Introduction to New Jersey Marriage Certificates

This article is designed to help you get a New Jersey Marriage certificate.  Marriage Certificates are a bit more difficult to obtain than Marriage Certificates and Death Certificates.  The main difficulty in obtaining Marriage Certificates is that states have not been registering marriages for as long as other vital records.  There are some states that still do not register marriages.  Due to this lack of centralization it is common to contact the county in which the marriage took place.

Counter to common belief, not everything is a few clicks away on the Internet.  Marriage Certificates are one of the items that you can’t just click some links and get a copy of your Marriage Certificate; this is probably a good thing.  You do not want your Marriage certificate in the public domain, where it can be seen by anyone.  However, this does not mean that you can’t easily get your Marriage certificate by following the correct procedure. 

  

New Jersey Marriage certificates have been maintained by the New Jersey State Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration for individuals married in the state of New Jersey since 1901.

New Jersey Marriage Certificate Authorized Persons

By New Jersey state law, New Jersey Marriage certificates are confidential records and can only be obtained by the following authorized individuals:

• Person Named on the New Jersey Marriage Certificate
• Mother/Father (or Legal Guardian) of Person Named on the New Jersey Marriage Certificate
• Husband/Wife of Person Named on the New Jersey Marriage Certificate 
• Adult Son/Daughter of Person Named on the New Jersey Marriage Certificate
• Adult grandchildren of Person Named on the New Jersey Marriage Certificate
• Sister/Brother of individual named on the New Jersey Marriage certificate
• Legal Representative of an Authorized Person of Person Named on the New Jersey Marriage Certificate

New Jersey Marriage Certificate for Genealogy Purpose

Anyone can obtain a non-certified New Jersey Marriage Certificate for genealogy or other reasons.

New Jersey Marriage Certificate Ordering

Options Option 1 – Order New Jersey Marriage Certificate Online

This option is the simplest and easiest way to get your New Jersey Marriage Certificate.  Order online and you will get your New Jersey Marriage Certificate usually in less than a week.  Many times you will have the option of receiving your vital record by next-day or second-day service.

Order Birth and Death Records Online!  

Option 2 – Order New Jersey Marriage Certificate through the Mail

Follow the instructions below, if you are not ordering your New Jersey Marriage certificate online.  It usually takes 3 months upon receipt of request to be sent to you:

Step 1: Download Mail-In Application

Step 2: Please provide as much of the following information as possible to locate the New Jersey Marriage certificate:

• Full name of husband on the New Jersey Marriage certificate
• Full maiden name of wife on the New Jersey Marriage certificate
• Date of Marriage on the New Jersey Marriage certificate
• County (or city) of Marriage on the New Jersey Marriage certificate
• Your name 
• Your signature 
• Your relationship to the person whose New Jersey Marriage certificate you are requesting 
• Address where the New Jersey Marriage certificate is to be mailed 
• Self addressed stamped envelope
• Your daytime phone number
• By Mail: Send the above information and the appropriate fee to:

 

New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services

Vital Statistics and Registration

P.O. BOX 370

Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

Option 3 – In Person

In Person in New Jersey: You may go to any county health department in the State of New Jersey to obtain a certified copy of a New Jersey Marriage certificate. Most New Jersey Marriage certificates can be issued while you wait.

New Jersey Marriage Certificate Ordering Cost

The fee to search for a New Jersey Marriage certificate is $25.00, which includes one certified copy of the New Jersey Marriage certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." For each additional copy of the New Jersey Marriage certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $2.00. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to "Treasurer, State of New Jersey." Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service.