at Distant Vows for Military Couples.

Does Massachusetts require witnesses at a wedding ceremony?
No. Massachusetts statute does not require witnesses at a marriage ceremony, which distinguishes it from most states. Utah law does require two adult witnesses for the online ceremony. Distant Vows can provide them if needed.

Can same-sex couples get married online this way?
Yes. Massachusetts was the first state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage, in 2004. Same-sex marriages are treated the same under Utah and federal law, so same-sex couples in Massachusetts can get married online in Massachusetts through Utah and receive the same legal certificate as any other couple.

How fast can we get married online from Massachusetts?
Many couples complete all four steps and receive their digital certificate within a few days. Rush options are available for couples who need to get married online in Massachusetts on a tighter timeline. Whether you are in Boston, Worcester, or western Massachusetts, the process to get married online in Massachusetts is the same.

For details on the traditional Massachusetts marriage license process, the City of Boston Registry Division and the Mass.gov marriage guide both publish official guidance. For couples who want to get married online in Massachusetts without the in-person clerk visit, waiting period, or $195 court waiver fee, Distant Vows handles everything remotely and gets you your certificate fast.

Ready to Get Married Online in Massachusetts?

If you are ready to get married online in Massachusetts, Distant Vows makes the process simple. Every week, couples across the Commonwealth choose to get married online in Massachusetts through our four-step system, which walks you from eligibility to your official U.S. marriage certificate, with licensed Utah officiants, witness support, and clear guidance at every stage.

Start today, choose your date, and let us handle the legal details so you can get married online in Massachusetts without leaving home. Couples from Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, Framingham, Lowell, and across the Commonwealth choose Distant Vows to get married online in Massachusetts every week. You can begin by completing our intake form at get married online.

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