Introduction to North Carolina Marriage Certificates

This article is designed to help you get a North Carolina 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.

North Carolina Marriage Certificate Authorized Persons

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

• Person Named on the North Carolina Marriage Certificate
• Mother/Father (or Legal Guardian) of Person Named on the North Carolina Marriage Certificate
• Grandparents and Great Grandparents of Person Named on the North Carolina Marriage Certificate
• Husband/Wife of Person Named on the North Carolina Marriage Certificate 
• Adult Son/Daughter of Person Named on the North Carolina Marriage Certificate
• Adult grandchildren of Person Named on the North Carolina Marriage Certificate
• Sister/Brother of individual named on the North Carolina Marriage certificate
• A person seeking information for a legal determination of personal or property rights
• Legal Representative of an Authorized Person of Person Named on the North Carolina Marriage Certificate

North Carolina Marriage Certificate for Genealogy Purpose

Anyone can obtain a North Carolina uncertified Marriage certificate.  Uncertified Marriage certificates are usually used for genealogy purposes.

North Carolina Marriage Certificate Ordering

Options Option 1 – Order North Carolina Marriage Certificate Online

This option is the simplest and easiest way to get your North Carolina Marriage Certificate.  Order online and you will get your North Carolina 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 North Carolina Marriage Certificate through the Mail

Follow the instructions below, if you are not ordering your North Carolina Marriage certificate online.  It usually takes 2-4 weeks 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 North Carolina Marriage certificate:

• Full name of husband on the North Carolina Marriage certificate
• Full maiden name of wife on the North Carolina Marriage certificate
• Date of Marriage on the North Carolina Marriage certificate
• County (or city) of Marriage on the North Carolina Marriage certificate
• Your name 
• Your signature 
• Your relationship to the person whose North Carolina Marriage certificate you are requesting 
• Address where the North Carolina 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:

 

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health Vital Records Unit

1903 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-1903

Option 3 – In Person

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

North Carolina Marriage Certificate Ordering Cost

The fee to search for a North Carolina Marriage certificate is $24.00, which includes one certified copy of the North Carolina Marriage certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." For each additional copy of the North Carolina Marriage certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $15.00. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to "North Carolina Vital Records." Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service.