Florida Marriage Records

Florida marriage records are official documents providing details about marriages in the state, maintained at both the county level by county clerks and the state level by the Bureau of Vital Statistics. These records include marriage licenses, certificates, and commemorative certificates. A marriage license is a permit required before a wedding, while a marriage certificate proves the marriage has been legally recognized. Commemorative certificates, though not official, are available for personal keepsakes.

Marriage records are public in Florida and accessible upon request. They contain information such as the full names of the spouses, the marriage date, and the location. Florida’s marriage rate was 7.1 per 1,000 residents in 2022, with men marrying at a slightly higher rate than women. The state also has notable demographic trends, including higher marriage rates among Asian and Native Hawaiian populations, while Black or African Americans have the lowest marriage rates.

Couples must first get a marriage license from the county court to obtain a marriage certificate. After the ceremony, the officiant returns the license to the clerk's office, where it is recorded, and a marriage certificate is issued. Certified copies are necessary for legal purposes like name changes or applying for benefits. Marriage records dating back to June 6, 1927, are available through the Bureau of Vital Statistics, while earlier records must be obtained from the county clerk where the license was issued.

What are Marriage Records?

Florida marriage records are official documents providing information on approved marriages or unions. These records are maintained at the county level by county clerks and at the state level by the Bureau of Vital Statistics.

Marriage licenses, marriage certificates, and commemorative marriage certificates are examples of Florida marriage records. Marriage licenses are official permits given to couples intending to get married. A Florida marriage certificate is official documentation attesting that the individuals named on the record are legally married, while a commemorative marriage certificate is not an official document but can be ordered for framing and preserving as a family heirloom.

Marriage records are useful for several purposes, including genealogy research, legal matters, and demographics. Under Florida law, marriage records in the state are public records and can be accessed by any individual who makes an appropriate request to the custodian of the record. Some of the information that may be found in a Florida marriage record includes the following:

Full names of the parties in the marriage
Date of the marriage
Name of witnesses at the marriage
Location of the marriage
Dates of birth for the spouses

Marriages in Florida

Florida's marriage rate, as of 2022, stood at 7.1 per 1,000 residents. That year, 159,057 marriages were recorded in the state, the highest figure since 2017. Since 2010, the proportion of married individuals in the state has remained stable, averaging around 46%. Recent data from 2022-2023 shows that men in Florida are marrying at a higher rate than women, with 48.7% of men currently married compared to 44.5% of women.

Several notable trends characterize marriage in Florida. The average first marriage in the state lasts 20.4 years. Men tend to marry more frequently than women, with Asian (60.2%) and Native Hawaiian (51.1%) groups having the highest marriage rates, while Black or African Americans marry the least at 31.7%. Interracial marriages make up 19% of all unions in Florida, and same-sex marriages account for 1.2% of married couples.

Floridians tend to marry at ages close to the national average—30.4 years for men and 28.5 years for women. The marriage rate for men increases significantly after age 35, while for women, the rate peaks in their 50s but declines in their 60s and 70s, partly due to longer life expectancies.

Marriage durations in Florida align with national trends, with first marriages lasting about 21 years and second and third marriages averaging 17 and 13 years, respectively. From 2014 to 2021, the percentage of married individuals in Florida gradually increased from 45.8% to 47.4%. As of 2021, Sumter County had the highest marriage rate at 62%, while Alachua County had the lowest at 36.1%.

To get married in Florida, you must get a marriage license from the county court judge or clerk of the circuit court in the state. Only persons aged 18 or older may apply for a marriage license. However, if either of the parties to be married is under 18 but at least 16 years old, the county court judge or circuit court clerk may issue a marriage license only if the minor has obtained and filed a written consent of their parent or guardian. No marriage license may be issued to any person under 16 to get married in Florida, with or without the parent's consent. No citizenship or residency requirement exists to apply for a Florida marriage license.

Upon verifying that you meet the pre-application requirements for a Florida marriage license, you may visit the county clerk of the court where you intend to have the ceremony or check the clerk of court's website for identification requirements to complete an application. Typically, a government-issued photo I.D. will be required of each party in the marriage to prove their identity. This may be a driver's license or passport. The identification must include your full name, signature, and date of birth.

Florida recommends premarital counseling before the issuance of a marriage license to strengthen marriages, strengthen families and communities, and reduce divorce rates. Chapter 98-403 of the Laws of Florida recommends the completion of a premarital preparation course of no less than 4 hours taught by a provider approved by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The preparation course may be completed by personal instruction, video, or electronic instruction.

You must provide your Social Security numbers on the marriage license at your appointment with the clerk's office. You and your intended spouse must sign an affidavit indicating you have read the Florida Family Law Handbook. Some Florida counties require that you provide copies of death certificates or divorce decrees if you have a previous spouse. Before completing your application for a marriage license, you must pay the marriage license fee of $93.50. However, if both parties have completed an approved premarital preparation course, the fee is reduced to $61. Usually, you can pay the fee via a credit or debit card. Additionally, couples who complete the course are exempt from the three-day waiting period for the license to become effective.

Once the clerk issues a marriage license, it remains valid for 60 days per Chapter 741.041 of the Florida Statutes. The marriage ceremony must occur within this period for the license to remain effective. After the ceremony, the individual who officiated the marriage is typically responsible for returning the license to the clerk's office. The license is then recorded in the county's official records, and an official copy is provided to the newlywed couple. The clerk of the circuit court will subsequently send the marriage license to the Bureau of Vital Statistics for recording and permanent archiving. This process typically takes about 60 days to complete.

Pursuant to Chapter 741.07 of the Florida Statutes, the following categories of persons are authorized to solemnize matrimony in the state:

Ordained gospel ministers or elders in communion with some church or other ordained clergy
Active and retired judicial officers, including clerks of the circuit courts, Notaries public of Florida

Any marriage held or solemnized among people called "Quakers" or "Friends," in the manner practiced in their societies, per their rites and ceremonies, is also considered valid under Florida law.

Florida law does not recognize common law marriages established in the state after January 1, 1968. Hence, if a couple fulfills the general conditions for a common-law marriage but has not been ceremonially married, Florida law considers them not legally married. Incestuous marriages are prohibited in Florida, and while same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since 2015 due to court rulings, a ban has remained in state law.

Over the past decade, Florida has experienced a 24.4% decline in divorce rates from 2011 to 2021. In 2011, the state recorded 4.5 divorces per 1,000 people; in 2021, the rate declined to 3.4. Ethnic composition, particularly in counties like Pinellas, plays a significant role in divorce rates, with the American Indian population having the highest rate despite their smaller numbers. Religious affiliations, especially among Conservative Protestants, also impact high divorce rates. Since the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015, such unions have made up 1.2% of all marriages in the state. The average age of marriage in Florida aligns closely with national figures, with men marrying at 30.4 years and women at 28.5 years.

Florida Marriage Certificate

In Florida, a marriage certificate is an official document that serves as legal proof of the union between two individuals. It is issued by the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, and contains important information about the marriage, including the full names of the spouses, the date and place of the marriage, and the names of the officiant and witnesses.

The Florida marriage certificate differs from a marriage license, which a couple must obtain before their wedding to marry legally in the state. The marriage certificate, on the other hand, is issued after the marriage ceremony has taken place and the marriage license has been duly completed, signed, and returned to the Clerk of the Circuit Court for recording.

Certified copies of the marriage certificate are typically necessary for various legal purposes, such as changing one’s name, applying for spousal benefits, or proving marital status in legal proceedings. The Bureau of Vital Statistics (BVS) also issues a commemorative marriage certificate signed by the current Governor and the State Registrar of the BVS. A commemorative certificate cannot be used for official purposes.

How to Find and Access Florida Marriage Records

Marriage certificates in Florida from June 6, 1927, to the present, recorded by the circuit court clerk, may be obtained through the Bureau of Vital Statistics. These certificates are issued as abstracts, summarizing information from the original marriage license, and are recognized as valid proof that the marriage was completed and officially recorded. For marriages that occurred before June 6, 1927, records can be obtained directly from the Circuit Court Clerk in the Florida county where the marriage license was issued.

Finding and Accessing Florida Marriage Records Online

You may order a Florida marriage certificate from the state's only approved third-party vendor (VitalChek) and have your certificate delivered to your doorstep. Since the online application process requires sharing personal information, the Bureau of Vital Statistics does not recommend using any other online vendor to maintain applicant data's security and confidentiality.

The associated fees with ordering a Florida marriage record online via VitalChek are:

Florida BVS fee for the first certificate (a $5.00 search fee and a $10 rush fee): $15
VitalChek processing fee to verify your identity, obtain ordering information, and download your request directly to the BVS: $7
Additional computer-generated certification: $4
Search fee per calendar year when the exact year is unknown (maximum fee $50.00): $2

VitalChek offers UPS shipping for an additional fee, but a signature is required upon delivery. Alternatively, regular mail may be selected as a shipping method for no additional cost.

To begin ordering online, visit the VitalChek website or call VitalChek at 1-877-550-7330 to order by phone. If you are calling VitalChek from outside the United States, call 1-615-372-6800.

Some Florida counties allow persons requesting marriage records to order copies of marriage license records and indexes online. For instance, Hillsborough County allows requesters to use its Online Search of Official Records to access marriage records. Electronically certified copies of marriage records are available using the Hillsborough County Clerk's eCertify for Official Records service. The Miami-Dade County clerk also allows couples to order certified copies of marriage licenses online for a fee.

Finding and Accessing Florida Marriage Records Offline

You can order a Florida marriage certificate from the Bureau of Vital Statistics (BVS) by mail or an in-person visit to the BVS office at 1217 N Pearl Street, Jacksonville. The lobby of the BVS is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you are making your order during an in-person visit to the BVS office, you may pay the applicable fee via cash, check, money order, VISA, or MasterCard.

To order a Florida marriage certificate by mail, send a completed Application for Marriage Certificate (DH261) and payment for the applicable fee to:

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics

P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville

FL 32231-0042

The typical processing time for marriage certificates (1970 to present) is 3-5 business days, excluding shipping time to and from the BVS office. If you request a marriage certificate before 1970, additional processing time is required. Note that RUSH orders are prioritized during processing but require an additional fee of $10. If you are making a RUSH order, mark the outside of your submission envelope "RUSH." The BVS mails all orders, RUSH orders inclusive, using Standard U.S. Postal delivery unless a special prepaid delivery envelope is included in your submission.

If you cannot access the DH261 application form, you may still make an order by submitting a request in writing. Include the proper fee and the following information in your request:

Information about the individual named on the marriage certificate:
The full names of both persons named on the certificate before their first marriage
The date of the marriage
The city or county of the marriage
The dates of birth for the persons named on the marriage certificate
The county where the marriage license was issued

Information about you or the individual requesting the certificate:

Your full name
Your phone number
Your signature
Your mailing address
Your relationship to the individual named on the marriage certificate

You may pay the applicable fee by check or money order made out to "Vital Statistics." Cash is not accepted. International payments may be made by cashier's check or money order in U.S. dollars drawn from a U.S. Bank. Per state law, there is an additional service charge of $15 for dishonored checks. Fees paid for ordering marriage records in Florida are non-refundable, except fees paid for additional copies when no record is found; upon written request, such fees may be refunded.

If you want a commemorative marriage certificate, send a completed D.H. 261C Application for Commemorative Marriage Certificate and the applicable fee by mail to the BVS address stated above. Requests for commemorative certificates may also be made at an in-person visit to the BVS office in Jacksonville. Note that same-day service is not available for Florida commemorative marriage certificates. The fees associated with a commemorative marriage certificate are:

First commemorative certificate (includes one computer-generated certification): $30
Additional commemorative certificates: $25
Additional computer-generated certifications: $4
Shipping and Handling Fee: $1

If you want copies of a marriage license in Florida, you must visit the office of the county clerk where the license was filed, make a request, and pay the appropriate fee.

References

Counties in Florida

List of Content

What are Marriage Records?
Marriages in Florida
1. Florida Marriage Certificate
How to Find and Access Florida Marriage Records
1. Finding and Accessing Florida Marriage Records Online
2. Finding and Accessing Florida Marriage Records Offline