How to Search Marriage & Divorce Records
If you've ever wanted to do your family's genealogy, you may have realized that in order to complete the family tree you need access to the marriage record of your great-aunt or great-grandfather. Perhaps you're dating someone who claims to be divorced, but you suspect that she may not be. The simple solution to both of these dilemmas is gaining access to marriage and divorce records. As long as you know in what state the marriage or divorce occurred, you can find the information you need.
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Instructions
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In Person
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Find a records office in the state that the marriage or divorce occurred. The National Center for Health Statistics provides a list of each state's vital records department and addresses where you can go and request information.
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Fill out application. Depending upon the state you live in, you may have to fill out an application for a marriage or divorce record. Access may be restricted to the bride, groom or their representative, also depending upon the state.
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Pay applicable fee. Fees for copies of marriage and divorce records vary state by state. If the record you are looking for is located, pay the fee and wait for your record request to be processed. Depending upon the state, you may be able to obtain a record on the same day.
Online
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Choose a public records website. Several websites offer record searches for marriage, divorce, birth and death. Some are scams so it is very important to verify any of the online businesses with the Better Business Bureau and user reviews. VitalRec.com and Ancestry.com are some of the more popular record search companies.
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Check the state's health department or vital records website. Some states have an online search for public records available on the website. You can find the web addresses for each state's health department on NCHS website.
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Follow the directions on accessing marriage and divorce records on the website. Whether you are using an online public record finder search or the state's health department website, follow instructions to make sure that you can search and find the records you are looking for in a timely manner. Remember that every state has different procedures, access rights, fees and processing times for vital records.
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Tips & Warnings
Some state health departments have an e-mail address where you can ask for specific information.
You may not be able to gain access to some marriage and divorce records without the permission of the couple.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit getting married image by Bettina Baumgartner from Fotolia.com
