1. (a) Except as provided in section 46b-28a, no persons may be joined in marriage in this state until both have complied with the provisions of this section, sections 46b-20a, 46b-25 and 46b-29 to 46b-33, inclusive, and have been issued a license by the registrar for the town in which the marriage is to be celebrated, which license shall bear the certification of the registrar that the persons named therein have complied with the provisions of said sections.
2. (b) Such license, when certified by the registrar, is sufficient authority for any person authorized to perform a marriage ceremony in this state to join such persons in marriage, provided the ceremony is performed within a period of not more than sixty-five days after the date of application.
3. (c) Anyone who joins any persons in marriage without having received such license from them shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.
4. (d) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, in order to be valid in this state, a marriage ceremony shall be conducted by and in the physical presence of a person who is authorized to solemnize marriages.

(1967, P.A. 313, S. 1; P.A. 78-230, S. 5, 54; P.A. 03-188, S. 3; P.A. 07-79, S. 6; P.A. 09-232, S. 73; P.A. 16-66, S. 29; P.A. 17-54, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 78-230 divided section into Subsecs. and made minor changes in wording and added fine provision applicable to those who marry persons without receiving license, designated as Subsec. (c); Sec. 46-5a transferred to Sec. 46b-24 in 1979 and internal section references changed as necessary to reflect those sections' transfer; P.A. 03-188 amended Subsec. (a) by authorizing a registrar for a town to issue a marriage license when either person to be married is a resident of such town, deleting reference to repealed Secs. 46b-26 and 46b-27, adding reference to Sec. 46b-25 and making technical changes, and amended Subsec. (b) by deleting provision that required marriage ceremony take place “within the town where the license was issued”; P.A. 07-79 added Subsec. (d) to require marriage ceremonies to be conducted by and in the physical presence of a person authorized to solemnize marriages; P.A. 09-232 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting former Subdiv. (2) re authority of registrar for a town to issue marriage license when either person to be married resides in such town and by making a conforming change; P.A. 16-66 amended Subsec. (a) to add “Except as provided in section 46b-28a,” and make technical changes, effective May 27, 2016; P.A. 17-54 amended Subsec. (a) to add reference to Sec. 46b-20a and make technical changes.