How to Find Virginia Marriage Records

How To Find U.S. Marriage Records How To Find Virginia Marriage Records

Finding Virginia Marriage Records

 * 1660 - Colonial government required church officials to record all marriages in church registers
 * 1780 - Law required ministers report all marriages to county clerk
 * 1853 - State law required clerk of the court in the county or independent city to issue marriage licenses and keep marriage records
 * Gretna Greens. When an eloping Virginia couple's marriage is not in their home county, search for it in alternate places like Manassas, Prince William, Virginia, or Howard County, Maryland, or Mount Airy, Surry, North Carolina, or Pike County, Kentucky.

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Next Step: When did the marriage occur?

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 * Marriage Records
 * Choose a time period:
 * Before 1853
 * How to Find Virginia Marriage Records
 * 1918 to Present
 * Marriage year unknown


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Learn more about U.S. Marriage Records

Marriages Before 1853
If you cannot locate your ancestor in the databases below, try searching for marriage information in other records.



Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year

STEP ONE: Find Marriage Information
If you did not find your ancestor in the above indexes, try searching for marriage information in other records.

STEP TWO: Obtain the Record
For marriages after 1865, ask for the marriage license or the marriage register not the marriage certificate. The license or register usually contains more information.

PART A: You know the exact date and place of marriage from your records or the above indexes

Option A: Marriage Records on Microfilm Some county marriage records may be available on microfilm at your local Family Search Center. If you know the approximate date and county where the marriage took place, use the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC) to see what is available.


 * Search the FHLC by county.
 * Select the topic Vital Records. Look for records authored by the county clerk.
 * For a small fee, order the microfilm to view at a local Family Search Center.

Option B:

Order from the County or City


 * Order the marriage record for a fee from the county probate judge's offices in the county the marriage took place.

Option C:

Order from the State of Virginia


 * Order the marriage record for a fee from the Virginia Office of Vital Records.

PART B: You don't know the exact date or place of marriage


 * If you know the county or independent city of marriage, you can request a search for a fee from the county clerk.
 * If you don't know the date or county of marriage, you can also try searching for marriage information in other records.

Return to the Top: Choose another marriage year

Restrictions for Obtaining Birth Records
If you know the marriage date, copies of marriage records are available to the public 25 years after the event at the Virginia Office of Vital Records. For marriage records within the last 50 years, only immediate family members with valid ID can request a copy.

Immediate family members include:


 * Mother
 * Father
 * Husband
 * Wife
 * Child
 * Brother
 * Sister
 * Grandparents

If you do not want to order the marriage record, you can search other records with marriage information. Return to top: Choose another marriage year

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