Search Delaware Marriage Records
Delaware marriage records are kept by the Clerk of the Peace in each of the three counties and by the state Office of Vital Statistics in Dover. You can look up a marriage license, order a certified copy, or check older files held at the Delaware Public Archives. Every marriage license issued in the state is recorded in the county where it was signed. This page shows you where to search Delaware marriage records, who can request them, and what fees apply. Use the tool below to begin.
Delaware Marriage Records Overview
Where Delaware Marriage Records Are Kept
Delaware splits the task of keeping marriage records between three offices. The Clerk of the Peace in each county issues the license, records it in a Marriage Record Book, and files the officiant's copy after the ceremony. The Delaware Office of Vital Statistics keeps a central set of files from 1969 to the present. The Delaware Public Archives holds copies older than 50 years. Which office you contact depends on when the marriage took place.
For marriages signed within the past 50 years, the Clerk of the Peace in the county of issue is the first stop. New Castle County, Kent County, and Sussex County each run their own marriage bureau. You can also request a certified copy from the Office of Vital Statistics by mail, in person, or online through an authorized vendor. Records older than 50 years have been transferred to the state archive in Dover and can be requested from staff there.
Delaware residents have a few ways to get a certified copy of a marriage certificate from the state archive. The page at archives.delaware.gov/requesting-records walks through the options.
Most requests can be made by email to archives@delaware.gov or by calling (302) 744-5000. A certified copy of a marriage record from the archive costs $25.
Note: If you do not know the exact date, the archive asks for an approximate year so staff can search the index before pulling the file.
Delaware Office of Vital Statistics
The Delaware Office of Vital Statistics sits within the Division of Public Health. The central office is at 417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901. You can reach it at (302) 744-4549. This office keeps marriage records from 1969 to the present and processes mail-in and in-person requests. Branch offices in New Castle County (258 Chapman Road, Newark) and Sussex County (546 S. Bedford Street, Georgetown) also take same-day requests. All three locations are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The office published a notice in 2024 about a temporary closure of the Dover location for renovations. During that time, Kent County residents used the two online vendors or mailed in their request. The news release at news.delaware.gov shows how the state routes Delaware marriage records requests when the main office is closed.
The release lists the full mailing address and names the two approved online ordering systems.
The full program page at dhss.delaware.gov covers fees, forms, and eligible requesters for each type of vital record. Delaware marriage records are confidential under state law and go out only to the spouses, a child or parent, or an authorized agent.
You can download the Application for a Certified Copy of a Delaware Marriage Certificate from the same site and send it by mail with a copy of your photo ID.
Delaware Public Archives Holdings
Under Delaware law, marriage records become public after 50 years. Before that, the file is closed to the general public. The Delaware Public Archives keeps marriage certificates that have passed this 50-year mark. As of this writing, the archive holds Delaware marriage records up through 1975. Anything more recent must come from the state Office of Vital Statistics or from the county Clerk of the Peace.
State-level registration of births, deaths, and marriages began on July 1, 1913. Before that date, county Recorders of Deeds were the ones who logged marriages and sent copies to the State Board of Health. Delaware counties began keeping marriage records as early as 1832. The archive in Dover has filled the gaps with church records, family Bibles, newspapers, and bond files.
The full guide at archives.delaware.gov lays out what the archive holds by record type and year.
It also lists the kinds of data a Delaware marriage record can contain, such as the name, age, and nativity of each spouse, parents' names, and the date and place of the ceremony.
The research room at the archive is open to the public. It sits at 121 Duke of York Street in Dover. Visitors can read files that have not been indexed and take notes with pencils only. The page at archives.delaware.gov/visiting-researching-at-dpa has the full hours and rules.
The research room is open on the first and third Saturday of each month in addition to weekdays.
How to Order Delaware Marriage Records
There are four main ways to order a Delaware marriage record. You can visit the Clerk of the Peace in the county where the license was issued. You can visit one of the three Office of Vital Statistics locations. You can mail in a paper request. Or you can order online through a vendor the state has approved.
For online orders, the state works with GoCertificates and VitalChek. Both are approved ordering services that send the request straight to the Office of Vital Statistics. The page at gocertificates.com lets you upload a copy of your ID and a form showing your relationship to the person on the certificate.
Orders go out only after staff confirm the uploaded ID is legible and the payment has cleared.
VitalChek is the second approved vendor. The service can be reached through its site or by phone at 1-877-888-0248. Its office sits next door to the Office of Vital Statistics branch in Newark at 258 Chapman Road. The page at vitalchek.com covers the fees and how long each kind of request takes.
VitalChek adds its own service fee on top of the state record fee. Both vendors accept all major credit cards.
Mail orders go to the Office of Vital Statistics at 417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901. Include the full names of both spouses as they appeared on the license, the date of the ceremony, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for the fee. Legal requests made by an attorney use the OVS legal template and require supporting paperwork.
Note: The mail request must list the full, non-abbreviated office name and must include valid photo ID along with a check or money order.
Searching Marriage Records Online
Online search options for Delaware marriage records come from three places. The state Office of Vital Statistics takes orders through its two approved vendors. The Delaware Public Archives accepts email requests for older files. The Clerk of the Peace in each county can check whether a license is on file by phone.
The state program page at dhss.delaware.gov has the full list of accepted request types, including the legal template for attorneys. Delaware marriage records are private for 50 years and are released only to the spouses or close family in that window.
FamilySearch lets you browse pre-1847 bonds and licenses through its wiki. Indexed card files for Delaware marriages from 1680 to 1850 are housed at the Delaware Public Archives. Marriages of Delaware couples may also appear in Cecil County, Maryland, or Berks County, Pennsylvania, since those were known as quick-marriage spots for couples from the First State.
Older Wilmington marriage records from 1881 to 1954 sit at the Delaware Public Archives. These came from Justice of the Peace files kept by the city before the state took over. Staff can pull the index by bride or groom name and send a scan on request.
Delaware Marriage Laws Under Title 13
All marriage law in Delaware is in Title 13, Chapter 1 of the Delaware Code. The chapter sets out who may marry, how to get a license, and what the Clerk of the Peace must do.
Section 109 states that no marriage may be signed or contracted without a license issued under this chapter.
Both parties must be at least 18 years old. Minors cannot marry in Delaware. Each spouse must appear in person at the Clerk of the Peace and be sworn in under oath. The office asks for a valid photo ID, proof of address, and, for anyone who was married before, an original or certified final divorce decree or death certificate. A court-signed name change order is needed if either party has gone back to a former name.
Section 110 lists reasons the clerk can deny the license. The clerk must refuse if either party shows up drunk or under the influence of a drug, if any required paper is missing, or if any legal bar to the marriage is known. Section 128 sets a penalty for any officiant who runs a ceremony without a valid license or before the 24-hour wait is up. The fine is up to $500 and up to six months in jail.
Section 129 treats same-gender couples the same as different-gender couples. All rules about marriage, spouses, and children apply to both groups in the same way. After the ceremony, the officiant has four days to return the signed marriage form to the Clerk of the Peace in the county where the license was issued, under 13 Del. C. Section 115(b). The officiant keeps one file copy for at least one year.
Vital Statistics Regulations
The rules that run the state's marriage record system come from 16 Del. C. Section 3104. That section created the Office of Vital Statistics inside the Division of Public Health. Each of the three counties has a branch office, and the central office in Dover has the role of state registrar.
The full regulation text lives at dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hp/vsregs. It spells out what each branch must do, from checking incoming records for accuracy to forwarding them to the central office.
Any form used to issue a certified copy must be approved by the state registrar under these rules.
Delaware Administrative Code 4205 covers access. Custodians of vital statistics cannot release a record or share its contents unless the person asking is on the short list of approved requesters. Being vital records, marriages are treated as private. A spouse, parent, adult child, legal guardian, or attorney with a letter of representation can ask for a copy. Anyone else needs a court order.
Who Can Access Delaware Marriage Records
Access to Delaware marriage records is tight for the first 50 years. The record is released only to the people named on the license, a spouse, a parent, an adult child, or a legal guardian. Attorneys can request a copy on behalf of a client but must use the legal request template, send it on official letterhead, and spell out the purpose of the request.
After 50 years, the record opens up to the public. At that point, anyone can ask the Delaware Public Archives for a certified copy. This 50-year window is shorter than the 72-year wait on birth records and longer than the 40-year wait on death records.
Proof of identity is always part of the request. The state accepts a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. For records that need proof of relationship, a birth or marriage certificate, a Short Certificate from the Register of Wills, or a court order may be required.
Delaware marriage records can be used for many reasons. Common needs include name changes after marriage, spousal benefits, insurance claims, estate work, and genealogy. The list below covers the most common reasons people request a Delaware marriage certificate:
- Legal name change after marriage
- Spousal benefits through Social Security or pensions
- Insurance claims
- Probate and estate cases
- Green card or visa applications
- Genealogy and family tree research
Fees for Marriage Records in Delaware
The cost of a Delaware marriage license depends on the county and on whether either applicant lives in the state. New Castle County and Kent County both charge $70 for a Delaware resident. Sussex County charges $50 for a resident plus a $20 recording fee. Non-residents pay $120 in New Castle, $100 in Kent, and $100 plus $20 in Sussex. Active military members and veterans pay no fee in Sussex County at all.
Certified copies of a Delaware marriage record cost $25 per copy. That fee is the same at the Clerk of the Peace, the Office of Vital Statistics, and the Delaware Public Archives. Of the $25, $15 goes to the state to support domestic violence programs.
Ceremony fees are separate from the license. In-state residents pay about $50 for a civil ceremony during business hours. Evening and Saturday ceremonies cost more. Non-resident couples pay about $100 to $150. Each county office has its own schedule, and the Sussex County code at ecode360.com/8881723 has the full list for that office.
Cash Only: Kent County takes cash only for the license and ceremony fees. New Castle County accepts check or money order. Sussex County takes cash or credit cards.
Browse Delaware Marriage Records by County
Delaware has three counties, and each one has its own Clerk of the Peace. Pick a county below to find the local office address, phone, hours, and fee schedule for marriage records in that area.
Marriage Records in Major Delaware Cities
Delaware couples apply for a license at the Clerk of the Peace in the county where they plan to marry, not at the city office. The city pages below show which county handles each place and where to go for marriage records.