Marriage Certificates FAQs

It is an official document that states a legal relationship between two people in matrimony. It records as well the date, location, the person who conducted the ceremony, and witnesses who were present. Also, a marriage certificate can be used for several procedures. As a result, it's generally a must to legally change a party's name, during divorce proceedings, for genealogical connections, etc.

The State is the one who decides if this record is public or not. Nonetheless, this is often a private record. In general, main authorities are not allowed to circulate complete personal information of identification for either party of the marriage. Thus, to fully access this information, the requester has to be on the record or has to have legal authorization.

You have two ways to do so. The first one is to go directly to the vital record office in the state where you were married. Then, you will have to complete some forms and pay the corresponding fees. The second way is to request it online. To do so, Vital Records Gov has a standardized process that allows you to avoid waiting in lines and to physically travel to the office. Nonetheless, you have to keep in mind there is some information you need to have before requesting it. Mainly you will need to provide full names, exact date and place of the wedding, the reason for the request, proof of relationship to the married people, and identification. Once you complete all forms and pay the corresponding fees, you will only have to wait to receive your certificate.

If it is the first time, you will need to ask for a marriage license. Here you will complete the document with all the information asked. Then, during the ceremony, the rest of the document will be filled. This is the signature of the officiant and of the witnesses if needed. Only then, your license can be sent to the office for official registration. The license will become a marriage certificate after that. If you have already done the process mentioned before, you can apply for this vital record at the vital records office of the state in which you registered the marriage. You can go directly to the office or apply online. At Vital Records Gov, we provide a simplified process, and it can be done anywhere, regardless of which state you are in. Yet, another way to get your certificate is to request it directly to the country clerk, city or town hall, or the civil register. Keep in mind, it has to be the same as when your wedding took place. When married outside the US, you will need to contact the U.S. Department of State's website. There, you'll find which is the issuing authority to address and how much are the applicable fees.

The waiting time varies depending on whether the request was physical or online. The moment of request can influence as well. Generally speaking, the average waiting period is 2 weeks, sometimes even less. However, if the office receives the request the same day of your wedding, it is possible you could draw it that day, but it is not guaranteed.

Since there's no space for ordering online, requests tend to be face-to-face. However, you can request your certificate through online platforms offering this kind of service. Moreover, Vital Records Gov simplifies this process and allows you to make it possible to order online in a very simple way.

The price of a marriage certificate relies on the fees set by the state in which your marriage took place. As a result, the first copy can cost between $5 to $26, this depends on the state, and more copies can go from $3 to $15 each.

No. You will need a marriage license before your wedding. It is used to prove you are eligible for a legal marriage in the United States. On the contrary, a marriage certificate is a document that registers exact information related to the marriage and the people involved. It will be used for legal information about yourself in the future. As for a marriage license, it has no much use besides for a wedding.