Search Margate Marriage Records

Margate marriage records are kept by the Broward County Clerk of Courts in Fort Lauderdale. All marriage license and record services for Margate residents go through the county clerk office.

Margate Marriage License Location

Margate sits in Broward County in the northwest corner. The Broward County Clerk of Courts handles all marriage license services at the Central Courthouse, Midrise Building, 540 SE 3rd Avenue, Room 02460, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Margate is about 20 to 30 minutes from the courthouse depending on traffic.

Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Phone: (954) 831-7283. Only walk-ins are accepted. Both people must show up together with valid photo ID. Driver licenses, passports, state IDs, military IDs, and alien registration cards all work.

U.S. citizens provide Social Security numbers. Anyone with a previous marriage must bring the dissolution date and the reason it ended. The clerk verifies this information before issuing a new Margate marriage license.

Margate Marriage License Fees

A marriage license is $86. With a premarital course, the cost drops to $61. Florida Statutes Chapter 741 requires the course to come from an approved provider and be done within one year of applying. The course also waives the three-day waiting period for Florida residents.

Ceremonies by the clerk cost $30. The office accepts cash and credit cards. No checks. Certified copies of any Margate marriage record are $3 each.

Broward County sets the fees. They are the same for every city in the county. Margate has no additional charges.

How to Find Margate Marriage Records

Start at the Broward County Clerk records request portal. Broward County records go back to 1915. Search by name for free. Results include both spouses and the date of marriage.

If an older record does not show up online, visit the Fort Lauderdale clerk office. Staff there have paper files going back over a century. Some Margate records from the earlier decades exist only on paper.

The Florida Department of Health keeps statewide marriage records starting from 1927. A search and one copy costs $5. Extra copies are $4 each. VitalChek handles online orders with processing fees. The Broward County Clerk is typically the faster choice for Margate marriages.

Getting Married as a Margate Resident

Follow this process:

• Head to the Broward County Clerk at 540 SE 3rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale
• Both parties appear with photo ID and Social Security number
• Have prior marriage end dates ready if needed
• Pay $86 (or $61 with a premarital course certificate)
• Florida residents wait three days unless a course waives it
• The license is valid 60 days and works anywhere in Florida

The three-day wait only hits Florida residents who did not do a premarital course. Non-residents have no wait. Margate couples who take the course save both money and time. The course can be done online or in a classroom setting.

After getting the license, find an officiant. Florida law authorizes judges, ordained ministers, clerks, deputies, and Florida notaries public. No witnesses required by law. The signed license goes back to the Broward County Clerk within 10 days of the ceremony. The clerk records it and reports the data to the state Bureau of Vital Statistics.

Ordering Certified Copies of Margate Records

Certified copies of Margate marriage records are available from the Broward County Clerk for $3 each. Visit 540 SE 3rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, or send a mail request. Include both names, approximate date of marriage, and payment with mail requests.

Marriage records are public under Florida Statutes Chapter 119. Anyone can get copies. The clerk removes Social Security numbers and protected data before releasing records. Certified copies are used for name changes, immigration, insurance, and other legal purposes.

For recent Margate marriages, the county clerk is the fastest option. New records take about 60 days to reach the state system. Going through the Broward County Clerk saves that wait time.

Other Cities in Broward County

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