How to find marriage records
A marriage record is kept by the office that issued the license, usually a county clerk, and in many states also by the state vital records office. A certified copy comes from one of those two; the decorative certificate from the wedding is not one.
On this page
Local office or state office
Order from the county (or town) that issued the license; that office has the original record. Many state vital records offices also issue copies or verification letters for marriages after a certain year. The table below gives the office in each state.
The certificate you got at the wedding is not a certified copy
Multnomah County, Oregon, warns that "the decorative certificate that you get when you pick up your license is not a certified copy and cannot be used as proof of marriage"1. Agencies such as the Social Security Administration, the DMV or a passport office need a certified copy from the issuing office.
Public and confidential licenses
Some states keep certain marriage records confidential. California is one: in Orange County "a public marriage license becomes a public record, and anyone can request an informational copy"2, while a confidential license can be copied only by the spouses. Informational copies cannot be used for legal purposes3.
Marriage records by state
| State | Who holds it | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | County Judge of Probate (original record) | $15.00 search fee incl. one certified copy (or certificate of failure to find) |
| Alaska | State: Department of Health, Health Analytics & Vital Records (Juneau and Anchorage offices) issues marriage licenses and holds marriage certificates | $30 first certified copy, $25 each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time |
| Arizona | Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the license was issued/filed | Statutory: $30 for a certified copy or abstract of marriage application or license |
| Arkansas | County Clerk issues and records marriage licenses | — |
| California | Public marriages: County Recorder of the county where the license was issued | $19 per copy (CDPH-VR, VS 113A) |
| Colorado | County Clerk and Recorder of the county that issued the license (certified copies) | County certified copy: $0.25 per license/application plus $1.00 certification (El Paso). |
| Connecticut | Registrar of vital statistics (vital records office) of the town where the marriage took place | $20 per certified copy (town or state) |
| Delaware | Clerk of the Peace of each county issues marriage licenses, records the returned certificates and issues certified copies | $25 per certified copy of a marriage license/certificate (waived for active military members and spouses with valid military ID), whether issued by Vital Statistics or a Clerk of the Peace. New Castle County's Clerk of the Peace adds a one-time $2.50 processing fee on mail orders. |
| District of Columbia | DC Superior Court, Family Court Marriage Bureau, Moultrie Courthouse JM 690, 500 Indiana Ave NW | $10 per certified copy |
| Florida | License issued and recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court (or county court judge) in the county | DOH by mail/walk-in: $5 (search of one calendar year + one certified copy, non-refundable) |
| Georgia | County Probate Court (issues licenses and keeps marriage records) | $10.00 non-refundable search fee (one certified copy if found) |
| Hawaii | State Department of Health (Office of Health Status Monitoring, Vital Records) — not counties. Licenses are issued by DOH marriage license agents statewide (Oahu office at 201 Merchant St., Suite 100, Honolulu | Certified copy: $10.00 first copy, $4.00 each additional copy (same certificate, same order), plus $2.50 General Administration Fee per increment of up to 5 copies (1 copy total $12.50). Letter of verification $5. |
| Idaho | License issued and the certificate recorded by the county recorder (county clerk's office) | $16 per certified copy from DHW Vital Records (VitalChek adds $10.50 fee). County copies: the recorder that issued the license (Canyon County: by mail or in person, with proof of interest |
| Illinois | County clerk of the county where the marriage occurred (certified copies) | $5 |
| Indiana | Clerk of the Circuit Court in the county that issued the license (certified copies) | — |
| Iowa | County Recorder (as county registrar) issues marriage licenses and holds local marriage records | — |
| Kansas | Clerk (or judge) of the district court in the county that issued the license holds the license/marriage record (public at the district court) | — |
| Kentucky | County Clerk files the certificate and keeps the marriage register | — |
| Louisiana | License issued by the clerk of court in any parish except Orleans | $5.00 per certified copy of an Orleans Parish marriage certificate (plus $0.50 state charge on mail/VitalChek orders) |
| Maine | Maine CDC Data, Research and Vital Statistics (DRVS) from 1892, and most municipal offices | $15 certified, $6 each additional same record |
| Massachusetts | City/town clerk where the marriage intention was filed (not where the ceremony occurred) | RVRS: $20 in person |
| Michigan | County clerk issues the license | State: $34.00 search including one certified copy |
| Minnesota | County office that issued the license | — |
| Missouri | County Recorder of Deeds issues marriage licenses and keeps the original marriage certificate | Recorder: $2 per certified copy of a marriage license/application (59.310.6(7) |
| Montana | Clerk of District Court in the county where the license was purchased (not the state) | $5 for a copy of a marriage license (clerk of district court) |
| Nebraska | County clerk of the issuing county issues licenses and keeps the license record | State (DHHS): $16 per certified marriage certificate. County clerk: Madison County $16 certified (from July 18, 2026 |
| Nevada | Marriage license issued by the County Clerk | Statutory recorder fee: $10 for a certified copy of a marriage certificate plus $5 for the domestic/sexual violence victims account |
| New Hampshire | City/town clerk issues the license and holds records | $15 search fee (includes first certified copy) |
| New Jersey | Local Registrar of the municipality where the marriage took place, or the NJ Department of Health Office of Vital Statistics and Registry (Trenton). Licenses are issued by the local registrar of the municipality where either party lives. | $25 (search + one certified copy or certification or No Record Statement) |
| New Mexico | County Clerk of the county that issued the license | $55.00 license fee, covering issuing, acknowledging and recording |
| New York | Town or city clerk where the license was issued (local copies) | NYS DOH certified copy: $30 by mail |
| North Carolina | County Register of Deeds where the license was issued | $24 nonrefundable search fee per three-year period, includes one copy if found |
| North Dakota | County official who issued the license. By default the Recorder, but the county commission may designate another office, so custodians include Clerk of Court, County Treasurer (Cass), Tax Equalization (Grand Forks) and County Auditor (Williams). | — |
| Ohio | County Probate Court (probate division of common pleas) where the license was issued | Probate certified copy of journal entry, record, or proceeding: $1.00 per page (minimum $1) |
| Oklahoma | Court Clerk (clerk of the district court) of the county where the license was issued | — |
| Oregon | County clerk of the issuing county (license records) and the Oregon Center for Health Statistics (state vital records | OHA: $25 search fee and first certificate, $25 each additional (mail, drop box) |
| Pennsylvania | County Register of Wills / Clerk of the Orphans' Court (licenses since Sept. 30, 1885) | — |
| Rhode Island | City/town clerk (local registrar) where the license was issued | State office: $22 in person, $25 by mail, $18 each extra copy same day |
| South Carolina | County Probate Judge issues licenses and keeps the record | $12 search including one certified copy (non-refundable) |
| South Dakota | County Register of Deeds issues licenses (any county) and keeps marriage records | $15 per certified or informational copy (DOH |
| Tennessee | Licenses issued and recorded by the County Clerk (any county | County clerk: $5.00 to certify a copy |
| Texas | County Clerk of the county that issued the license (certified copies only there) | $5.00 certificate plus $1.00 per page (county clerk certified papers) |
| Utah | County Clerk of the county that issued the license (licenses are issued by any county clerk | State OVRS marriage certificate (abstract) $25, additional copies of the same record ordered the same day $10 |
| Vermont | License from any Vermont town clerk | $10.00 per certified copy |
| Virginia | License issued and recorded by the Clerk of the Circuit Court | $15 per certified copy or search (no refund if not found) |
| Washington | County auditor of the county that issued the license (recorded license/certificate) | $25 per DOH certificate (state) |
| West Virginia | County clerk (clerk of the county commission) issues licenses and records marriages | $5 for a certified copy of a marriage license from the county clerk |
| Wisconsin | License: county clerk (any Wisconsin county). Completed marriage document is filed with a register of deeds within 3 days of the ceremony | $20 first certified copy |
| Wyoming | License: any Wyoming county clerk (valid statewide, expires after 1 year). Certificates are recorded by the county clerk and filed with the state registrar (WDH Vital Statistics Services), which issues later certified copies. | County clerk: $5.00 for a marriage license certified copy (statutory). State certified copy from Vital Statistics Services: $25.00 (CDC Where to Write, last reviewed April 23, 2026). |
Each state links to its guide, where every office and fee carries its official source and check date. Fees shown are the state’s fee for a copy; the state guide lists the others.
Get copies from the office, not a look-alike site
Searching an official index costs nothing or the fee the office sets. Some commercial sites that rank for record searches sell subscriptions or reports that are not certified copies. How to tell them apart.
Sources
Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 3 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.
- Get a marriage licenseMultnomah County, Oregon
- Marriage ServicesOrange County Clerk-Recorder, California
- Birth records: mail requestLos Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk