State of Florida Marriage Records: Who Can Request and How

Florida marriage records are public documents, and you can get a certified copy in two places: the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville for any marriage from June 6, 1927 onward, or the clerk of court in the county where the license was issued. The Bureau charges $15 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. If your wedding was less than about 60 days ago, the state Bureau likely won’t have the record yet, and the county clerk is the faster route.1Florida Department of Health. Marriage Certificates

Who Can Request a Florida Marriage Record

Under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, marriage records are open to the public. You don’t have to be a spouse, relative, or attorney, and you don’t need a court order.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 119 – Public Records The one piece of information that stays hidden is the Social Security number collected on the license application. It’s confidential under Florida Statute 119.0714, and the Bureau redacts it before releasing any copy.3The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 119.0714 – Court Files; Court Records; Official Records

Two kinds of copies are issued. A certified copy carries the official seal and is what you’ll need to change a name on a driver’s license, update insurance, or prove marital status to a government agency. An informational (non-certified) copy is enough for genealogy or personal records but won’t be accepted as legal proof of marriage.

State Bureau or County Clerk

Picking the right office is the single decision that determines how quickly you get your record.

The Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville holds every Florida marriage from June 6, 1927 forward.4Library of Congress. Florida: Local History and Genealogy Resource Guide – Vital Records But the Bureau only receives a record after the officiant returns the completed license to the issuing county clerk, the clerk records it, and the clerk forwards it to the state. That chain runs about 60 days from the ceremony.1Florida Department of Health. Marriage Certificates

The clerk of court in the county that issued the license keeps its own recorded copy and can usually produce a certified copy within days. If your ceremony was recent, or if you’re happy to pay the county’s fee (which is often lower than the state’s), start there. Fees and turnaround vary county to county, so call before you send anything.

What You Need to Submit a Request

Whether you’re writing to the state Bureau or a county clerk, staff will look for the same core details to find the file:

  • Full legal names of both spouses, including any maiden or prior surnames used at the time of the marriage
  • Date of the marriage; an approximate year works if you can’t pinpoint the day
  • The Florida county where the marriage license was issued

For the state Bureau, use Form DH 261, the Application for Florida Marriage Certificate, from the Florida Department of Health website.5Florida Department of Health. Application for Florida Marriage Certificate The form asks for the spouse details above, your contact information, and the reason for the request. Submitting the form rather than a written letter avoids processing delays.

How to Submit and What It Costs

The Bureau accepts requests three ways:

  • By mail. Send the completed Form DH 261 and payment to Bureau of Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042. Pay by personal check or money order made out to the Bureau of Vital Statistics.6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where to Write for Vital Records – Florida
  • In person at the Bureau’s Jacksonville office during business hours.
  • Online or by phone through VitalChek, the only vendor the state has authorized to take credit card orders. VitalChek adds its own processing fee.7Florida Department of Health. Order Certificates from VitalChek

The Bureau charges $15 for the first certified copy, which covers a $5 search fee and a $10 processing fee. Each additional certified copy ordered at the same time is $4. Ordering through VitalChek adds a $7 processing fee, and UPS shipping is available for an additional charge.1Florida Department of Health. Marriage Certificates

County clerk fees are set locally and are often lower than the state’s. Call the clerk’s office to confirm the amount and accepted payment methods.

How Long It Takes

The Bureau doesn’t publish a turnaround guarantee for marriage certificates. Mail requests naturally take longer than in-person or online orders because of the delivery time on both ends.

The delay that catches recently married couples off guard isn’t processing at all. It’s the roughly 60-day filing cycle between the ceremony and the record’s arrival at the state Bureau.1Florida Department of Health. Marriage Certificates If you request from the Bureau too soon, staff won’t find your record. Go to the county clerk instead.

Marriages Before June 6, 1927

The Bureau’s holdings start on June 6, 1927. Anything earlier exists only at the county level, held by the clerk of court in the county where the license was originally issued.1Florida Department of Health. Marriage Certificates Florida counties have kept marriage records through their clerks since each county was formed, so older records can often still be found.4Library of Congress. Florida: Local History and Genealogy Resource Guide – Vital Records Some counties have digitized older marriage books; others haven’t. Contact the specific county clerk directly and bring as much identifying information as you can, since older indexes tend to be less detailed.

Fixing an Error on a Marriage Record

Misspelled names and wrong dates do happen. Florida law authorizes the Bureau to process amendments to vital records, with statutory fees between $10 and $20 for a name change or amendment.8The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 382 – Vital Statistics In practice, the Bureau’s amendment guidance focuses on birth and death records, so for a marriage record correction, the clerk of court in the county where the license was issued is usually the more direct route. That office holds the original recorded document. Call first to confirm what supporting paperwork you’ll need, which may include a court order or identification.

Using a Florida Marriage Certificate Abroad

A Florida certificate isn’t automatically recognized by foreign governments. Most require an apostille, a standardized authentication stamp. In Florida, apostilles are issued by the Department of State, not the Bureau of Vital Statistics.9Florida Department of State. Authentications (Apostilles and Notarial Certifications)

To get one:

  • Obtain an original certified copy from the Bureau or a county clerk. Photocopies aren’t accepted.
  • Complete the Department of State’s Apostille and Notarial Certificate Request Form.
  • Include a self-addressed stamped envelope or a pre-paid air bill with your name and address as both sender and recipient.
  • Pay $10 per document if the certified copy came from the state Bureau, or $20 per document if it came from a county clerk (the extra $10 covers a certificate of incumbency).9Florida Department of State. Authentications (Apostilles and Notarial Certifications)
  • Mail everything to the Division of Corporations, Apostille Section, 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303. Pay by check or money order made out to the Florida Department of State. Cash and credit cards aren’t accepted.

Between ordering the certified copy and getting the apostille processed, the full timeline can run several weeks, so plan ahead when a foreign deadline is involved.