Community Corner

Two Same-Sex Couples Apply for Marriage Licenses in Tiverton

Two same-sex couples applied for marriage licenses in Tiverton on Thursday, when same-sex marriage officially became legal in Rhode Island.

Two Tiverton same-sex couples will tie the knot thanks to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the Ocean State, but you won't be hearing their name anytime soon. 

Tiverton Town Clerk employees say two couples in town applied for marriage licenses on Thursday, when same-sex marriage officially became legal in Rhode Island.

How to get married in Rhode Island

  • If both persons live in Rhode Island, you may apply for a marriage license at the city or town hall where either person resides.
  • If only one person lives in Rhode Island, you must apply for a marriage license from the city or town hall where the Rhode Island resident lives.
  • If neither person lives in Rhode Island, you must apply for a marriage license from the clerks' office in the city or town where the marriage ceremony will be performed.
  • Both persons must provide identification and proof of birth facts when applying for a marriage license. Be sure to check with the town or city clerk’s office where you will apply for a marriage license for their requirements regarding acceptable forms of identification and proof of birth facts.
Did you know marriage licenses are not public record? 

Did you know all marriage licenses and records are protected under Rhode Island's Vital Record Law

When it comes to public records, state laws vary on what information can be released to the public. 

In Rhode Island, birth certificates, death certificates and marriage licenses all fall under the authority of the Department of Health thanks to the Vital Records law. 

"Vital records are confidential. Only individuals who have what is called a 'direct and tangible interest' in the records can access them," according to the Department of Health website. 

In other words, the names of those same-sex couples who marry today will remain private and confidential, the same as any heterosexual couple applying for a marriage license. 

"It (the law) protects everyone," said a Tiverton Town Hall employee who asked to only go by the name Doris. "There's so many identity thefts today. That's one of the big reasons." 

The Department of Health's Vital Records Office is allowed to review applications and release records for "research purposes" under the law, but may also refuse the request. Each copy for a record costs $20. 

However, as with any law, there's an exception. 

"Birth and marriage records 100 years or older and death records 50 years or older are considered public records and may be obtained from the city or town hall where the event happened or through the Rhode Island State Archives," according to the Department of Health website. 


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