Where to Get a Copy of a Marriage License

A marriage license can tell a lot about the individuals who got married and is a great springboard for a ‘family tree’ project. Find out where to get a copy of a marriage license and which type of copy best suits your needs.

A copy of marriage license is obtained from a legal authority, usually the church or the state allowing the marriage between the two people to take place. Why would you ask for a copy? For one, it is the most accurate record that the union has indeed occurred and that it is legally binding.

However, there are some instances wherein a marriage license may not be necessary. These include states wherein common law marriages are allowed or when a couple has requested for a pardon allowing them not to apply for a marriage license. As such, if you are looking for the marriage license of your parents (or others) it would be wise investigate first if they were indeed married in the first place.

Requesting for a Copy of a Marriage License

When requesting for a copy of your marriage license, it is important to make a distinction among the three types that you can obtain.

The first type is a plain, uncertified copy that is issued for personal use such as compiling your family history. The second type is a ‘one seal copy’. The one seal copy is used for processes and requirements within your state such as name changes related to social security. The last type of marriage license that you can acquire would be the ‘triple seal copy’. The triple seal copy is best used for purposes outside of the state jurisdiction such as passport application and immigration documentation.

Although not varying greatly, each type of copy has its related costs so be clear about your purpose and get the copy that suits your needs.

Other Reasons to Get a Copy of a Marriage License

A marriage license contains a lot of information that you may have not known about your parents. It contains your mom maiden name, the date and place of the marriage and sometimes even the time the marriage took place. It also mentions the names of your grandparents, the addresses of your mom and dad before marriage and the names of witnesses.

So needless to say, obtaining a copy of the marriage license of your parents will help you a lot if your purpose is to establish your ancestry.

Millions of requests for copies of marriage licenses take place each year. If you are not sure where to begin, jumpstart your search by previewing our highly recommended marriage records providers at RecordsSiteReviews!
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