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Iowa marriage records

Who holds it: County Recorder (as county registrar) issues marriage licenses and holds local marriage records; Iowa HHS Bureau of Health Statistics holds the statewide file.1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Fees
  2. Who may order and what is restricted
  3. More details
  4. Related records in Iowa
  5. How Iowa handles it
  6. Marriage records in Iowa counties with a full guide
  7. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  8. Sources

Fees

Marriage license fee
$35 application fee, including one certified copy of the marriage certificate after it is filed; 3-day waiting period (court may waive; $5 application for early validation).2

Who may order and what is restricted

Public access
Marriage records held by county registrars may be inspected and copied as of right under ch. 22; the state file is closed.3

More details

Certified copy
$20 per certified copy (county or state); entitled persons only (spouses and listed relatives, legal representative). County recorders can issue certified copies of marriages from 1954 on; earlier records from the county where the application was made.4
Divorce records: who holds it
Clerk of District Court in the county where the case was filed holds the decree/case file; Iowa HHS holds divorce vital statistics records under 75 years old (no certified divorce certificate service is described on HHS pages).5
Older records: genealogy vital
HHS genealogy searches: $20 per search; pre-statewide-index requests must name county, year and first/last name; genealogy requests are mailed, not same-day.6

How Iowa handles it

  • County Recorder is the hub: it records deeds, is the local vital records registrar (birth, death, marriage), issues marriage licenses and records trade names (DBAs).3
  • County-level birth, marriage, divorce and (non-fetal) death records are open to inspection as of right under ch. 22, while the state file is closed; certified copies still require entitlement.3
  • County recorders lack 1921-1941 birth, death and marriage records (and several other categories); order those from Iowa HHS.7

Marriage records in Iowa counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Black Hawk CountyCounty Recorder / Registrar8—Certified copy fee: $20 certified copy (entitlement required)9
Dallas CountyDallas County Recorder10——
Dubuque CountyDubuque County Recorder11—Certified copy fee: $20 each; immediate family members only12
Johnson CountyJohnson County Recorder13——
Linn CountyLinn County Recorder14—Certified copy fee: $20 (effective July 1, 2026; was $15)15
Polk CountyPolk County Recorder16——
Pottawattamie CountyPottawattamie County Recorder17——
Story CountyStory County Recorder18—$20 per record search, with a copy issued if one is found19
Woodbury CountyRecorder - Vital Records20—Certified copy fee: $20.00 each21

For any other county, see the county list on the Iowa guide.

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Iowa office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: marriage records in every state. Everything else in Iowa: Iowa public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Iowa Code ch. 595 MarriageIowa Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  2. Iowa Code 331.605 Other fees (county recorder)Iowa Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  3. Iowa Code ch. 144 Vital StatisticsIowa Legislaturechecked November 4, 2026
  4. How to Request a Certified RecordIowa Department of Health and Human Serviceschecked November 4, 2026
  5. Vital RecordsState Historical Society of Iowachecked November 4, 2026
  6. Genealogy Search Guidelines & RequirementsIowa Department of Health and Human Serviceschecked November 4, 2026
  7. Vital Records (Marriage, Birth, or Death Certificates)Iowa Department of Health and Human Serviceschecked November 4, 2026
  8. RecorderBlack Hawk Countychecked November 4, 2026
  9. Vital RecordsBlack Hawk County Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  10. Site MapDallas Countychecked November 4, 2026
  11. RecorderDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  12. Birth, Death, & Marriage CertificatesDubuque County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  13. Department Directory & ResourcesJohnson County, Iowachecked November 4, 2026
  14. DepartmentsLinn County, Iowachecked November 4, 2026
  15. Vital RecordsLinn County Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  16. Marriage RecordsPolk County Recorderarchived copychecked November 4, 2026
  17. Recorder's OfficePottawattamie County Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  18. Site MapStory County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  19. County Vital Records RequestsStory County, Iowachecked November 7, 2026
  20. RecorderWoodbury County, Iowachecked November 4, 2026
  21. Marriage Records & LicensesWoodbury County, Iowachecked November 4, 2026