You can order a copy of a New York marriage certificate online only if the marriage took place outside the five boroughs of New York City. For those marriages, the state partners with VitalChek to accept internet and phone orders at $45 per certified copy.1New York State Department of Health. Internet and Telephone Orders Marriages performed in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island are handled by the NYC City Clerk, which does not currently offer online ordering.2Office of the City Clerk – NYC Marriage Bureau. Marriage Records
Which office holds your record depends entirely on where the marriage license was issued. Get this part right before you start, because ordering from the wrong agency wastes weeks.
NYC Marriages vs. Everywhere Else in New York
The New York State Department of Health holds marriage records from 1881 onward for every part of the state except the five boroughs.3New York State Department of Health. Marriage Certificates Those are the records you can order online through VitalChek.
If the ceremony took place in New York City, the Office of the City Clerk holds the record. The City Clerk’s office keeps marriage records from 1950 to the present and accepts requests in person or by mail only.2Office of the City Clerk – NYC Marriage Bureau. Marriage Records There is no online portal for NYC marriage records.
Ordering Online Through VitalChek
For non-NYC marriages, VitalChek is the only online option. The state Department of Health itself does not accept credit cards or process online orders directly.1New York State Department of Health. Internet and Telephone Orders
Go to the VitalChek website, select New York State, choose the marriage certificate option, and enter the details for both spouses, the date of the marriage, and the city or town and county where it took place. Payment is by credit or debit card. If you prefer phone, call VitalChek at 1-877-854-4481.
The price is $45 per certified copy, which includes a $15 priority handling fee built into the online and phone rate. VitalChek may add its own processing fees on top of that.1New York State Department of Health. Internet and Telephone Orders Priority handling makes this faster than a mail request to Albany, though no specific turnaround is publicly guaranteed.
If Your Marriage Took Place in NYC
Since online ordering isn’t available for NYC records, you have two choices.
You can schedule an in-person appointment through the Project Cupid portal at nyc.gov/cupid. The main Manhattan office at 141 Worth Street handles these requests, and branch offices operate in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.2Office of the City Clerk – NYC Marriage Bureau. Marriage Records Bring valid photo ID and payment. In-person requests are typically handled during your visit.
You can also order by mail. Download the marriage record mail request form from the City Clerk’s website, complete it, and send it with a copy of valid identification and payment. The City Clerk accepts U.S. postal money orders or certified checks made payable to “The City Clerk of New York.” Personal checks are not accepted. Mail processing takes roughly four to six weeks.
NYC fees are lower than the state’s online rate: $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy for domestic use, or $35 and $30 for the extended certificate used in some foreign matters. A separate search fee of $5 applies to the first year searched, $1 for the second year, and $0.50 for each additional year.4The Office of the City Clerk – NYC Marriage Bureau. Fees
Who Can Request a Copy
Either spouse named on the certificate can order a certified copy at any time. Anyone else needs a documented judicial or other proper purpose, or a New York State court order.3New York State Department of Health. Marriage Certificates In practice that covers attorneys handling estate or benefits matters, government agencies, and family members with a legitimate legal reason. If you’re not a spouse, expect to provide documentation showing your relationship to the people on the record or explaining the legal purpose for the request.
What You’ll Need Before You Order
Have the following ready before you start the online form:
- Full names of both spouses as they appeared at the time of the marriage
- Date of the marriage
- City or town and county where the marriage took place
- Valid photo identification
Accepted ID includes a driver’s license, state-issued non-driver photo ID, passport, U.S. military ID, IDNYC card, permanent resident card, or employment authorization card.5Office of the City Clerk – New York City. Proper Identification Expired ID will not be accepted. If you’re ordering on behalf of someone else, include documentation of your relationship or legal authority along with your own ID.
Getting the location wrong is the most common reason a request stalls or lands at the wrong office. Confirm the municipality that issued the license before you submit.
Cheaper and Faster Alternatives to Online
For a non-NYC marriage, the $45 VitalChek price isn’t your only option.
Ordering by mail from the state costs $30 per copy, paid by check or money order to the New York State Department of Health. Use Form DOH-4382, which can be filled in digitally in Adobe Reader and printed, or printed blank and completed by hand.6New York State Department of Health. Mail in Application for Copy of Marriage Certificate Mail everything, including a photocopy of valid ID, to the Vital Records Certification Unit in Albany. Do not send cash. Standard processing is 10 to 12 weeks from the date your request is received.7New York State Department of Health. Ordering Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Records by Mail
The faster option is often the local town or city clerk that originally issued the marriage license. Local clerks keep their own copies, their fees are frequently lower than the state’s online rate, and some can produce a certified copy the same day. Call the clerk’s office to confirm the fee and whether an appointment is required. If you need the certificate quickly for a name change, benefits claim, or real estate closing, this is almost always the quickest path.
Fees and Timing at a Glance
- State online or phone through VitalChek: $45 per copy, includes priority handling; VitalChek may add processing charges.1New York State Department of Health. Internet and Telephone Orders
- State by mail: $30 per copy, 10 to 12 weeks.7New York State Department of Health. Ordering Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Records by Mail
- NYC in person: $15 domestic / $35 foreign for the first copy, typically handled during the appointment.4The Office of the City Clerk – NYC Marriage Bureau. Fees
- NYC by mail: same fees, about four to six weeks.
- Local clerk (non-NYC): fees vary, often same-day.
A Note on the Certificate of Marriage Registration
After a wedding, the officiant returns the signed marriage license to the clerk who issued it, and the clerk mails the couple a Certificate of Marriage Registration, usually within about 15 to 20 days.8NYC311. Marriage License That document confirms the marriage is on file, but it is not a certified copy of the marriage certificate. Banks, the Social Security Administration, and passport offices generally want the certified copy, so if the registration document is all you have, you’ll still need to order through one of the methods above.