Boca Raton Marriage Records

Marriage records in Boca Raton are managed by the Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller. Couples in Boca Raton apply for licenses at the county clerk office in West Palm Beach or at a South County branch location.

Getting a Marriage License in Boca Raton

Boca Raton is in Palm Beach County. The Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller issues all marriage licenses at 205 North Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can reach them at (561) 355-2996.

Boca Raton is in the southern part of the county, so the drive to the main courthouse in West Palm Beach takes about 40 to 50 minutes depending on traffic. Both people need to appear together at the clerk office with valid photo ID. Accepted forms include a driver license, passport, state ID, or military ID. U.S. citizens must provide a Social Security number.

If either person has been married before, you need the exact date the prior marriage ended. This can be through divorce, annulment, or death of a spouse. The clerk will not issue a new license without this information. There is no residency requirement, so you do not have to live in Boca Raton or Palm Beach County to apply.

Boca Raton Marriage License Fees

A marriage license costs $86. The fee drops to $61 if both parties complete a premarital preparation course from a state-approved provider. Under Florida Statutes Chapter 741, the course must be finished within one year of the application date and come from a licensed provider.

The clerk also performs civil ceremonies for $30. Payment methods include cash, credit cards, and debit cards. Personal checks are not accepted at the counter. If you need a duplicate copy of the license, that costs $30 as well.

Many Boca Raton couples choose to take the premarital course for two reasons. First, it saves $25 on the license fee. Second, it waives the three-day waiting period that Florida residents face. Several providers in the Boca Raton area offer the course both in person and online. The online version usually takes around four hours.

Searching Boca Raton Marriage Records Online

Palm Beach County provides an online records search through the clerk's website. You can search marriage records by name at no cost. The database includes records going back many years. This is the quickest way to verify a marriage on file in the county from your home or office.

The Florida Department of Health maintains statewide marriage records from June 6, 1927, to the present. A certified copy from the state costs $5 for the first copy and $4 for each additional one. You may also order through VitalChek for $15 plus processing fees. The county clerk route is usually cheaper for Boca Raton marriages.

Records from before 1927 are only available at the county level. The state did not begin collecting marriage data until that year. For very old records, contact the Palm Beach County Clerk directly for help with your search.

Steps to Get Married in Boca Raton

Follow these steps to get your marriage license and tie the knot in Boca Raton:

• Visit the Palm Beach County Clerk at 205 North Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach
• Both parties bring valid photo ID and Social Security numbers
• Pay the $86 fee (or $61 with premarital course proof)
• Florida residents wait three days unless the course was completed
• Use the license within 60 days at any location in Florida
• The officiant returns the signed license to the clerk within 10 days after the ceremony

The three-day waiting period only applies to Florida residents. Out-of-state visitors skip the wait entirely. The premarital course waives the wait for everyone. Once the license is in hand, the ceremony can happen anywhere in the state, not just in Boca Raton or Palm Beach County.

Under Florida law, ordained ministers, judges, clerks of court, and Florida notaries public can all officiate weddings. Witnesses are not legally required but they are recommended. The person who performs the ceremony must sign the license and return it to the issuing clerk office within 10 days. The clerk then records it and sends the data to the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics.

Certified Copies and Public Access

Marriage records in Florida are public records under Florida Statutes Chapter 119. Anyone can request a copy. The clerk redacts certain personal details like Social Security numbers from public copies for privacy. You can get certified copies in person at the clerk office, by mail, or through the online system.

For a mail request, write to the Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller at 205 North Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Include both parties' full names, the approximate marriage date, and your payment. A self-addressed stamped envelope speeds up the process.

Keep in mind that if your Boca Raton wedding just happened, there will be a delay before the record shows up in the system. The officiant has 10 days to file the signed license, and the clerk needs time to process it. If you need proof of marriage right away, ask your officiant for a signed copy of the license or contact the clerk office by phone.

Other Cities in Palm Beach County

All cities in Palm Beach County use the same clerk office for marriage records. Select a city below for local details.