Guide to New York Marriage Records

A marriage record is a formal document that establishes and documents a marriage. Depending on the type of marriage record, it may include the names of the married couple, the time and location of the marriage, details of the marriage license, and information about the marriage officiant.

Note that while the terms “marriage record,” “marriage certificate,” and “marriage license” are sometimes used interchangeably, they refer to different things.

A marriage license provides a couple with legal authorization to marry. It is issued before the marriage, and the marriage certificate, or certificate of marriage registration, is prepared either after the wedding ceremony has taken place or when the marriage license has been returned and recorded. A marriage record is the broader term for any government-maintained information or document relating to a marriage.

People commonly search New York marriage records to:

• Prove that a marriage occurred for legal or immigration purposes
• Change a surname on government records
• Trace genealogy or family history
• Establish a relationship in an estate or probate matter
• Obtain a duplicate of a lost marriage certificate
• Complete certain divorce-related proceedings
• Provide evidence of marriage to another government agency

Types of Marriage Records in New York

Marriage records in New York generally fall into one of the following categories:

Marriage Certificates

A marriage certificate serves as an official document proving that a marriage occurred and was recorded. In New York State, this document is referred to as a certificate of marriage registration or a certified transcript of marriage.

This document typically includes the following details:

• Names of both spouses
• Date of marriage
• Place of marriage
• Any additional identifying information regarding the marriage recorded by the issuing authority

A certified copy of a marriage certificate may be required to get a legal name change, for immigration matters, to obtain government aid, or for other official purposes.

For marriages that took place outside New York City, certified copies can be obtained through the New York State Department of Health or the town or city clerk that issued the marriage license. New York City marriage records are handled separately by the New York City clerk.

Marriage Licenses

A marriage license is a legal document obtained by a couple before their marriage. It is issued as authorization for the parties named on it to marry, but does not serve as proof that the marriage took place.

Outside New York City, marriage licenses are issued by town and city clerks. In New York City, they are issued by the city clerk.

A marriage license in New York State is generally valid for 60 calendar days.

Are Marriage Records Public in New York?

Marriage records in New York are not fully open to the public. Recently created marriage records are generally restricted, with access usually limited to qualified persons, such as spouses named in the record or persons able to demonstrate an authorized legal purpose.

For records maintained by the New York State Department of Health, individuals who are not one of the spouses named on the record in question will typically have to establish a documented judicial or other proper purpose.

However, as marriage records get older, access rules may become less restrictive. Typically, historical marriage records are available for genealogy and public research once they meet applicable age requirements.

For instance, genealogy marriage records in New York State typically become available to the public once they have been on file for at least 50 years and both spouses have been confirmed deceased.

What Information Is Included in a Marriage Record?

A New York marriage record may include:

• Full names of both spouses
• Marriage date
• Place of marriage
• County, city, or town associated with the record
• Marriage license or certificate number
• Officiant information
• Residence information
• Birthplace or date-of-birth information
• Previous marital status information

Note that the exact information that may be found in a New York marriage record depends on the record type and age. Certain information provided in the original marriage license application may not be available on a standard certified certificate or may be restricted from public disclosure.

How to Find Marriage Records in New York

Step 1: Identify the Marriage Details

Gather as much information as possible, including:

• Full names of both spouses
• Approximate marriage date
• City, town, borough, or county where the marriage took place

Step 2: Find the Record Custodian

For marriages outside New York City, records may be available from:

• New York State Department of Health Vital Records
• The town or city clerk who issued the marriage license
• Local archives for older records

For New York City marriages, records are generally handled by the New York City clerk or the New York City Municipal Archives, depending on the age of the record.

Step 3: Choose How to Search

Depending on the record and agency, a search may be available:

• Online
• By mail
• In person
• Through an approved third-party service

Step 4: Submit a Record Request

Submit the request and include any required identification document, a completed application form, and payment. If you are not the bride or groom, documentation showing your relationship or legal purpose for requesting the record may also be required. Note that processing time varies by the search method chosen.

How to Get a Certified Marriage Certificate in New York

Certified copies of marriage records in New York State may be requested by spouses or other individuals who have a New York State court order. These copies can also be obtained by an individual with a documented judicial or other proper purpose.

To obtain certified copies of marriage records in New York State, send a completed Mail-in Application for Copy of Marriage Certificate along with acceptable ID and a payment of $30 per certified copy to:

Acceptable identification documents include one of the following:

• Driver's license
• State-issued, nondriver photo ID card
• Passport
• U.S. Military-issued photo ID

or

Two of the following documents showing the applicant's name and address:

• Utility or telephone bill
• Letter from a government agency dated within the last six months

Applicants from a foreign country who need a passport for travel must also provide a copy of their passport.

Application payments can be made by personal checks, certified checks, or postal money orders. Certified checks must be made payable to the New York State Department of Health.

You can also submit a request for a certified copy of a New York State marriage certificate online (via VitalChek, an approved third-party online vendor) or by phone. Online and phone orders cost $45 plus a vendor processing fee per transaction (not per copy). Payment for online orders may be made using a MasterCard/Visa, Discover, American Express, or ACH (electronic check).

Note that different requests may require different processing times. Standard mail processing times may take up to 10 weeks or longer, depending on the volume of requests before the vital records unit. Current wait times may be obtained by calling the Vital Records Call Center at (855) 322-1022.

For marriage licenses issued anywhere in New York State except the five boroughs of New York City, a certified copy of the marriage record may be obtained for a $10 fee from the clerk who issued the marriage license.

A certified marriage certificate may be used for legal name changes, government benefits, immigration matters, insurance, and other official purposes.

How to Get a Marriage License in New York

In New York State, couples may obtain their marriage license from a city or town clerk. In New York City, marriage license applications are handled by the Office of the City Clerk.

Applicants for a New York State marriage license must:

• Be at least 18 years or older
• Provide acceptable identification and proof of age
• Provide information regarding all previous marriages
• Appear before the issuing office

Note that the state does not require marriage license applicants to be residents of New York. The fee for obtaining a marriage license in New York City is $35, while outside the city it is $40.

New York State requires a 24-hour waiting period after a marriage license has been issued. Therefore, a marriage cannot take place until at least 24 hours have passed since the timestamp on the issued license. However, this waiting period may be waived by a judge or justice of the New York State Supreme Court or a county judge where either party resides.

In addition, a wedding ceremony must be performed within 60 calendar days starting from the day after the license is issued. However, if either applicant is an active-duty member of the U.S. military, the validity window is extended to 180 calendar days.

New York State marriages must be conducted by an authorized officiant, such as a clergy member, a judge, a mayor, or someone holding a one-day officiant designation from the city clerk. The marriage ceremony must be witnessed by at least one person aged 18 or older.

Who Can Request Marriage Records?

Access to a New York State marriage record depends on the record's age, where it is maintained, and the type of copy requested.

Generally, if a marriage occurred less than 50 years ago, a certified copy of a marriage record may only be requested by:

• Either spouse named on the marriage license
• Authorized persons, such as anyone with a documented judicial or proper medical or legal purpose
• Court order recipients, such as individuals holding a New York State court order granting access

Note that immediate family members such as children, siblings, or parents do not automatically have the right to request marriage records for living couples if the record is less than 50 years old.

However, anyone can request a marriage certificate if it is more than 50 years old. Also, if both spouses are deceased, direct descendants such as children or grandchildren may request the certificate.

Free and Online Marriage Record Searches

Historical marriage records are usually available for free searches online. However, such access is typically unavailable for modern New York State marriage records due to state privacy laws.

Free searches for state marriage records are available via these official portals:

• NYC Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS): The New York City Historical Vital Records Portal provides free public access to digital images and indexes of historical NYC marriage records from 1866 to 1937 across all 5 boroughs.
• New York State Archives: The Vital Records Section of the NYS Archives maintains the official microfiche indexes for the rest of the state, starting from 1881.

Other historical and genealogical databases containing New York marriage records include:

• FamilySearch: This free platform hosts New York City marriage records from 1829 to 1938. It also includes an upstate collection, New York, County Marriages, 1847-1849; 1907 to 1936, which is incomplete for many counties and years.
• Ancestry.com: Although this is a paid service, its New York State and City marriage indexes (1881-1967) can be searched for free.

These free search portals usually provide:

• Full names of the bride and groom
• Exact date of the marriage
• The county, city, or NYC borough where the license was issued
• The state-issued certificate number

Pre-1938 records may include additional information, such as couples' ages, occupations, and residences, as well as the names or birthplaces of both sets of parents.

If you do not know the exact county or date of a marriage when searching records, you may consider searching state-level genealogy indexes by name and an approximate year. You may also use alternate name spellings or maiden or previous surnames (if known). Thereafter, narrow down using census records or obituaries that mention a spouse. Then request the certificate once you have identified the likely county.

Common Law Marriage in New York

Since common-law marriage was abolished in the state in 1933, New York no longer allows couples to establish a new common-law marriage simply by living together for a certain period of time. However, the state recognizes a valid common-law marriage formed in another state, as long as the couple met that state's requirements at the time.

How to Correct an Error on a Marriage Record

Common errors in New York marriage records include misspelled names, incorrect dates, incorrect birthplaces, and clerical errors. You may request a correction to a marriage record if you are one of the spouses named on the record or another individual legally authorized to make such a request.

To correct an error, submit a completed Affidavit for Correction of Marriage Record to the town or city clerk that issued the original marriage license, or to:

Note that certain supporting documents must be submitted in addition to the application.

• Correction of name, date of birth, place of birth, and parents on a marriage record: Birth Certificate with a raised seal
• Correction of date of marriage or place of marriage: A letter from the officiant on official letterhead or a certified copy of the officiant's record, or for a religious ceremony, a church certificate with seal

To process the amendment and provide certified copies of the marriage record, the town or city clerk or the Department of Health may charge a fee not exceeding $10.

Note that processing times vary depending on the type of correction required, but are often faster than standard certified copy mail requests.

Marriage Records and Name Changes

A certified marriage certificate can be used as evidence of a legal name change when a spouse adopts an authorized new surname through marriage.

Government agencies that may require a certified marriage certificate include:

• Social Security Administration, to update your Social Security card
• New York Department of Motor Vehicles, to update a driver's license or state ID
• U.S. Department of State, for a passport name change
• Other agencies or institutions updating identity records

Changing a person's name after marriage is different from correcting a marriage record. A name change updates the person's legal identity records. A marriage-record correction changes inaccurate information that was recorded on the marriage document.

Marriage Records for Genealogy and Family History

Marriage records older than 50 years may be categorized as historical marriage records in New York State. These records are typically available online and are often useful for tracing family history or genealogical purposes.

Historical marriage records in New York State can be found online through the New York State Archives, the New York City Municipal Archives, local town and city archives, and genealogy databases such as Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. Searches on these databases can be done using a spouse's name, marriage location, approximate date, or certificate number.

Older records may be incomplete, missing, filed under different spellings, or held only by local archives or historical organizations.

Frequently Asked Questions