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Should a marriage license have an expiration date?

In my state:

Hunting/fishing license expires every year

Pharmacy Tech/CNA/Cosmetologist expires about every 3 years

Drivers license about every 10 years

You have to renew every kind of license given out from business, firearms, liquor, pilot, and racing.

So why is the marriage license a, "1 time done deal for life?" Not even the army has a contract like that! Divorce is such a terrible thing to go through, both emotionally and financially. Having couples renew a license every 3 years or so, would generate more revenue for the courts, and local and state governments.

Update:

@ Batman - Nice answer! You've explained such a diverse opinion on the question at hand; thank you!

Update 2:

@ Rorydee - Those vows are taken between the husband and wive and before God. Not everyone has a traditional marriage like that. There are a lot that have justice-of-the-peace weddings that do not involve vows, but just the signing of a license.

Update 3:

@ Tamara - This is kind of humorous because I've been making people laugh with it since I've been asking, but it is a great idea.

Update 4:

@ LC - I thought about that too! We are at 50% divorce rate in the US. So that means 50% of marriage will generate more revenue back to the courts through divorce. Now Imagine 100% of marriages generating revenue back to the courts. The only people that would be missing out are the lawyers, because in each renewal fee, you can add in court cost, local and state taxes...and raise them anytime you want. Divorce, the courts are still getting their set amount, the reason it cost more is because of the sharks.

Update 5:

@ Lola - I wasn't underminding the vows or commitment. I understand that, but not everyone exchanges vows at the courthouse. The point is, marriage is really the only committing license out there that is for life. Say you get married at 20; you are basically saying you're going to spend the next 60 years (on average life span) with someone, when you have no concept of a 60 year period, since you've only lived for 20. No wonder our divorce rate is so high!

Update 6:

@ Lola - Well, this idea doesn't mean you have to have another wedding. It could be like your license plates, where you receive a notice in the mail that it is about to expire and you send in the money. However, this does give women the opportunity to wear the dress again, and renew your pledge to someone every 3 years or so. It doesn't have to be 3 either, maybe 5 or 10?

Update 7:

@ Little Miss - Just imagine when its time to renew, and you look at each other and say. Well, it was fun but I don't think I'm going to renew this year.

@ Kermit - What does that have to do with anything, and how is it typical? This is on the local and state level which I'm for, not a federal regulation. This would be totally on the states! Get it! Now take you smart a$$ reply to the political forum!

12 Answers

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  • ?
    Lv 6
    10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    I think it is a good idea because it causes both sides to decide if they really want to stay married with each other.

  • 5 years ago

    1

    Source(s): Marriage Record Search Database : http://marriagerecords.zourg.com/?aOS
  • Anonymous
    4 years ago

    2

    Source(s): Solution to Avoid Divorce http://enle.info/SaveYourMarriage
  • LC
    Lv 5
    10 years ago

    I'm not sure if renewing a marriage license would create more money for the courts, maybe over a period of many years. Every divorce creates a lot of revenue for the lawyers and the courts. Most marriages end in divorce and sometimes within a year. Think of all the money the courts would lose if the people wanting a divorce decided to just separate and wait the extra year or two for the license to expire.

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  • 10 years ago

    Because that would contradict the wedding vows. The whole point of a marriage is to vow your love to someone for the rest of your life. If marriage licenses had expiration dates, then it would just be a roommate contract and not a marriage.

  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    No, why should you have to renew your marriage? The reason why you have to renew your license is to keep tabs on drivers. Driving can be a dangerous thing and that's why your license needs to be renewed. But a marriage license shouldn't have to be renewed, no.

  • 10 years ago

    We had a jp wedding, and we exchanged the whole, " in sickness and in health, for richer or poor," at our simple wedding at the courthouse. They mean just as much to us as they would had we gotten married in a church. That's called commitment.

    I think your idea would be good for some people, not all, and think of the expense of having another wedding, because thats what we women will want.

    hehehehehe....but we will want another wedding with gifts and everything!!!

  • 10 years ago

    actually.. a marriage license DOES expire. if you do not marry within a certain amount of time the license expires.

    a marriage is what happens after the license........

    what we REALLY need is a license to have children!! I just answered a question for some dumbass who wanted to know if she could get her military ID with THC in her system.... but her previous questions asked about less then one year old child.................

  • ?
    Lv 5
    10 years ago

    Why not, it certainly would save a lot of people the trouble of divorce. It does violate the sanctity of marriage but times are different and people don't take it as seriously as they once did. I would vote for it to happen.

  • Anonymous
    10 years ago

    It's kind of rich that someone who is upset about "Obamunism" is looking to add more Government regulations. LOL

    Typical though.

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