Introduction to Oregon Marriage Certificates

This article is designed to help you get an Oregon 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.

Oregon Marriage certificates have been maintained by the Oregon Center for Health Statistics for individuals married in the state of Oregon since 1910. County Clerk in county where license was issued. County Clerks also have some records before 1906. Some older county records have been transferred to the Oregon State Archives, 800 Summer Street NE, Salem, OR 97310.

Oregon Marriage Certificate Authorized Persons

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

• Person Named on the Oregon Marriage Certificate
• Mother/Father (or Legal Guardian) of Person Named on the Oregon Marriage Certificate
• Grandparents and Great Grandparents of Person Named on the Oregon Marriage Certificate
• Husband/Wife of Person Named on the Oregon Marriage Certificate 
• Adult Son/Daughter of Person Named on the Oregon Marriage Certificate
• Adult grandchildren of Person Named on the Oregon Marriage Certificate
• Sister/Brother of individual named on the Oregon 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 Oregon Marriage Certificate

Oregon Marriage Certificate for Genealogy Purpose

Anyone can obtain an Oregon Marriage Certificate, 50 years or later from the date of the Marriage for genealogy or other reasons.

Oregon Marriage Certificate Ordering

Options Option 1 – Order Oregon Marriage Certificate Online

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

Follow the instructions below, if you are not ordering your Oregon Marriage certificate online.

Step 1: Download Mail-In Application

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

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

 

Oregon Vital Records

PO Box 14050

Portland, OR 97293-0050

Option 3 – In Person

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

Oregon Marriage Certificate Ordering Cost

The fee to search for an Oregon Marriage certificate is $20.00, which includes one certified copy of the Oregon Marriage certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." For each additional copy of the Oregon Marriage certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $15.00. Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to "Oregon DHS/Vital Records." Please do not send cash. Fees are not refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service.