Ordering a Marriage or Divorce Record (2024)

  • English
  • Spanish - Español

Important: There is a 7–8-month backlog for 2023 to current marriage and divorce records. If you need a record from 2023 to present urgently, please go to the county where you obtained your marriage license or the county court that processed your divorce to request your record/decree.

Order a Marriage or Divorce Record

What marriage and divorce products can I get?

Our office has marriage and divorce records from 1968 to present that occurred in the state of Washington. You can obtain Washington state marriage and divorce records as certified copies (or “certificates”). The Department of Health can also provide you with a letter of single status (Single Status Letter) if you are traveling to another country to get married.

What does it cost?

Nonrefundable fees start at $25 per certified or noncertified informational copy. Other fees may apply depending on ordering or shipping method.

Who qualifies?

Anyone can request a marriage or divorce certificate. You do not need to provide proof of identity or qualified relationship status to the subject(s) of the record.

How do I request a marriage or divorce certificate?

You must complete the following steps to request and receive a marriage certificate:

  • Submit an application with required pieces of information.
  • Pay the applicable fee(s). The base fee starts at $25 per copy. Other fees may apply depending on ordering or shipping method.

How long does it take?

It depends on the way you order and the shipping method you select. The time listed is from when we receive full payment and all required documentation. Missing information or documentation will delay orders.

  • Review the Marriage Certificate or Divorce Certificate section for more details, as it can take up to five (5) months for the Department to receive these records.
  • VitalChek online or by phone orders process and ship within 3-7 business days, depending on the shipping option you select.
  • By mail, the customer will receive the order within 6-8weeks after receiving and processing of payment.
Marriage Certificate

It may take up to five (5) months from the date of marriage for a marriage record to be sent to the Department of Health. For marriages within the past five (5) months, you can obtain a county certified white copy of your marriage license from the county auditor's office where you obtained the marriage license. You can use the county auditor's copy of your marriage license to add your spouse to your insurance, and in most cases changing the last name on a driver license. Check with the agency or organization requesting the marriage record to determine the document they will accept. Most federal agencies do not allow for use of the county auditor's copy of your marriage license.

List of auditors by county:

What do I need to provide?

The required pieces of information for marriage certificates are:

  • First and last name of one of the persons on the record. Providing both persons' names decreases chance of delay.
  • Approximate date the event occurred (month, day, year)
  • County where you obtained your marriage license paperwork from the Auditor's Office

What do I do if my marriage occurred before 1968?

For marriages that occurred before 1968, contact the county auditor's office in the county the marriage license was obtained.

What do I need to get married outside the United States?

Before you can get married in some countries, that country may require a document stating you are not currently married. This is known as a single status letter. Visit the Single Status Letter page for more information.

Divorce Certificate

Divorce certificates are also known as a certificate of dissolution. You may want a divorce certificate in addition to the divorce decree. The Department of Health can issue a certificate after registering a divorce record sent by the county clerk’s office.

It may take up to five (5) months from the date of divorce for a county clerk's office to send a divorce record to the Department of Health. If you were divorced within the past five (5) months, you may need to contact the county superior court clerk where the divorce was finalized and ask if the divorce record was sent. The county clerk's office cannot issue a divorce certificate.

What is the difference between a divorce certificate and a divorce decree?

Divorce certificates

Divorce certificates serve as official one-page documents printed on certified security paper stating two parties were divorced on a specific date. The Department of Health issues certificates from existing records. We havedivorce certificates for divorces from January 1, 1968, to present.

Divorce decrees

Divorce decrees are several paged documents explaining the terms of the divorce. You can obtain your divorce decreefrom the county superior court clerkwhere the divorce was finalized. The Department of Health does not have divorce decrees.

What do I need to provide?

The required pieces of information for divorce certificates include:

  • First and last name of one of the persons on the record. Providing the names of both peopledecreases the chance of delay.
  • Approximate date the event occurred (month, day, year).
  • County where the court finalized the divorce.

What do I do if my divorce occurred before 1968?

For divorces that occurred before January 1, 1968, contact the county superior court clerk where the divorce was finalized.

What do I need to get remarried outside the United States?

Before you can get married in some countries, the country may require a document stating you are not currently married. This is known as a single status letter. Visit the Single Status Letter page for more information.

Single Status Letter

What is a single status letter?

A single status letter states that you are not currently married to anyone in Washington state. Before you can get married in some countries, the country will require a document stating you are not currently married. You should contact the country where you will get married to find out if they require confirmation of single status.

Who qualifies?

Anyone who resided in Washington state for a period of time can order a single status letter. 18 years or older.

What does the single status letter contain?

The single status letter will say we do not have any record that you are currently married. We can only provide the confirmation from the time you are 18 or from the time of a previous divorce.

For example:

  • If you request a letter in 2013 and you married in 2004 and divorced in 2006 in Washington, the letter will state that we do not have any marriage on record from 2006 to the current date.
  • If you request a letter in 2013 and have never been married and you turned 18 in 2004, the letter will state that we do not have any marriage on record from 2004 to the current date.

How do I get a single status letter?

To request a single status letter:

  • Call our contracted vendor VitalChek at 1-866-687-1464 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Pay the applicable fee(s). Fees start at $25 per single status letter, which covers a 10 year search period. Other fees may apply depending on how many years need searching, ordering, or shipping method.

A vital records customer service representatives may contact you to verify information.

How much does it cost?

The cost will depend on how many years we need to search for records to confirm that you have never been married or that you are divorced. A single status letter costs $25 for each ten-year range of records searched. A customer service representative will provide you with the total cost when you order the letter.

Why do I have to call to get a single status letter?

Single status letters require different information depending on your circumstances. A trained customer service representative will ask you the right questions to get you the information you need.

Please be prepared to answer the following questions:

  • Are you a current resident of Washington state?
  • If yes, how many years have you been a resident of Washington state?
  • Years married?
  • Have you been divorced in Washington state?
  • If yes, what was the date the divorce was finalized?

What do I need to use my certificate or single status letter outside the United States?

To use a certified document issued in Washington state, like a marriage or divorce certificate, in another country for official purposes you may need an apostille from the Secretary of State. Visit the apostille web page for more information.

For more information visit…

Ordering a Marriage or Divorce Record (2024)

FAQs

Ordering a Marriage or Divorce Record? ›

The division is the Superior Court Clerk's Office (SCCO). Choose SCCO as the division, and then the county. Please be advised when requesting divorce documents, those documents will only be released to a party to the case or the attorney of record. If the party is requesting they must include a valid state id.

Are NJ divorce records public? ›

In the state of New Jersey, a divorce settlement is a public record, so it's possible that a third party could access a copy of your divorce certificate or divorce decree.

How to check if someone is married in New Jersey? ›

Marriage records may be requested from the New Jersey Department of Health OR the County Registrar where the marriage occurred.

How to check marriage records for free in the USA? ›

FamilySearch is a free website with indexes and some images to many FamilySearch Library vital records collections. GenWed is a free genealogical research database for marriage records and a directory to other marriage records online for the United States.

How to get a marriage certificate in NJ? ›

Certified copies of the marriage or civil union event may be obtained from the local Registrar in the municipality where the ceremony occurred or from the State Office of Vital Statistics and Registry.

How do I find public records in NJ? ›

State government has a web site, OPRA Central, dedicated to helping people find state government records. OPRA Central also has lists of Internet links to New Jersey public agency web sites. Seeing this link on any public agency web site brings up information about the agency's public record access information.

Are family court records public in NJ? ›

Except for adoption records, which are automatically sealed and inaccessible to unauthorized persons, family court records are public in New Jersey.

Can someone look up if you're married? ›

Yes, California marriage records are public. However, this only applies to public marriage records. Confidential marriages are private, and only the marriage record owners can access them. The California Public Record Act (CPRA) allows individuals to access public records that are not exempted from disclosure.

How can I find out if my partner has been married? ›

How to Check if Someone is Married. Check for public marriage records online or at the county courthouse where the marriage may have taken place. Try looking the person up online or checking their social media for signs of a relationship. If you're still curious, just ask the person directly if they're married.

How can you find out if someone is single or married? ›

Check for a ring.

People usually wear wedding and/or engagement rings on the ring finger, which is the one next to the pinky finger. If there is no ring, then there is a chance that this person is single. However, keep in mind that many people have committed relationships without being married.

How to check if a person is married or not? ›

The NADRA marriage certificate online check provides various information related to the marriage certificate. This includes the registration number, date of registration, names of the spouses, and the validity of the certificate. It also indicates whether the certificate is still in process or has been issued.

How can I find divorce records online for free in USA? ›

Go to your state's vital records site and conduct a search.

Go to the public or vital records website for the state where the divorce took place. If you can't find the page to search for divorce records, check the county records website as well.

Is VitalChek a legitimate company? ›

We are an authorized online vital records ordering service for California Vital Statistics. That means we can process your request fast, affordably, and securely.

How to find out if someone is married in NJ? ›

Customers can order vital records by:
  1. Sending requests online.
  2. Calling VitalChek at 877-622-7549.
  3. Visiting our walk-in center at 140 E. Front Street, Trenton, NJ.
  4. Visiting the Local Vital Records Office in the municipality where the event occurred.

How long does it take to get your marriage certificate in the mail NJ? ›

If you choose to mail in your form you can expect to get your marriage license mailed back within 7-10 days.

How long does it take to get divorce in NJ? ›

If you believe that you will be able to detach yourself from several years of marriage in a matter of weeks, then think again. Most of the time, it doesn't work that way. It generally takes 10 to 12 months (on average) to finalize a divorce from the date a spouse files the complaint.

Does it matter who files for divorce in NJ? ›

To begin your divorce process, either you or your spouse must file a divorce complaint with the court. The one who files is named the Plaintiff, and the other spouse will be the Defendant. No, it does not matter who filed for divorce first, in New Jersey, and it does not matter who is Plaintiff and who is Defendant.

How to look up divorce records in New York? ›

You can get copies of divorce judgments or other written orders in divorce cases from the County Clerk. Copies of documents, other than the Judgment of Divorce itself, can only be obtained by one of the parties involved or by an attorney who is representing one of the parties.

How long does it take to get a docket number for divorce in NJ? ›

Once the divorce complaint is filed it takes approximately 10-20 days to get the docket number assigned to the case. Cases assigned to the uncontested divorce calendar in Hudson County can take 3-4 months to move through the system.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Chrissy Homenick

Last Updated:

Views: 5503

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (74 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Chrissy Homenick

Birthday: 2001-10-22

Address: 611 Kuhn Oval, Feltonbury, NY 02783-3818

Phone: +96619177651654

Job: Mining Representative

Hobby: amateur radio, Sculling, Knife making, Gardening, Watching movies, Gunsmithing, Video gaming

Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.