UPDATED: December 8, 2020
Due to government restrictions and changes in government policies and operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic response, the availability and/or delivery of some of our services have been affected. We have compiled the most up-to-date information on this page, and will be updating this page as new information becomes available. If you have any questions regarding these updates or how our services have been affected, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to assist you. Thank you!
Effective 11/25/2020, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has restricted the number of people for an indoor gathering to a maximum of 10 people, and outdoor gatherings to a maximum of 25 people. Washington, DC is currently in PHASE TWO REOPENING with some modifications. For current restrictions on travel and more, please visit CORONAVIRUS.DC.GOV for information.
LEGAL MARRIAGE & ELOPEMENT PACKAGES
DC Elopements® is still able to perform all services included in our DC Legal Marriage and Washington DC Elopement Packages, and our customers are still getting married every week despite the restrictions and ongoing delays. Some services included in our packages are experiencing delays or modified processing (especially obtaining marriage licenses and certified copies from the court), but rest assured that we are still able to help you get married in DC as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Please read the below updates on how specific services are currently affected, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to book a package today!
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Due to limited operations at the DC Superior Court, the DC Marriage Bureau is experiencing severe delays in processing time and is now taking up to 8 weeks or more to process new applications for marriage licenses.
Based on the latest DC Superior Court Notice of Clerk’s Offices Operations (revised 11/19/2020), the DC Marriage Bureau is currently closed to the public and staff is operating remotely, resulting in severe delays for couples applying for marriage licenses in Washington, DC.
Please be advised that we are doing everything we possibly can to submit applications and obtain DC marriage licenses as quickly as possible, but our ability to do so in a timely manner is limited by the situation at the DC Marriage Bureau. That said, we communicate with the staff at the DC Marriage Bureau multiple times per week, and have been successful at resolving issues that our clients had not been capable of handling on their own due to various constraints and changes in policies at the court.
If you have questions about obtaining a DC Marriage License, or are a current customer needing an update on the status of your submitted application, please contact us as soon as possible.
CERTIFIED COPIES
We are still able to obtain regular certified copies and “triple seal” copies of marriage licenses, but the process takes longer than usual and no “expedited” service is presently available since we cannot physically enter the DC Marriage Bureau. If you are ordering a service which includes certified copies, we will process the request with the court immediately following your marriage. As soon as we receive the certified copies back from the court, they will be mailed directly to you.
Apostille Marriage License authentication services are currently taking approximately 3 months to obtain once we submit triple seal certified copies to the the Office of Authentications.
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
If you are in what the DC Marriage Bureau deems to be an “emergency” situation (according to the latest court guidance this includes health insurance, birth of a child, and immigration) and
have an immediate need for a marriage license or certified copy, we may be able to assist you in obtaining those documents more quickly. Please contact us for details.
ONLINE MARRIAGES VIA ZOOM
Due to the COVID-19 state of emergency, it is currently legal to get married on Zoom in Washington, DC as long as certain guidelines are met:
- The parties must both be in the same physical location inside the District of Columbia when the ceremony takes place
- The parties must have already obtained a marriage license prior to the ceremony
- The officiant must be someone who has obtained authorization from the court to perform marriages in Washington, DC
- The officiant must also be physically located inside the District of Columbia when the ceremony takes place
If you are interested in getting married online in Washington, DC then please contact us as soon as possible to discuss your plans.
If you have any questions regarding the information on this page, or to report outdated or inaccurate information, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you!
