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Wisconsin marriage records

Who holds it: License: county clerk (any Wisconsin county). Completed marriage document is filed with a register of deeds within 3 days of the ceremony; certified copies from any register of deeds or the State Vital Records Office (DHS), records from October 1907.1

Last checked against official sources on .

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

Certified copy fee

$20 first certified copy; $3 each additional copy of the same record issued at the same time (state and register of deeds).2

How to search and order

Rules
No license may be issued within 3 days of application (clerk may waive for up to $25); a marriage solemnized more than 60 days after the license date is not void for that reason alone if otherwise lawful (s. 765.23). Certified copies require a direct and tangible interest; others get uncertified copies.1

Fees

Marriage license fee
Statutory base $49.50 (county board may increase it); up to $25 extra to waive the 3-day waiting period. Actual amount varies by county.1

More details

State verification
State Vital Records Office, PO Box 309, Madison, WI 53701; mail ($20) or VitalChek online/phone (extra fee). Statute also allows a $7 verification without a copy.3
Divorce records: who holds it
Divorce judgment/decree: clerk of circuit court in the county where granted. Certificate of Divorce (one-page summary): State Vital Records Office and registers of deeds.3
Older records: vital record indexes
Pre-1907 birth, death and marriage indexes searchable on the Wisconsin Historical Society website; the State Vital Records Office publishes no online indexes but allows in-person index research by appointment.4

How Wisconsin handles it

  • Registers of deeds are local vital records offices: any of the 72 county registers of deeds can issue birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates that are enabled for statewide issuance, not just events in their own county5
  • Marriage licenses come from the county clerk (any county), not the register of deeds or the court1

Marriage records in Wisconsin 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
Brown CountyBrown County Clerk6—$125.00 if applied 4-60 days before the wedding; $150.00 if less than 4 days (waiver); debit $2.50 fee, credit 4%-6%7
Dane CountyDane County Clerk8——
Dodge County———
Eau Claire CountyEau Claire County Clerk9——
Fond du Lac CountyCounty Clerk10——
Jefferson CountyCounty Clerk11—Certified copy fee: $20 first certified copy; $3 each additional copy of the same record issued at the same time (state and register of deeds).12
Kenosha CountyKenosha County Clerk13——
La Crosse County——Certified copy: fee: $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional of the same record14
Manitowoc CountyCounty Clerk15—$20 first copy, $3 each additional16
Marathon CountyMarathon County Clerk17——
Milwaukee CountyRegister of Deeds: Vital Records18—$20 for first copy + $3 for each additional copy; $3 service fee in person18
Outagamie CountyCounty Clerk19—Certified copy fee: $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional (Register of Deeds); statewide issuance for marriages 10/1/1907-present20
Ozaukee County——Certificate: fee: $20; additional copies $3 each21
Racine CountyRacine County Clerk22——
Sheboygan CountyCounty Clerk23—Certified copy fee: $20 first certified copy; $3 each additional copy of the same record issued at the same time (state and register of deeds).24
St. Croix CountyCounty Clerk25—Waiver fee: $2026
Walworth CountyCounty Clerk27—Certificates: certified copy fee: $20; $3 for each additional copy ordered at the same time28
Washington CountyCounty Clerk29—Certified marriage certificate from the Register of Deeds: $20.00 first copy, $3.00 each additional30
Waukesha CountyWaukesha County Clerk31——
Winnebago County———

For any other county, see the county list on the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin: Wisconsin 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. Wis. Stat. ch. 765 MarriageWisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau)checked November 4, 2026
  2. Wis. Stat. ch. 69 Collection of Statistics (vital records, ss. 69.20-69.22)Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau)checked November 4, 2026
  3. Vital Records: Requesting a Vital RecordWisconsin Department of Health Serviceschecked November 4, 2026
  4. Family History CollectionsWisconsin Historical Society (state agency)checked November 4, 2026
  5. Vital RecordsWisconsin Department of Health Serviceschecked November 4, 2026
  6. Brown County home pageBrown County, Wisconsinarchived copychecked November 4, 2026
  7. Marriage License - Apply for a Marriage LicenseBrown County Clerkarchived copychecked November 4, 2026
  8. Dane Countychecked November 4, 2026
  9. Eau Claire County, WI (home)Eau Claire Countychecked November 4, 2026
  10. Register of Deeds Fee ScheduleFond du Lac Countychecked November 7, 2026
  11. Register of DeedsJefferson Countychecked November 8, 2026
  12. Wis. Stat. ch. 69 Collection of Statistics (vital records, ss. 69.20-69.22)Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau)checked November 8, 2026
  13. Kenosha Countychecked November 4, 2026
  14. Register of Deeds: Vital Records InformationLa Crosse County, Wisconsinchecked November 7, 2026
  15. County ClerkManitowoc Countychecked November 8, 2026
  16. Marriage License Brochure 2026Manitowoc Countychecked November 8, 2026
  17. County ClerkMarathon Countychecked November 7, 2026
  18. Vital Records | Register of Deeds | Milwaukee CountyMilwaukee County Register of Deedschecked November 4, 2026
  19. County ClerkOutagamie County, Wisconsinchecked November 7, 2026
  20. Vital Records (Register of Deeds)Outagamie County, Wisconsinchecked November 7, 2026
  21. Vital RecordsOzaukee Countychecked November 4, 2026
  22. County ClerkRacine Countychecked November 4, 2026
  23. Sheboygan County home pageSheboygan Countychecked November 7, 2026
  24. Wis. Stat. ch. 69 Collection of Statistics (vital records, ss. 69.20-69.22)Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau)checked November 4, 2026
  25. County Clerk | St. Croix County, WISt. Croix County, Wisconsinchecked November 4, 2026
  26. Marriage License Information | St. Croix County, WISt. Croix County, Wisconsinchecked November 4, 2026
  27. County ClerkWalworth County, Wisconsinchecked November 4, 2026
  28. Vital RecordsWalworth County, Wisconsinchecked November 4, 2026
  29. County ClerkWashington County, WIchecked November 4, 2026
  30. Register of DeedsWashington County, WIchecked November 4, 2026
  31. DepartmentsWaukesha Countychecked November 4, 2026