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View RecordsVital Records
Public Records Marriage Divorce
Marriage and divorce records are not held in one federal identifying-record database; the event location determines the official office.
Direct answer
What to use for public records marriage divorce
CDC/NCHS states that official marriage and divorce records are filed in state or local vital-statistics offices and that the federal government does not maintain identifying files or indexes of those records.
Check
Event-record checklist
Names
Names of the parties at the time of the event.
Date
Exact or approximate event date.
Place
State and local jurisdiction.
Document type
Certificate, statement, decree or case file.
Important
There is no federal marriage/divorce certificate index
CDC/NCHS states the federal government does not maintain identifying files or indexes for these vital records.
Route
Route the event to the right office
| Need | Official route | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage or divorce certificate | State/local vital-record office for the event location | CDC/NCHS routes vital records by state or area |
| Divorce decree/court file | Court that granted the divorce | Use the case-owning court when the decree or filings are needed |
Steps
Build a marriage/divorce search
-
01
Identify the event
Marriage and divorce are separate record types.
-
02
Identify the place
State and county/city can determine the custodian.
-
03
Collect names and approximate date
These are core request fields.
-
04
Ask for the right document
A certificate/statement is different from a court decree.
Related Record Guides
Sources
Authoritative next stops
Official federal health navigation source
CDC/NCHS - Where to Write for Vital Records
Use this official source as a next stop for public records marriage divorce.
United States