The Division issues certified copies of certificates for marriages that occurred on or after January 1, 2007. If a record cannot be located, the certificate fee is not refunded and a Certification of Record Search will be provided. For marriages performed before January 1, 2007, contact the circuit court of the Maryland county where the marriage took place, or the Maryland State Archives.
The Following Persons May Apply:
- Either spouse named on the record
- Representative of either spouse named on the record (The representative must show a letter stating that s/he has permission to obtain a copy of the marriage certificate. The letter must be signed by one of the spouses and certified by a notary public.)
- Attorney representing either spouse named on the record. (The attorney must present proof that s/he represents the spouse.)
The Following Identification is Required:
In order to receive a certificate, the event must have occurred in Maryland. In order to receive same day service, the applicant must present a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID displaying a date issued and an expiration date. Applicants unable to provide valid photo ID will not be able to receive their requests the same day and must provide two (2) different pieces of alternative documentation. At least one of these documents must contain your current mailing address. Acceptable documents are:
- Pay stub
- Current car registration
- Bank statement
- Letter from a government agency requesting a vital record
- Lease/rental agreement
- Utility bill with current address
- Copy of income tax return/W-2 form
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TO APPLY BY MAIL:
Download an application to obtain a copy of a marriage certificate:
Please mail the application, photocopies of required identification, fee (check or money order only, made payable to the Division of Vital Records), and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 68760, Baltimore, MD 21215-0036.
TO APPLY IN PERSON:
Marriage certificates for individuals with valid, government-issued photo identification are available for same day service at the Division of Vital Records in Baltimore located at 6764-B Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. Acceptable forms of payment are cash, check, or money order made payable to the Division of Vital Records.
TO APPLY ONLINE:
The Maryland Department of Health does not accept online orders; however, for your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that we have partnered with to provide you this service: VitalChek Network, Inc. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for using this service, and all major credit cards (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa) are accepted.
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FEES
A non-refundable fee of $12.00 is required for each marriage certificate requested from the Division of Vital Records in Baltimore. If a record cannot be located, the certificate fee is not refunded and a Certification of Record Search will be provided.
Online requests through VitalChek Network, Inc include an additional $11.25 charge per order and additional fee of $18.00 if express mail is requested.