How to Fill Out a Marriage Certificate

Although you will typically receive a copy of your marriage certificate shortly after your wedding, there will likely be times when you will need additional certified copies to use when changing your name on various documents and completing other types of official paperwork. Here is an overview of what your marriage certificate is, why you may need access to it, and how DoNotPay can help you quickly and easily obtain a copy of your marriage certificate online!

The Difference Between Marriage Certificates and Marriage Licenses

Although marriage certificates and marriage licenses are similar types of documents, they fulfill slightly different purposes. You and your significant other will need to apply for your marriage license prior to your wedding, which allows you to get married in the first place, while your marriage certificate serves as proof that you got married when it comes to changing your name on various documents and otherwise proving that you are married.

Who Can Get a Marriage Certificate Copy?

Although you and your new spouse will use copies of your marriage certificate for a variety of purposes, especially shortly after your wedding, you will not actually get to keep your original certificate. Like many other records, your original marriage certificate will be kept on file with your city, county, or state vital records office after it is filled out and signed immediately following your wedding, and you or your spouse will need to obtain a certified copy of your certificate to use for the majority of its purposes. Certain other relatives may also be able to obtain a copy if they are able to prove their relation to a couple and a legitimate reason for requesting a copy.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a Marriage Certificate Copy?

The cost of each copy of your marriage certificate can vary based on the state you live in. This cost tends to be relatively low, typically between $5 and $26 for each copy of a basic marriage certificate for residents of that state, and many states charge more for nonresidents who have moved to another state since their wedding. In general, the cost of a marriage certificate tends to be similar to the cost of a marriage license, and each additional copy that you need will come with an additional cost.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Copy of a Marriage Certificate?

Again, the length of time you can reasonably expect it to take to get a copy of your marriage certificate can largely depend on the state you live in. On average, you can expect to receive your first personal copy of your marriage license from your county office approximately 2-4 weeks after your wedding, with a similar processing time for additional copies that you may need to order in the future. However, some states are currently experiencing delays of up to six months.

What Documents Do I Need to Get a Copy of a Marriage Certificate?

Getting a copy of your marriage certificate requires submitting several types of identification information. Although specific documents and pieces of information can vary from state to state, you will typically need to submit:

• The bride and groom's names
• The bride's maiden name
• The date of the wedding
• The county where the wedding took place
• Your relation to the couple if you are not the bride or groom
• Your reason for requesting a copy of the marriage certificate if you are not the bride or groom

How to Fill Out a Marriage Certificate By Yourself

Filling out your marriage certificate properly is a must in order to avoid running into problems obtaining and using copies for a variety of uses in the future. Although marriage certificates tend to be less complex than marriage licenses, they must still contain accurate information. To correctly fill out your marriage certificate by yourself, you will typically need to include:

1. Your names
2. The bride's maiden name
3. Your wedding date
4. Your birth dates
5. Your birth places
6. Your nationalities
7. Your marriage certificate record number
8. Date the certificate is issued
9. Place where your marriage license was filed

Organizing this information and entering it correctly can be time-consuming, and this is not typically your best option if you want your marriage certificate filled out correctly the first time.

Next Steps for Filling Out a Marriage Certificate If You Can't Do It Yourself

Although you and your spouse can fill out your marriage certificate on your own under most circumstances, making a mistake can result in significant delays in the future. This can be especially problematic if an error is not noticed right away and is left uncorrected until you need to obtain an additional copy for an urgent purpose in the future, and a mistake on your marriage certificate can lead to the same mistake being made on additional documents that it is used to create. Filling out your marriage certificate correctly can be challenging and time-consuming, and fixing mistakes can be very expensive. For these reasons, it is often in your best interest to get assistance from a professional when filling out your marriage certificate and ordering additional copies of it.

Is There an Easier Way to Order a Certified Marriage Certificate Copy?

At DoNotPay, we are here to make filling out your marriage certificate and obtaining additional copies of it simple and error-free.

If you want to Order/Get a Marriage Certificate Copy but don't know where to start, DoNotPay has you covered in 7 easy steps:

1. Go to the Certificates of Marriage product on DoNotPay.
2. Select whether the certificate belongs to you or a relative/loved one. If it belongs to someone else, enter the details of both people on the certificate, and select/upload evidence that proves your relationship with them. If the certificate is yours, enter the details of your spouse.
3. Enter the city, state, and county where the marriage certificate was issued as well as the date it was issued.
4. Indicate what you will be using this certificate for, and choose whether you need an authorized or certified copy.
5. Enter your contact information and shipping address. Upload copies of your government-issued identification, such as a driver's license.
6. Choose whether you would like to electronically sign this form or not. Once we generate the form, verify that all of the information is correct.
7. If you need the document to be notarized, schedule a notarization appointment using our Notary product. Otherwise, proceed to our Mail Checks product and let DoNotPay mail-in your request form with a check on your behalf.

Attempting to fill out your marriage certificate or obtain a copy of it on your own can be quite time-consuming and expensive, and you are far more likely to be successful in getting it done right the first time by utilizing DoNotPay's fast, easy, and successful services.

Why You Should Use DoNotPay to Order a Copy of Your Marriage Certificate

Although DoNotPay is certainly not your only option for ordering a copy of your marriage certificate, using us to order your marriage certificate online is the fastest and most convenient option. By getting in touch with your county for you, we eliminate the majority of the work of gaining access to a copy of your marriage certificate. Once you provide us with the information we need, you usually will not need to do anything else until your marriage certificate arrives in the mail.

What Else Can We Do?

At DoNotPay, we take the complications out of a wide variety of issues by getting in touch with the person or company you need assistance with for you. We can also help you:

• Fill out and order birth certificates and death certificates
• Deal with major companies that have access to your personal information
• Handle a wide range of other paperwork to help you keep your essential documents organized

At DoNotPay, we prioritize making getting the documents you need fast and easy. Contact us today to start the process of filling out or ordering a copy of your marriage certificate!