Find Marriage Records in Newark

Newark marriage records are held by the New Castle County Clerk of the Peace in Wilmington. The Office of Vital Statistics also runs a New Castle County branch right inside the city of Newark at 258 Chapman Road. That means Newark couples have an in-town stop for certified copies of Newark marriage records. Use the search tool below to begin looking up public records, and read on for the full set of steps, fees, and office details.

Office of Vital Statistics in Newark

The state runs a New Castle County branch of the Office of Vital Statistics at 258 Chapman Road, Newark, DE 19702. The phone number is (302) 283-7130. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. This office offers same-day service on most Newark marriage records held by the state from 1969 to the present.

The Newark office is the closest Office of Vital Statistics site for residents of northern Delaware. It shares the same building with the VitalChek office, one of the two state-approved online vendors for Delaware marriage records. Couples married anywhere in the state can order a certified copy at this office.

The Chapman Road office shares a building with VitalChek's Delaware call center. Walk-in hours run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the branch accepts cash, check, or money order for the $25 certified copy fee. Proof of relationship is needed for any Newark marriage record less than 50 years old.

Newark Marriage Records at the Clerk of the Peace

The New Castle County Clerk of the Peace issues every marriage license for residents of Newark. The office is at 800 North French Street, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801. Call (302) 395-7780. Hours run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Both people must show up together to apply. Each spouse brings a valid photo ID, proof of address, and, if married before, a final decree or death certificate. The resident fee is $70, and non-residents pay $120. A 24-hour wait starts once the license is issued. The license is good for 30 days. The ceremony must take place inside Delaware.

A certified copy of a Newark marriage record from the Clerk of the Peace costs $25. The office will only fill the order for one of the spouses, close family, or an approved agent. For couples who want same-day pickup but do not want to drive to Wilmington, the Office of Vital Statistics branch in Newark is a closer option.

Newark serves the University of Delaware, which means the local branch sees a steady flow of students, staff, and faculty who need Newark marriage records for graduate school applications, immigration paperwork, or insurance claims. Proof of relationship is needed for most requests, and the office can often print the copy while you wait.

Older Newark Marriage Records

Newark marriage records older than 50 years have been moved to the Delaware Public Archives in Dover. Call (302) 744-5000 or email archives@delaware.gov. The full guide at archives.delaware.gov shows which series covers which years.

Delaware counties began keeping marriage records as early as 1832. Statewide registration began in 1847 and was generally followed by 1913. Early Newark-area church records sit at the Delaware Public Archives, which can help fill gaps in older files.

The Wilmington Justice of the Peace kept city marriage records from 1881 to 1954. Newark-area couples who married in the City of Wilmington in that window can find the record at the Delaware Public Archives. The research room is open to the public, with hours Monday through Friday and the first and third Saturday of each month.

Officiants and the Marriage Form

The complete Delaware marriage form used for a Newark ceremony is a three-page set. One page goes to the bride and groom. One page goes to the state file. One page stays with the officiant, who must keep it for at least one year under 13 Del. C. Section 114.

Under 13 Del. C. Section 107(b), a valid marriage license signed by the Clerk of the Peace must be in the officiant's hands before the ceremony. Within four days, the officiant must return the signed copy to the New Castle County Clerk of the Peace. Since 1996, judges of Delaware's constitutional and statutory courts have had the power to solemnize marriages under S.B. 249.

Delaware Marriage Law and Newark

Newark follows state law under Title 13, Chapter 1 of the Delaware Code. Section 109 requires a license for every marriage. Section 115(b) gives the officiant four days to return the signed form to the New Castle County Clerk of the Peace.

Both spouses must be at least 18 years old. Section 128 fines any officiant who runs a ceremony without a license or before the 24-hour wait is up. Section 129 gives same-gender couples the same rights as different-gender couples.

Delaware marriage records stay private for 50 years. The state rule lives in Delaware Administrative Code 4205 on vital statistics and in 16 Del. C. Section 3110(b). The regulation at dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hp/vsregs spells out the full access rules for Newark marriage records.

What Is on a Newark Marriage Record

A modern Newark marriage record lists the full name of each spouse, sex, Social Security number, date of birth, occupation, and residence at the time of the marriage. Parents' names and places of birth are on the form. Anyone who was married before must list the date and place of the earlier marriage and how it ended. The officiant signs the record and notes the date and place of the ceremony.

Processing times for Newark marriage records depend on the request method. Walk-in requests at the Newark branch of the Office of Vital Statistics on Chapman Road are typically same-day. Requests at the Clerk of the Peace in Wilmington are also same-day for records held in-house. Mail orders to the state central office in Dover usually take two to four weeks. Online orders can arrive in a few days to a week depending on the shipping option chosen.

Newark couples from the University of Delaware often need a certified copy for graduate school, immigration work, or health insurance paperwork. Students and staff at UD can order a copy the same way any other Newark resident would. Proof of identity and, for records under 50 years old, proof of relationship to a person on the record must be included.

Common reasons Newark residents order a Delaware marriage certificate include:

• Legal name change after marriage
• Immigration and visa paperwork
• Insurance claims
• Spousal benefits and pensions
• Genealogy research

Related Pages

Newark is the second-largest city in New Castle County and the home of the University of Delaware. All Newark marriage records pass through the New Castle County Clerk of the Peace or the Office of Vital Statistics.