Introduction to Texas Marriage Certificates

This article is designed to help you get a Texas 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.  

Texas Marriage certificates have been maintained by the Texas Department of State Health Services for individuals married in the state of Texas since January 1966.  Certified copies are not available from State office. Fee for search and verification of essential facts of marriage is $20.00 each.  To obtain a Texas Marriage Certificate you must order online or contact the County Clerk in the county where license was issued.

Texas Marriage Certificate Authorized Persons

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

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

Texas Marriage Certificate for Genealogy Purpose

Anyone can obtain a Texas Marriage Certificate, 25 years or later from the date of the Marriage for genealogy or other reasons.

Texas Marriage Certificate Ordering

Options Option 1 – Order Texas Marriage Certificate Online

This option is the simplest and easiest way to get your Texas Marriage Certificate.  Order online and you will get your Texas 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 – In Person

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

Texas Marriage Certificate Ordering Cost

The fee to search for a Texas Marriage certificate varies by county.