Honolulu County Marriage License

Honolulu County covers the entire island of Oahu and is home to the main Hawaii Department of Health Vital Records office. Couples applying for a marriage license in Honolulu County start the process online through the state EMRS system, then meet in person with a licensed agent. The primary office is at 1250 Punchbowl Street in Honolulu, where the Marriage License Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This page covers where to go, how to apply, certificate copy procedures, and how to locate historical Honolulu County marriage records.

Honolulu County Marriage License Office

The Hawaii Department of Health office at Kinau Hale is the main location for marriage licenses on Oahu. It handles both the marriage license application appointments and vital records issuance for Honolulu County. The building is at the corner of Beretania and Punchbowl Streets in downtown Honolulu. Metered parking is available in front of the building with entry from Punchbowl Street at $2 per hour, payable by cash or credit card.

Walk-in service is available at the Honolulu office, but appointments are encouraged. The office is closed on all state holidays. For marriage certificate copies, residents can also order online and choose to pick up the order at the Honolulu office rather than receive it by mail.

The local registrar for marriage performer registration in Honolulu County is: State Department of Health, Vital Records Office, P.O. Box 3378, Honolulu, Hawaii 96801, phone (808) 586-4540.

Getting a Marriage License in Honolulu County

The process starts online. Visit the Electronic Marriage and Civil Union Registration System (EMRS) to complete the application and pay the $65 fee. This consists of a $60 application fee and a $5 portal fee. Both are non-refundable. After paying, the system gives you an Authorization Code and Locator ID. Print it or write it down. You need it when you meet with a license agent. The online application is good for up to one year. After that it expires with no refund.

Both people must appear together before a licensed agent no more than 30 days before the ceremony. The appointment should happen well before your ceremony date to leave time for any issues. The agent reviews your IDs, checks your application status, and issues the license at the meeting. Bring valid government-issued photo ID for both applicants. A state driver's license, Hawaii state ID, or passport all work. After the license is issued, you have 30 days to hold your ceremony. If that window passes, the license is void.

There is no waiting period in Honolulu County or anywhere in Hawaii. You can get married the same day the agent hands over the license.

For couples getting married in Honolulu County, the EMRS system will show a list of available agents on Oahu after completing the online application. Some are government employees at the Punchbowl Street office. Others are private agents located throughout the island.

The Honolulu Vital Records services page covers walk-in procedures, online ordering options, and pickup availability for marriage certificate copies.

Marriage Certificate Copies in Honolulu County

Certified copies of marriage certificates are available online, by mail, and in person. Online is the fastest method. Use the Hawaii Vital Records ordering system at vitrec.ehawaii.gov. Records go back to July 1909. Honolulu County residents can choose to pick up their order at the Punchbowl Street office or have it mailed to their address.

Fees are $10 for the first certified copy, $4 for each additional copy of the same record, and a $2.50 portal administration fee per order (for up to five certificates). A single-copy order costs $12.50 total. The name on the credit or debit card must match the requestor's name on the order form. Mismatches delay orders. Average mail processing time is six to eight weeks. Creating a free eHawaii account makes tracking your order and reordering easier.

For in-person requests at Room 103, the office accepts cash, credit card, cashier's check, certified check, and money order. Personal checks are not accepted. For mail requests, pay by cashier's check, certified check, or money order payable to the State Department of Health. Send forms and payment to: State Department of Health, Office of Health Status Monitoring, Issuance/Vital Statistics Section, P.O. Box 3378, Honolulu, HI 96801.

Note: Apostille or authentication requests are mail-in only. The online system does not process apostille requests.

The Honolulu marriage records page outlines how eligible persons can request certified copies of Honolulu County marriage certificates.

Historical Honolulu County Marriage Records

The Hawaii State Archives holds extensive historical marriage records for Honolulu County and all of Oahu. The Vital Statistics Collection includes Marriage Licenses from Honolulu (1887, 1899, 1903-1904, 1908-1910), Records of Marriage from Koolauloa (1911-1912, 1923-1924), Marriage Licenses from Waianae (1892-1894, 1896-1901, 1906-1913), Marriage Licenses from Waialua (1917), Records from Ewa (1913-1923), Records from Koolaupoko (1914-1929), and Records from Wahiawa (1925-1929). These cover the major districts that make up present-day Honolulu County. The Archives is at 364 South King Street on the Iolani Palace Grounds, open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., phone (808) 586-0329.

The Ulukau Hawaiian Electronic Library has the genealogy indexes online, including Oahu marriage records from 1826 to 1929. Reference numbers in the index (like O-27.34) point to specific volumes and pages in the Archives collection. You can use the index online, then contact the Archives or the Department of Health to get a copy. The Hawaii State Library at 478 South King Street in Honolulu also holds microfilm collections including Marriage Index (Groom) and Marriage Index (Bride) from July 1909 through June 1949, and Marriage Certificates (by Area) from July 1909 through November 1920.

FamilySearch maintains major Honolulu County record collections online. Key databases include Hawaii Marriages 1826-1922 (index), Hawaii Marriages 1826-1954 (index and images), and Hawaii Board of Health Marriage Record Indexes 1909-1989. These are free to search at FamilySearch.org.

Honolulu County Marriage License Requirements

Honolulu County follows state law set out in Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 572. There are no county-specific rules that differ from state requirements. The legal age to marry is 18. Those between 16 and 17 need written parental consent. Minors under family court jurisdiction also need a judge's written approval. There are no residency requirements and no blood tests. First cousins may marry. Closer blood relationships are prohibited.

When a prior marriage ended less than 30 days before picking up the new license, the agent needs to see the divorce decree or death certificate. Consent must be free. The requirements of HRS §572-1 apply to every marriage in Honolulu County just as they do statewide. Neither person can have a living lawful spouse. Both must be physically present at the ceremony location at the time of the ceremony. The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii offers guidance for people who need help navigating vital records requests.

Cities in Honolulu County

All communities on Oahu are part of Honolulu County and use the same DOH office at 1250 Punchbowl Street for marriage license services.

Other Hawaii Counties

Each of Hawaii's other counties has its own district health office and local agents. If your ceremony is on another island, apply on the island where the ceremony takes place.