Accessing marriage records are an easy task as most vital records can be viewed by anyone in the public. Reasons for people to seek out Vermont marriage records include wanting to know the names of people for family trees, knowing if someone has been married before and simply because they are curious about a marriage history. Vermont also issues same sex civil unions and can broaden a marriage certificate search.
Vermont marriage records are available from the Vermont Department of Health. New marriage records or ones that have been issued in the last 5 years can be easily ordered through the department of health, though records of more than 5 pages will have to be ordered through the state archives and records section. Through the site, an application for any vital record, including a marriage certificate involves completing and printing the application to send in with payment. The application requires that anyone obtaining a record must identify the date, town and name of the individual searched for. Certified copies cost $10, but there is no fee for a record search.
Whenever couples marry in the state of Vermont, they need to provide the county clerk or town clerk with certain information. By doing a reverse search of this, you are able to look up marriage or civil union licenses that were issued. Civil unions have been established since 2000, which gives same sex couples the same benefits that are granted to spouses in Vermont. To obtain records for civil unions, the same application is completed with a certified copy fee of $10. However, unlike the marriage certificate inquiry, the civil unions applications have a Party A and Party B section to fill out.
Through the Vermont Vital Registry system supplied by the Vermont office of the secretary of state, certified copies of vital records are available through their website. It will usually take around 5 to 10 business days to get a reply and will cost $10 dollars per certified copy, plus a $3 dollar fee processing fee. In order to get the copies, an application similar to the department of health's vital records has to be filled out and sent in. Make sure when filling out the forms that you have the surnames and names correct, as it could hinder the reply time. Any second names should also be included on the application.
Other places to obtain Vermont marriage records include doing a search through online search engines. These search engines can provide a plethora of record sites in order to look up individuals. Similar to background checks, some of these sites require that you pay money, but many will be free. When typing in the name of the person or persons you are inquiring about you can shorten the search by adding the location in Vermont where the marriage or civil union took place. The best thing about finding Vermont marriage records is that you can uncover names of the couple married, their parent's names and usually the name of the officiator.
To request a Vermont marriage record, please follow these instructions:
Step 1.
Go to the Dept. of Health website and fill out the Marriage Certificate Request form online. Include the names of the bride and groom, names of parents, date and place of marriage. Be sure to provide your contact information, your relationship, and your purpose for the request.
Step 2.
Print the completed form page, and then sign the form at the bottom.
Step 3.
Submit the completed form to the address below with a check or money order for $10. Do not send cash.
Send the application to:
Vermont Department of Health
Vital Records
PO Box 70
Burlington, VT 05402-0070
What You Should Know About Vermont Marriage Records
The Vital Records office of the Vermont Department of Health has maintained vital records, including marriage records, since 1857. Once a marriage certificate is filed with the town clerk where the marriage took place, it is forwarded to the Vital Records office and kept on file for five years.
Obtaining Marriage Records Older than 5 Years
Each marriage record is maintained for only five years with the Vital Records office. Then it is transferred to the State Archives and Records Administration. Requests for marriage records prior to 2004 should go to this office, or directly to the Town Clerk where the marriage was originally filed.
Vermont Marriage Record Restrictions
Only approved family members may obtain a certified Vermont marriage certificate. All requestors must state their relationship and the purpose for the request.
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