KANSAS – Applying for a marriage license in Kansas is about to get easier and more convenient, thanks to a grant-funded project to move most of the process online.
Starting Dec. 18, couples applying for a marriage license in Kansas were able to complete the application online at www.kscourts.org/marriage. The only require-ment is that an applicant has an email address.
“The pandemic challenged our courts to reimagine how we serve the people of Kansas and moving the marriage license application online is one example,” said Chief Justice Marla Luckert. “This change makes applying for a license faster and easier, and it gives Kansans the type of online service they expect.”
The Office of Judicial Administration and NIC Kansas developed the online marriage license application, a service that allows Kansas couples to apply for a license at any time from any location, even using their smartphones.
Before the pandemic, a couple seeking a marriage license would appear in person at a courthouse to swear an oath and submit information and identification to court staff. When the pandemic forced courts to limit in-person service, courts found a temporary solution for processing applications entirely through encrypted email. The online application replaces all but the final step, which is to deliver the marriage license to the applicant by encrypted email.
“Our courts were able to quickly adopt a remote marriage license application process at the beginning of the pandemic, but this online option provides a permanent solution,” said Nancy Dixon, judicial administrator for the Kansas judicial branch. “We are eager for Kansans planning to marry soon to be among the first to try it.”
The project to create an online marriage license application was funded by a grant approved by the State Finance Council from federal coronavirus relief funds, following a recommendation from the governor’s Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Task Force.