Top Choice
Instant Checkmate
Criminal-record and social-profile search option.
View RecordsVital Records
Marriage Or Divorce Records
For a US marriage certificate, USAGov directs you to the vital-record office in the state where the marriage occurred for copy instructions.
Direct answer
What to use for marriage or divorce records
Choose the event and document first. A marriage certificate records a marriage, while a divorce decree contains the court’s order; a divorce certificate, where issued, records divorce event details. These require different custodian checks and do not by themselves establish every later change in marital status.
Compare
Choose the record product that matches the event
Specify the document
Specify the exact document before placing an order. The correct route is easier to identify once the document form is explicit.
Use event-era names
Try alternate spellings or prior surnames when the first event search misses. A spelling variation should be treated as a search aid, not automatic proof of identity.
Route
Where marriage or divorce records is usually requested
| Need | Official source | What it can establish |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing route. | USAGov - Divorce decree or certificate. | A divorce decree is obtained from the court clerk where the divorce occurred. |
| Historical supplement. | CDC/NCHS - Where to Write for Vital Records. | CDC does not issue state vital-record certificates. |
Check
Details to collect before ordering
- Locate the event. Use location and date together to route the request. The correct issuing route becomes clearer once place and time are fixed.
- Finish with the record owner. Separate the act of finding a record from the act of obtaining an official copy. That sequence preserves the difference between search access and document access.
Two event branches, two retrieval decisions
For a US marriage certificate, USAGov directs you to the vital-record office in the state where the marriage occurred for copy instructions. A marriage license is different: it authorizes the marriage rather than proving the ceremony occurred. Identify which document the recipient needs and use the event-era names, place and date.
For divorce terms or the final court order, use the clerk where the divorce occurred. If only the event certificate is needed, ask that state’s vital-record office whether it issues one and how to obtain it. Keep a court case number with the decree request when available.
If you are tracing both events, preserve separate locations and dates rather than assuming they occurred in the same state. Ask each custodian about its actual coverage, eligibility, fees and certification. An unsuccessful search in one index is not proof that no marriage or divorce occurred elsewhere.
Official guidance: USAGov: marriage certificate or license; USAGov: divorce decree or certificate; CDC: vital-record application guidance.
Related Record Guides
Sources
Authoritative next stops
Official federal public-service source; United States
USAGov - Divorce decree or certificate
A divorce decree is a court order; copies route to the clerk where the divorce occurred, while divorce certificates route to state vital-record offices.
United States
Official federal public-health guidance; United States
CDC - Guidelines for Ordering Vital Records
General state/local vital-record custody and common marriage/divorce request identifiers.
United States
Official federal health navigation source; United States
CDC/NCHS - Where to Write for Vital Records
CDC/NCHS directs users to the state or local office where the vital event occurred and states the federal government does not distribute identifying vital-record certificates or indexes.
United States