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North Carolina marriage records

Who holds it: County Register of Deeds where the license was issued; NC Vital Records holds 1962 to present1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. How to search and order
  2. Fees
  3. Older records and indexes
  4. More details
  5. Related records in North Carolina
  6. How North Carolina handles it
  7. Marriage records in North Carolina counties with a full guide
  8. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  9. Sources

State fee

$24 nonrefundable search fee per three-year period, includes one copy if found1

Who may order

Certified: restricted. Uncertified: anyone unless legal restrictions apply2

Processing time

9 months average at NC Vital Records3

How to search and order

Where to get a license
Register of Deeds in any NC county4
License expiry
60 days; no waiting period4

Fees

County certified fee
$10.00 at the Register of Deeds5
Marriage license fee
$60.005

Older records and indexes

Pre
Register of Deeds where the license was issued6

More details

Corrections
County Register of Deeds, not NC Vital Records1
Statement of no marriage
Same ordering process; no-record letter from NC Vital Records; apostille from NC Secretary of State1
Divorce records: who holds it
Clerk of Superior Court in the county where filed holds the decree; NC Vital Records holds certificates 1958 to present7
Older records: vital records route
Start with county or Archives, not NC Vital Records6

How North Carolina handles it

  • Vital records price gap. County Register of Deeds certified copies of birth, death and marriage cost $10.00 by statute versus $24 at NC Vital Records5
  • Free certificates. Free certified birth certificate or marriage license for registered voters needing it for voter photo ID5

Marriage records in North Carolina 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
Alamance CountyAlamance County Register of Deeds8——
Brunswick CountyBrunswick County Register of Deeds9——
Buncombe CountyBuncombe County Register of Deeds, Vital Records10—Certified copy fee: $10 certified; $0.25 non-certified11
Cabarrus CountyRegister of Deeds12—Certified copy fee: $10 certified; $1 uncertified by mail13
Catawba CountyCatawba County Register of Deeds14—License application $60.00; certified copy $1015
Cleveland CountyCleveland County Register of Deeds16—Certified copy fee: $10.0016
Craven CountyRegister of Deeds17—Certified copy fee: $10.00 each18
Cumberland CountyCumberland County Register of Deeds19—Certified copy fee: $10.0020
Davidson CountyDavidson County Register of Deeds21——
Durham CountyDurham County Register of Deeds22—$10 certified; $1.00 uncertified by mail; $.25 uncertified in person23
Forsyth CountyForsyth County Register of Deeds: license $60; certified copy $1024——
Gaston CountyGaston County Register of Deeds25——
Guilford CountyGuilford County Register of Deeds26—Certified copy fee: $10 per certified copy; only licenses issued in Guilford County27
Harnett CountyHarnett County Register of Deeds28—Certified copy fee: $10.00 at the Register of Deeds29
Henderson CountyHenderson County Register of Deeds30—Certified copy fee: $10.00 certified copy (vital records, with ID and qualifying relationship)31
Iredell CountyRegister of Deeds: license $60 (valid 60 days, any NC county)32——
Johnston CountyJohnston County Register of Deeds33——
Mecklenburg CountyMecklenburg County Register of Deeds34—$10 per certified copy35
Moore CountyMoore County Register of Deeds36—Certified copy fee: $1037
New Hanover CountyNew Hanover County Register of Deeds38——
Orange CountyOrange County Register of Deeds39——
Pitt CountyPitt County Register of Deeds (licenses issued here; certified copies)40——
Randolph CountyRandolph County Register of Deeds41——
Robeson CountyRobeson County Register of Deeds42—Certified copy fee: $10.00 at the Register of Deeds43
Rowan CountyRowan County Register of Deeds44—Certified copy fee: $10 cash (in person/mail by money order; online via rowanrod.permitium.com/rod with extra processing fees)45
Wake CountyWake County Register of Deeds46—$10 per certified copy47
Wayne CountyWayne County Register of Deeds48—Certified copy fee: $10 per certified copy; only licenses issued by Wayne County49

For any other county, see the county list on the North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina: North Carolina 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. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: MarriageNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  2. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: FAQsNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  3. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: General Issuance Certificates Processing DatesNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  4. Marriage | North Carolina Judicial BranchNorth Carolina Judicial Branchchecked November 4, 2026
  5. G.S. 161-10NC General Assemblychecked November 4, 2026
  6. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: ResearchNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  7. NCDHHS: DPH: NC Vital Records: DivorceNC DHHS Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  8. Register of DeedsAlamance County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  9. Register of DeedsBrunswick Countychecked November 4, 2026
  10. Register of DeedsBuncombe County, North Carolinachecked November 4, 2026
  11. Marriage CertificatesBuncombe County, North Carolinachecked November 4, 2026
  12. Register of DeedsCabarrus Countychecked November 4, 2026
  13. Marriage LicenseCabarrus Countychecked November 4, 2026
  14. Catawba County home pageCatawba County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  15. Register of Deeds - MarriageCatawba County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  16. Birth, Death & Marriage CertificatesCleveland County, NCchecked November 8, 2026
  17. Craven County | Official WebsiteCraven Countychecked November 8, 2026
  18. Steps to Get A Marriage LicenseCraven Countychecked November 8, 2026
  19. Register of Deeds (county link, redirects to ccrod.org home)Cumberland County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  20. Vital Records Fee ScheduleCumberland County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  21. Site MapDavidson Countychecked November 4, 2026
  22. Register of DeedsDurham Countychecked November 4, 2026
  23. MarriageDurham County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  24. Register of Deeds FeesForsyth Countychecked November 4, 2026
  25. Register of Deeds: About the OfficeGaston Countychecked November 5, 2026
  26. Register of DeedsGuilford Countychecked November 4, 2026
  27. Register of Deeds FeesGuilford County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  28. Harnett County, NC home pageHarnett Countychecked November 7, 2026
  29. G.S. 161-10NC General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  30. Henderson County North Carolina (home)Henderson County, NCchecked November 4, 2026
  31. Register of DeedsHenderson County, NCchecked November 4, 2026
  32. Applying for a New Marriage License | Iredell County, NCIredell County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  33. Johnston County Government home pageJohnston County, NCchecked November 7, 2026
  34. Mecklenburg County Register of DeedsMecklenburg County, North Carolinachecked November 4, 2026
  35. Uniform Fee ScheduleMecklenburg County, North Carolinachecked November 4, 2026
  36. Site MapMoore Countychecked November 7, 2026
  37. Vital Records (Birth, Marriage, Death)Moore County Register of Deedschecked November 7, 2026
  38. Register of DeedsNew Hanover Countychecked November 5, 2026
  39. Register of DeedsOrange County, NCchecked November 4, 2026
  40. Register of DeedsPitt County Register of Deedschecked November 5, 2026
  41. Site MapRandolph Countychecked November 4, 2026
  42. Robeson County Administration home pageRobeson County, North Carolinachecked November 7, 2026
  43. G.S. 161-10NC General Assemblychecked November 7, 2026
  44. Register Of DeedsRowan County Register of Deedschecked November 7, 2026
  45. Marriage LicensesRowan County Register of Deedschecked November 7, 2026
  46. Office Hours and Location (Register of Deeds)Wake County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  47. Birth, Death & Marriage CertificatesWake County Governmentchecked November 4, 2026
  48. Public RecordsWayne County, NCchecked November 7, 2026
  49. Marriage LicensesWayne County, NCchecked November 7, 2026