Introduction to South Dakota Marriage Certificates

This article is designed to help you get a South Dakota 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.
  

South Dakota Marriage certificates have been maintained by the South Dakota Department of Health – Vital Records for individuals married in the state of South Dakota since 1905.

South Dakota Marriage Certificates with Marriage Dates Over 100 Years

South Dakota allows any one to search for South Dakota Marriage records the Department of Health has on file with dates of Marriage over 100 years of age online. If the South Dakota Marriage certificate is not located on the site, the Marriage certificate has never been filed with the South Dakota Department of Health – Vital Records.

South Dakota Marriage Certificate Authorized Persons

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

• Person Named on the South Dakota Marriage Certificate
• Mother/Father (or Legal Guardian) of Person Named on the South Dakota Marriage Certificate
• Grandparents and Great Grandparents of Person Named on the South Dakota Marriage Certificate
• Husband/Wife of Person Named on the South Dakota Marriage Certificate 
• Adult Son/Daughter of Person Named on the South Dakota Marriage Certificate
• Adult grandchildren of Person Named on the South Dakota Marriage Certificate
• Sister/Brother of individual named on the South Dakota Marriage certificate
• Someone who needs the certificate to prove personal or property rights, will need to provide documentation of the right with the application
• Legal Representative of an Authorized Person of Person Named on the South Dakota Marriage Certificate

South Dakota Marriage Certificate for Genealogy Purpose

Anyone can obtain a South Dakota informational Marriage certificate, these are appropriate for genealogy or other reasons.

South Dakota Marriage Certificate Ordering

Options Option 1 – Order South Dakota Marriage Certificate Online

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

Follow the instructions below, if you are not ordering your South Dakota Marriage certificate online.  It usually takes 30 days 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 South Dakota Marriage certificate:

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

 

South Dakota Vital Records

207 E Missouri Ave, Ste 1A

Pierre, SD 57501

Option 3 – In Person

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

South Dakota Marriage Certificate Ordering Cost

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