<P> The US states of Florida, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Indiana, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Mississippi, California, New York, and the District of Columbia once required blood tests before issuing a marriage license, but such requirements have since been abolished . The tests were mainly used to check for previous or current bouts of syphilis and rubella (German measles); other diseases that have been screened for before marriage in some cases have included tuberculosis, gonorrhea, and HIV, the last of which is the only one of those three that is detectable using a blood test . </P> <P> Many states require 1 to 6 days to pass between the granting of the license and the marriage ceremony . After the marriage ceremony, both spouses and the officiant sign the marriage license (some states also require a witness). The officiant or couple then files for a certified copy of the marriage license and a marriage certificate with the appropriate authority . Some states also have a requirement that a license be filed within a certain time after its issuance, typically 30 or 60 days, following which a new license must be obtained . </P> <P> Marriage licenses in the United States fall under the jurisdiction of the state in which the ceremony is performed; however, the marriage is generally recognized across the country . The state in which they are married holds the record of that marriage . Traditionally, working with law enforcement was the only means of searching and accessing marriage license information across state lines . </P> <P> Some groups and individuals believe that the requirement to obtain a marriage license is unnecessary or immoral . The Libertarian Party, for instance, believes that marriage should be a matter of personal liberty, not requiring permission from the state . Individuals who align with this libertarian stance argue that marriage is a right, and that by allowing the state to exercise control over marriage, it falsely presupposes that we merely have the privilege, not the right, to marry . As an example of a right (as opposed to a privilege), those that are born in the US receive a birth certificate (certifying that they have been born), not a birth license (which would give them license so they could be born). Some Christian groups also argue that a marriage is a contract between a man and a woman presided over by God, so no authorization from the state is required . Some US states have started citing the state specifically as a party in the marriage contract which is seen by some as an infringement . </P>

What does it mean to have a marriage license