Find Florida Marriage Records
Florida marriage records are public documents held by county Clerk of Court offices and the state Bureau of Vital Statistics. Anyone can request them. You can search online, visit a clerk office in person, or send a request by mail. The Florida Department of Health keeps marriage certificates from June 1927 to the present. Records from before that date are only at the county level. All 67 counties in Florida maintain their own marriage license files. Whether you need a certified copy for legal use or just want to look up a record, there are several paths to get what you need. Start with the county where the marriage took place or use the state portal to search Florida marriage records.
Florida Marriage Records Quick Facts
Where to Find Florida Marriage Records
Two main sources hold marriage records in Florida. The state Bureau of Vital Statistics keeps marriage certificates from June 6, 1927 to now. County Clerk of Court offices have the original marriage licenses. A certificate is an abstract that shows both names, the marriage date, and the county. It proves the marriage was recorded. The full license at the county clerk has more detail. If you need information like the number of prior marriages, the state certificate can include it when you note that on your request. For most people, the certificate from the Florida Department of Health is enough to prove a marriage took place.
The Bureau of Vital Statistics sits in Jacksonville at 1217 N Pearl Street. You can call (904) 359-6900 during business hours. The lobby is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff process requests by mail, online, and in person. For mail orders, send your request to P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042 with a check or money order made out to Vital Statistics. Never send cash. You will need to provide both spouse names before their first marriage, dates of birth, the marriage date, and the county where the license was issued. Requests from outside the U.S. must use a cashier's check or money order in U.S. dollars from a U.S. bank. The Bureau of Vital Statistics portal has all forms and details for ordering Florida marriage records by mail or in person.
Records from before June 6, 1927 exist only at the county level. The Clerk of Court in the county where the license was issued holds those files. After a ceremony, the signed license goes back to the county clerk for recording. The clerk then sends a copy to the state. This takes about 60 days. If you need proof of a recent marriage right away, contact the county clerk instead of the state office for your Florida marriage records.
How to Order Certificates Online
VitalChek is the only vendor under contract with the Florida Department of Health for online orders of marriage records. The state does not recommend any other online service. They warn that sharing personal data with unaffiliated vendors puts your privacy at risk since the state cannot guarantee confidentiality outside VitalChek. A standard online order costs $15 for the state fee plus $7 for VitalChek processing. You can also call VitalChek at 1-877-550-7330 to order by phone. UPS shipping is available for an extra charge if you need your Florida marriage certificate faster than standard mail. VitalChek verifies your identity, collects the ordering information, and sends the request straight to the state office in Jacksonville.
VitalChek also gives you the option to order from the county health department where the marriage took place instead of from the state bureau. County health department fees vary. The DOH VitalChek information page explains both routes and helps you pick the right one. If you already used another vendor and feel you were part of an unfair business practice, the state suggests filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or the Better Business Bureau. Stick with VitalChek for Florida marriage records to avoid problems.
Note: Processing takes 3 to 5 business days for computer certificates from 1970 to the present, not counting shipping time.
County Clerk Marriage Licenses in Florida
Every county in Florida has a Clerk of the Circuit Court who issues marriage licenses. Under Florida Statutes Chapter 741, the clerk issues licenses when no impediment to the marriage exists. Section 741.01 sets this rule and adds a $2 application fee plus a $25 Domestic Violence Trust Fund fee on top of the license cost. Both parties must appear in person to apply. A valid government photo ID is required along with a Social Security number for U.S. citizens. If either party was married before, the exact date of the last divorce, death, or annulment must be provided. Under Section 741.04, both parties sign an affidavit with their correct ages. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website has a directory to find the clerk office in any of the 67 counties for marriage records.
Most counties charge $86 for a marriage license without a premarital course. Couples who complete an approved course pay $61 and skip the three-day waiting period. Under Florida Statute 741.0305, the course must be taken within one year of applying. A license is valid for 60 days from the date it is issued, per Section 741.041. It can be used anywhere in the state. After the ceremony, the signed license must go back to the issuing county clerk within 10 days. The clerk records it and sends the data to the state. Under Section 741.07, ministers, judges, clerks, and notaries public can all perform the ceremony. Certified copies of recorded marriage licenses cost between $2.50 and $9 at most Florida county offices.
The My Florida County Records portal lets you search official records across many counties from one site. This is useful when you are not sure which county to check for a marriage license.
Search Florida Marriage Records Online
Several county clerks in Florida offer online tools. Access varies by county. Some let you search and view records for free while others charge for certified copies.
Pinellas County keeps one of the longest digital archives of marriage licenses in the state. The Pinellas County Official Records portal has marriage licenses from May 1972 to the present. You can search by name at no charge. Ordering certified copies online costs a small fee. This tool covers the Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Largo areas. Pinellas also offers marriage ceremonies for $30 and a wedding photo for $10 at the clerk office. Under Florida Statute 741.01, the Pinellas clerk acts as an agent of the state to issue licenses within the county.
Some counties offer online kiosks for pre-applications. The Duval County Marriage Kiosk lets Jacksonville residents fill out forms from home before visiting the clerk office. You still must go in person to finish the process, but the kiosk cuts wait time. Marion County runs a similar system through its online marriage license kiosk in Ocala. Both accept walk-ins too, but the online route is faster for getting your Florida marriage license.
Miami-Dade County has one of the most complete online search systems in the state. The Marriage License Bureau search holds records from 1971 to the present. You search by name or license number and can order certified copies with a credit card. Not every county in Florida has this depth of online access for marriage records yet, but more clerks are adding digital tools each year. Orange County offers an eMarriage Application that lets you start the process online before your visit. Volusia County has marriage records from 1965 to the present available through their clerk website.
Note: Online records at most county sites go back to the mid-1960s or early 1970s, with older records on microfilm at the clerk office.
Fees for Marriage Certificates
State fees for Florida marriage certificates are set by law. A search for one calendar year plus one certified copy costs $5. Each extra copy in the same order is $4. The $5 search fee is nonrefundable even if no record turns up. When you do not know the exact year of marriage, each additional year searched costs $2, with a cap of $50. Shipping adds $1 to any order. Rush service for walk-in visits requires an extra $10 fee and applies to records from before 1970 or photocopy-generated certificates. A bad check carries a $15 surcharge under Florida law.
County fees are separate from state charges. Most clerks in Florida charge $86 for a new marriage license or $61 with a premarital course. Some counties like Duval and Pasco charge $93.50 without a course. Certified copy fees range from $2.50 to $9 for the first copy. In Broward County, a copy of a recorded marriage license costs $3. Miami-Dade charges $9 for the first copy and $7 for each extra. The Florida Department of Health public records page has the full state fee schedule for marriage records.
Payment methods vary by office. Most county clerks take cash, money orders, and major credit cards. Personal checks are not accepted at many offices in Florida. Credit card payments may carry a surcharge of around 3.5% at some locations.
Public Access to Florida Marriage Records
Marriage records in Florida are public. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes makes this clear. Section 119.01 says it is the policy of the state that all state, county, and municipal records are open for personal inspection and copying by any person. You do not need to be a party to the marriage. No reason is required to request a record. Under Section 119.07, the custodian of public records must let anyone inspect and copy them at any reasonable time. Fees are capped at 15 cents per page for regular copies and $1 for a certified copy under this statute. Special service charges may apply for requests that need a lot of staff time.
Some details are protected. Section 119.071 lists exemptions. Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and medical information get redacted from public copies of marriage records. Anyone who believes their safety is at risk can ask the clerk to keep parts of their record confidential. Miami-Dade County has a specific Request for Confidentiality of Marriage Record form for this purpose. These protections are narrow. The great bulk of any marriage record stays open to the public in Florida. Prior to getting a license, both parties must read the Family Law Handbook created by the Florida Bar under Section 741.0306. Under Chapter 741, Section 741.09 requires every clerk to keep a correct record of all marriage licenses issued. After the ceremony, the completed license is recorded into the official records and the couple gets one free certified copy.
Note: Fees of $5 or less may be waived by the Department of Health for certain public records requests in Florida.
Browse Florida Marriage Records by County
Each county in Florida has its own Clerk of the Circuit Court who issues marriage licenses and keeps the records. Pick a county below to find local office details and resources for marriage records in that area.
Marriage Records in Major Florida Cities
Florida cities do not issue marriage licenses on their own. Residents go to the county clerk office. Pick a city below to learn which county handles marriage records for that area.