Getting original marriage license

[BecBennett]

Ive been trying to change my name on my drivers license however I've only got the certified copy of our marriage license. Here you're required to have the original marriage certificate.

Does anyone know if it's possible to get this? I told the people at our equivalent of the DMV that the court house keeps the original, possibly because of the raised seals, but he said they were not allowed to accept copies...

 

[Reign]

Just checking, but sometimes on word makes a big difference. There is a big difference between your Marriage License and your Marriage Certificate. I'm Canadian, but I would imagine it is a similar process. I am getting married in July so I can't be sure, but I am pretty sure your marriage license gets taken by the person who wed you and your husband/wife and sends it in to the gov't who then issues you your Wedding Certificate. In order to change your name I wouldn't understand why they would need a wedding license as that disappears right after you get married. In Canada your Wedding Certificate is the proof that you are in fact married.


I would check into that.

 

[girli565]

I got our license in Miami, FL. They only sent us certified copies, the one I have is a copy of the signed license and has original stamps, two round stamps and the other is from the courthouse and has a signature on it. I guess you should call the courthouse you got your license from and see what they say. Is yours just a copy with no original stamps on it?

This is what my stamps look like

 

[BecBennett]

Mines got the stamps and the certified copy stamp. It's not the original that we got notarized and our Rev. Signed it's a copy of it. To change my name I need the original certificate

 

[girli565]

Mines got the stamps and the certified copy stamp. It's not the original that we got notarized and our Rev. Signed it's a copy of it. To change my name I need the original certificate

I don't think FL gives you the original. They keep that on file at the courthouse. When I was getting my license there were signs that said they only give certified copies of licenses.

 

[katrina1122]

In NJ I got a certified with no raised seal. To get a seal, I had to call the CH and pay for each 'original' I wanted. I got several for dmv, passport, etc.

 

[Stephie77]

The United States Court System requires that all originally signed documents must be filed with the Court. Whether a marriage certificate or a complaint starting a law suit. The clerk's office must have the original. You will most likely not be able to get that released from Broward County. That is why they send you a Certified original copy. It is a copy of the original that is certified with the raise seal. I realize that you are in Australia so your law may be different. I am trying to find the statute for you, hoping that will help.

Also you said it is a certified raised seal copy? That "copy" should have the full signatures along with the notarized stamp. If that is not the case you need to call Broward County and tell them you want certified original copies with ALL signatures and notrization.

 

[BecBennett]

It is the certified copy with all the signatures and seals. The problem is our law dictates that to use your marriage licence to change your name it needs to be the original, not a copy...

I think I'm just going to have to pay to legally change my name, and then use that to change it on my licence, bank accounts, etc.

 

[Stephie77]

Wow. I never heard of that. You would now have to pay to legally change you name? That is so unfair. Did you call Broward County in FLorida and ask them what can be done? I tried to find some statute and I found some that apply to more criminal laws but everything I have read and learned in all my years as a paralegal, the original must be filed with the Court.

 

[Lulu83]

I've had similar problems over here with my birth certificate (I was born in NZ) so am already worried about when the time comes to change my name!

I'm in WA and our Births, Deaths and Marriages website says "If married overseas, you may have to register a formal change of name with the Registry before your married surname is accepted by some government or private agencies." I'm sure there's a fee involved of course..

It seems silly that the US marriage certificate is good enough to issue a formal change of name certificate but not enough to actually change your name alone!

 

[BecBennett]

Yeah, it's $150 to legally change your name, and free if you do it with a marriage certificate

I've sent an email to Brevard County so fingers crossed they can do something for me, but I'm not expecting anything

 

[2010_Bride]

Mines got the stamps and the certified copy stamp. It's not the original that we got notarized and our Rev. Signed it's a copy of it. To change my name I need the original certificate

I'm in Canada and had the EXACT same problem. It was a bit of a nightmare.

I went to change my driver's license and get my health card, (you can do both at the same office) and they rejected the copy of the certificate. It is the one that everyone is talking about with the coloured seal, raised stamp etc... but they said it looked like a colour photocopy. The day I stood in line for nearly an hour, I walked out with nothing because they had to get their head supervisor to look at it, but she doesn't work at that location. I provided them with the phone number and address for the courthouse and said they could call and verify - but that was all I had. They made me leave the certificate with them, (which I hated, as it's the only one I had).
Eventually it all got sorted out, but I really had to push and plead my case that this document was all I had mailed out to me.

The other place I had trouble changing my name with that certificate was the bank. They also wanted originals to change my accounts over to my married name and issue new cheques. They also thought it looked copied and not like an origional. I had a bit of an argument with the bank manager as well!

Good Luck - keep pressing them to call the courthouse if they don't believe you.

 

[BecBennett]

It's not that they don't believe me, the bloke who served me felt quite sorry for me, but it's quite clear in their rules that to change a name they need the original marriage certificate

The other problem is, I could ask them to call and confirm, but the RTA's (our DMV) business hours are the complete opposite of Florida's business hours and there's no way I could get someone who works at the RTA to do something outside of their working hours

Still waiting to hear back from Brevard County. Like I said, I'm not expecting them to be able to do anything for me, but I could always take the email from them to the RTA and see if that helps my cause at all...

 

[mareeld86]

Hey Bec. I know working at the bank that you only need a certified copy of your certificate. I know thats no help for you licence but its kind of a help for other stuff. Sorry this has happened and I hope married life is treating you well.

 

[chocolate_monsta]

Hey,

Another aussie here...... Now - in Australia we have two doccuments, a marraige certificate and a certificate of marriage.

One is the doccument the pastor/priest/celebrant etc gives you on the day. It itself however is not suitable to use to change name etc. You then use that certificate to apply for the second certificate, which you can then show to your bank, vicroads, etc etc etc

I believe with the certified florida certificate, you can apply for the second certificate and use that to change details etc. Cost is $40.

Alternately, you can always head down to the registry office and perform a legal Aus marriage... Given however that its the Aus Government that says they do recognise the overseas marriage, so long as it was legal in the state and country it was performed in, and would also meet the Aus requirements....

Very interested to see what happens here!