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Step 1
Know where to start. The procedure for requesting a copy of a marriage or divorce record varies by state and sometimes even by county. For the best results, start by contacting the Office of Vital Statistics or Department of Health in the state where the marriage occurred. Contact the Office of Vital Statistics or Department of Health in the county where the marriage occurred if you find that the copy of the record you're looking for is not kept at state level.
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Step 2
Request the proper forms to apply for a copy of a marriage record. Depending on the state or county, the forms may be available for download on the state or county's government Website.
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Step 3
Submit all forms and pay any administrative fees. The marriage record will be mailed to you.
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Step 4
If you prefer, work with a private agency to obtain important public records. The VitalCheck Express Website works with the proper state or county agency to obtain your marriage record copy, while Websites like Public Records Pro, Web Detective and others offer unlimited online viewing of public records in exchange for a modest membership fee.
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Step 5
Take advantage of the many genealogical Websites to find copies marriage records. The National Archives, Access Genealogy and Family Search.org are all free resources that can be very useful when looking for public records.
