Marriage certificate: how to get a certified copy
By Arthur Teboul, DokuTrak · Published
In short
A US marriage certificate proves that a marriage was performed and recorded. Get a certified copy from the county clerk or recorder in the county where the marriage license was issued, not where you live now; some states also issue copies through the state vital records office. It is often needed for a name change, spousal benefits or a mortgage application.
This page in other languages: Español
What is a marriage certificate?
The certificate shows both spouses’ names, the date and place of the marriage, the officiant, and the recording information. A certified copy carries the clerk’s or registrar’s signature and an official seal.
The marriage license is a different document: the permission to marry, obtained before the ceremony. Once the officiant returns the signed license and the county records it, the county can issue certified copies of the marriage certificate.
Who sends it, and when
The county clerk, recorder or registrar of the county where the license was issued records the marriage and issues certified copies. Many states also keep a copy at the state vital records office. A marriage performed abroad is recorded in that country, not by a US county.
Where to get a marriage certificate
- The county clerk or recorder’s office of the county that issued the license, online, by mail or in person.
- The state vital records office, in states that issue marriage records at the state level.
- The CDC’s “Where to Write for Vital Records” page, which lists the office for each state.
- Your own records: the certified copy you may have received after the wedding.
Wrong files people send instead
- The marriage license instead of the recorded marriage certificate.
- The decorative certificate signed at the ceremony, which is not the official record.
- A photocopy when a certified copy was requested.
- A request sent to the county where you live now instead of the county that issued the license.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a marriage license and a marriage certificate?
The license is the permission to marry, obtained before the wedding. The certificate proves the marriage took place and was recorded by the county.
Where do I get a copy of my marriage certificate?
From the county clerk or recorder in the county that issued your marriage license. Some states also issue copies from the state vital records office.
Do I need a marriage certificate to change my name?
Usually yes. The SSA, passport office and state DMV generally ask for a certified copy as proof of the name change.
Ask once. DokuTrak does the chasing.
- Your client uploads from one link, with no account and no password.
- Reminders go out on a schedule, by default 2, 5, 10 and 14 days after the request, until the file arrives.
- With AI review switched on in your workspace (it is off by default), each upload gets a first pass that flags a file that is not a marriage certificate or an unreadable or blurry scan. It says so when it is not sure.
- You accept every file or mark it for re-upload, and your client gets the note by email. The AI never accepts a file.