Legal Guide
The Legal Side of
Getting Married in PR
Here is the honest truth: while it is technically possible to get legally married in Puerto Rico, the process is significantly more complicated than most wedding blogs suggest. Our strong recommendation is to handle the legal marriage in your home state and have a beautiful symbolic ceremony in Puerto Rico.
Our Recommendation: Get Legally Married at Home
The vast majority of destination wedding couples — and virtually every experienced Puerto Rico wedding professional — will tell you the same thing: handle the legal paperwork at home and celebrate your symbolic ceremony on the island. This is not a compromise. It is the smartest, most stress-free approach, and it allows you to be fully present for your Puerto Rico celebration without bureaucratic anxiety hanging over your wedding week.
Get Legally Married in Your Home State
Visit your local courthouse or county clerk before your trip. The process is straightforward, fast, and entirely within your control. Many couples do this quietly a few days or weeks before traveling — some make it a special moment with just the two of them, others bring their parents or closest friends.
Have Your Dream Ceremony in Puerto Rico
Your Puerto Rico celebration becomes a symbolic ceremony — which is exactly what most wedding ceremonies already are: a public declaration of love in front of the people who matter most. Your officiant performs the ceremony you designed, you exchange vows, your guests cry happy tears, and the day is entirely about the experience — not paperwork.
Enjoy Your Wedding Week Stress-Free
Without the pressure of squeezing government office visits, medical appointments, and filing deadlines into your wedding trip, you can focus entirely on enjoying Puerto Rico, spending time with your guests, and being present for every magical moment.
A Symbolic Ceremony Is Still Your Wedding
There is a common misconception that a symbolic ceremony is somehow “less than” a legal one. It is not. The legal act of marriage is the signing of a document — something that takes five minutes at a courthouse. The ceremony is the celebration: the vows you wrote, the tears your mother sheds, the moment your partner sees you for the first time, the laughter and the dancing and the magic of the evening.
A symbolic ceremony in Puerto Rico carries every ounce of that emotion. Your officiant performs the ceremony you designed. You exchange the rings and the vows. Your guests witness your commitment. The only difference is that the paperwork was handled quietly, on your terms, without the stress of navigating government offices during the most important week of your life.
This is what the overwhelming majority of destination wedding couples do — and what virtually every experienced Puerto Rico wedding professional recommends.
If You Still Want to Get Legally Married in Puerto Rico
While we recommend handling the legal marriage at home, here is what the Puerto Rico process actually involves — so you can make an informed decision.
Residency Requirement
None — no waiting period or residency required
Medical Examination
Required — both partners must undergo a physical examination by a government-approved physician within the 10-day license window
Approved Physicians
The examination must be performed by a doctor from an approved list — not just any physician
Demographic Registry Visit
Both partners must appear in person at a Registro Demográfico office, which may or may not be open due to power outages, weather, or unannounced closures
License Validity
10 days from issue date — all steps must be completed within this window
Marriage License Fee
Approximately $150 (subject to change)
Valid ID Required
Government-issued photo ID (passport or Real ID driver's license)
Divorce Decree
Required if previously married (certified copy)
The Reality on the Ground
What the other wedding blogs don't tell you
- 1
The Demographic Registry offices operate on unpredictable schedules. Power outages, weather events, and unannounced closures are common. You may arrive to find the office closed with no notice.
- 2
The required medical examination must be completed by a physician from an approved government list. These doctors operate on their own schedules and availability, which can be equally unpredictable.
- 3
All of this — registry visit, medical examination for both partners, ceremony, and license filing — must happen within a 10-day window. If any single step is delayed by a closure, a scheduling conflict, or a logistical issue, the entire process must start over.
- 4
You are trying to navigate a multi-step government bureaucracy on an island where infrastructure challenges are a daily reality — during what should be the most joyful week of your life.
This is why we — along with nearly every experienced Puerto Rico wedding venue and planner — recommend handling the legal marriage in your home state. It removes an unnecessary layer of stress from what should be the most joyful week of your life.
The Good News: No Passport Needed
Regardless of whether your ceremony is legal or symbolic, U.S. citizens do not need a passport to travel to Puerto Rico. It is a U.S. territory — your valid driver's license or state ID is all you need to fly there and back. No customs, no immigration, no currency exchange. Just board the plane and you're on your way.
Legal & Ceremony FAQ
We strongly recommend getting legally married in your home state before traveling to Puerto Rico and having a symbolic ceremony on the island. The Puerto Rico legal marriage process requires in-person visits to a Demographic Registry (which may be closed without notice), a medical examination by a government-approved physician for both partners, and completion of all steps within a 10-day window. Infrastructure challenges on the island — power outages, weather closures, unpredictable office hours — make this process significantly more stressful than it needs to be. Getting legally married at home removes this burden entirely and allows you to enjoy your Puerto Rico celebration without bureaucratic pressure.
No. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so U.S. citizens do not need a passport. A valid driver's license or state ID is sufficient for both travel and identification. If you are not a U.S. citizen, standard passport and visa requirements apply.
Absolutely — and most wedding ceremonies are already symbolic in nature. The legal act of marriage is the signing of a document; the ceremony is the public celebration of your commitment in front of the people you love. A symbolic ceremony in Puerto Rico carries every bit of the emotion, beauty, and meaning of a legal one — without the stress of navigating government offices during your wedding week. Your officiant performs the ceremony you designed, you exchange the vows you wrote, and the experience is indistinguishable from a legal ceremony for you and your guests.
Yes, and it is incredibly popular. Many Puerto Rico officiants perform beautiful bilingual ceremonies in English and Spanish — whether symbolic or legal. This is a wonderful way to honor the culture of the island and accommodate all guests.
The process requires: (1) an in-person visit to a Demographic Registry office by both partners, (2) a physical medical examination by a government-approved physician for both partners, (3) payment of the license fee, (4) a ceremony performed by an authorized officiant, and (5) filing of the completed license — all within a 10-day window. Registry offices and approved physicians operate on unpredictable schedules, and closures due to power outages, weather, or other reasons are common. This is why most experienced Puerto Rico wedding professionals recommend handling the legal marriage in your home state.
Many couples handle this beautifully by either keeping the courthouse visit private (it is your personal business, after all) or by framing it as a practical step: 'We signed the paperwork at home so we can be fully present for our celebration in Puerto Rico.' Your guests will understand — and frankly, most will not even think to ask. The Puerto Rico ceremony is the wedding. The paperwork is just paperwork.