Maryland Marriage Records

In Maryland, marriage records are official documents that record the unions of individuals within the state. These records include marriage licenses, permits issued before a marriage, marriage certificates, and official documents issued after the ceremony to serve as legal proof of the union.

Marriage records are essential in various legal contexts, including divorce proceedings and establishing legal rights following a spouse’s death. Depending on the date and location of the marriage, persons seeking marriage records can access them online, by mail, or in person.

In 2021, Maryland saw 32,290 marriages, up from 26,113 in 2020, with nearly half involving individuals aged 25-34. Despite these numbers, marriage rates in the state have declined, dropping from 6.3 per 1,000 people in 2017 to 5.0 in 2022. Divorce rates also fell from 5.1 per 1,000 in 1990 to 2.7 in 2022.

While marriage record indexes in the state are publicly accessible, certified copies of marriage certificates are restricted to the spouses named on the record or their legal representatives. These records can be obtained from the Division of Vital Records (DVR) for marriages after January 1, 2007, while earlier records are available through the relevant county's circuit court or the Maryland State Archives. The DVR also offers online access to marriage certificates through VitalChek, though this service incurs additional fees.

What are Marriage Records?

Maryland marriage records are official state records documenting the unions between two people in the Old-Line State. Marriage records in the state may be a marriage license or a marriage certificate. A marriage license is an official permit issued prior to a marriage, authorizing the solemnization of a union between two people. A Maryland marriage certificate is a certified document issued upon the completion of a marriage ceremony, serving as legal proof that two individuals have been legally joined together in a marriage.

Maryland marriage indexes are public records that may be accessed publicly by anyone. However, certified copies of Maryland marriage certificates are only available to either spouse named on the record, representative of either spouse named on the record, and an attorney representing either spouse named on the record. You may obtain a Maryland marriage record from the Division of Vital Records of the Maryland Department of Health.

Marriage records in Maryland are maintained by government authorities to collect vital statistics and to track demographic data and marriage trends. Marriage records are essential for legal matters such as property ownership, spousal benefits, and inheritance rights. Therefore, parties to a marriage may request marriage records to access such benefits. Also, in the event of a spouse’s death or during divorce proceedings, a marriage record is necessary to establish legal rights and entitlements.

In a Maryland marriage record, you can find:

The full legal names of both spouses
The date and place of the marriage
The birthdates of the spouses
The addresses of the spouses
The name and title of the marriage officiant

Marriages in Maryland

According to the 2021 Maryland Vital Statistics Annual Report, 32,290 marriage ceremonies were performed in the state in 2021, and 26,113 were held in 2020. In both years, people in the age groups of 25-29 and 30-34 accounted for nearly half of the marriages in the state. According to the CDC, marriage rates have been on the decline since 1990. In 2017, the marriage rate was 6.3 per 1,000 population. By 2022, the rate had dropped to 5.0.

Per divorces, the state recorded 16,080 divorces and annulments. This is a significant rise from the 10,031 divorces and annulments in the state in 2020. Similar to marriage rates, divorce rates have also been on the decline since 1990. In 1990, the divorce rate was 5.1 per 1,000 people, while in 2022, the value dropped to 2.7.

Maryland has a specific age requirement for persons looking to get married in the state. Persons aged 16 and younger may not marry in the state. Typically, applicants must be 18; however, an individual aged 17 may marry if:

The individual has obtained consent from each living parent, guardian, or legal custodian in person or through an affidavit notarized by a public notary; or
If the individual does not possess the required consent, a certificate from a licensed physician, physician assistant, or certified nurse practitioner stating that the woman to be married has been examined by the health practitioner and found to be pregnant or has given birth; and
- The individual presents a certified copy of an order authorizing them to marry per Subtitle 2A of Title 5 of the Family Law Article no earlier than 15 days after the order was issued. A minor aged 17 may file a petition in the circuit court in the county where they reside to obtain an order authorizing them to marry.

Also, per Section 2-202 of the Maryland Family Code, whether for same-sex or opposite-sex marriage, a person cannot get married to their:

Child
Grandchild
Parent
Grandparent
Brother or sister
Aunt or uncle
Stepchild
Stepparent
Spouse's parent
Grandparent's spouse
Spouse's grandparent
Child's spouse
Niece or nephew
Spouse's grandchild
Grandchild's spouse

If you meet the requirements to get married in Maryland, you must contact the county or city location where you intend to marry for specific information for applying for a marriage license. A marriage license is required before a marriage may be solemnized in the state. Typically, no appointments are necessary to apply for a marriage license, but you must appear in person at the county clerk’s office to complete a marriage license application. Only one party must be present to apply, and not both parties must be involved in the marriage. A valid government-issued I.D. will be required for each applicant and additional information for both parties, such as:

The full names of the couple
The current addresses of the couple
The age of the couple as of the date of the application (valid government-issued I.D.s will be required to verify the ages of both parties
The state and country of birth
The Social Security Numbers of the couple
Previous marriage information, if applicable. The information that may be required here includes the date for each divorce or death of a spouse. If divorced in the last 6 months, a copy of the divorce decree is needed

Upon filing out the required information on the marriage license application, you must pay a non-refundable application fee; this fee varies from county to county. Contact the county for the acceptable forms of paying the marriage license fee. Maryland marriage licenses are typically issued on the same day of application. However, due to the waiting period, licenses are not effective until 6:00 a.m. on the second calendar day after the issuance of the licenses. Hence, if a marriage license is issued at 2:00 p.m. on October 6, the marriage ceremony between the persons named on the license may be held any time after 6:00 a.m. on October 8. Maryland marriage licenses are valid for 6 months. The license expires if you are unmarried within 6 months of obtaining the license. Also, the license is valid only in the county where it was issued. Hence, your marriage ceremony must be held in the Maryland county where the marriage license was issued.

If you do not reside in a Maryland County and are unable to appear in person to apply for a marriage license in the county, you may apply for a marriage license via the Non-Resident Marriage Affidavit (except in Cecil County, where both parties to a marriage are required to apply together in person). The form must be completed under oath and signed in the presence of a clerk of the circuit court or a similar official in the applicant's place of residence. Mail the completed form along with the appropriate fee (as specified by the circuit court clerk) to the appropriate address (also specified by the circuit court clerk). You may call the clerk's office to have the affidavit sent to you or check the clerk's website to download it. Neither witnesses nor a blood test is required to get married in Maryland.

Pursuant to Section 2-406 of the Maryland Family Code, upon the presentation of a Maryland marriage license, a marriage ceremony may be officiated by any of the following:

A court clerk
An official of a religious group, authorized by the customs and rules of the group
A deputy clerk designated by the administrative judge of the circuit court for the county
A judge

After the ceremony, the marriage officiant must return the certificate of marriage (included with the marriage license), signed with the officiant's title, to the clerk of the circuit court who issued the marriage license within five days after the ceremony. Afterward, the clerk of the court records the marriage information in the county or city records.

Note that a marriage that does not comply with the steps stated is deemed unlawful in Maryland. However, a marriage deemed unlawful does not necessarily mean it is invalid or void. For instance, while an officiant conducting a marriage ceremony without a proper license may face a fine, the marriage remains legally valid.

Also, Maryland does not recognize common-law marriages. Hence, couples cannot acquire marital rights or responsibilities simply by living together or presenting themselves as spouses. Consequently, no legal process is required to end such a relationship in Maryland. However, per the federal Full Faith and Credit Clause, the state recognizes common-law marriages legally established in other jurisdictions. If a common law marriage was validly created in another state or country, following their legal requirements, legal action would be required to dissolve that marriage in Maryland.

Same-sex marriage is permitted in Maryland, even before the ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. In the state, same-sex couples have the same legal rights and responsibilities as opposite-sex couples, including the ability to obtain marriage licenses, have their marriages legally recognized, and access spousal benefits.

Maryland Marriage Certificate

Maryland marriage certificates are issued after a marriage has been completed, and the marriage officiant returns the marriage license to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. They are official documents that may be used for legal purposes as proof of the solemnization of the union between two individuals. The marriage certificate is available from the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court where the marriage license was issued.

How to Find and Access Maryland Marriage Records

The Division of Vital Records (DVR) under the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) issues certified copies of marriage certificates for marriages that took place on or after January 1, 2007. The certificate fee is non-refundable if the requested record cannot be found, but a Certification of Record Search will be issued. For marriages that occurred before January 1, 2007, contact the circuit court in the Maryland county where the marriage was performed or the Maryland State Archives. Note that the Division of Vital Records lobby is only open for customer service by appointment. You can access marriage records in the state in the following manner.

Finding and Accessing Maryland Marriage Records Online

The MDH's Division of Vital Records makes marriage certificates available online to requesters via its trusted third-party vendor - VitalChek. To order a marriage certificate online, visit the VitalChek website and select your preferred shipping option. The vendor charges an additional fee for using their service, which is exclusive of the standard processing fee. They accept payment via major credit cards like MasterCard, VISA, AMEX, and Discover. Online orders take 5 weeks to process with regular shipping, while expedited shipping only takes 3 weeks. You may check the status of your order online.

The Maryland State Archive (MSA) allows you to search marriage indexes in the state online. The MSA has marriage records from the mid-1600s to 2013. For marriage certificates after 2013, contact the circuit court in the county where the marriage occurred or the Division of Vital Records at (410) 764-3038. If you want a legally certified copy of your marriage record from the MSA, you may place an order online with the agency or visit its office online. Note that an appointment will be required before you may visit in person.

Finding and Accessing Maryland Marriage Records Offline

You can order a certified copy of a Maryland marriage record by submitting a completed application, a check or money order made payable to the Division of Vital Records, a legible copy of your I.D., and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

Division of Vital Records,

P.O. Box 68760

Baltimore, Maryland 21215-0036

For certified copies of marriage records prior to January 1, 2007, visit the webpage of the clerk of the circuit court in the Maryland county where the marriage took place for specific information on how to apply for a marriage record.

References

Counties in Maryland

List of Content

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