Vermont Marriage Records

Vermont mandated uniform reporting of vital records, including marriage records, in 1857 when the Vermont General Assembly required the annual reporting of vital statistics by all town clerks to the Secretary of State's Office, centralizing the data. Before this, marriage records were fragmented across towns, resulting in incomplete data.

Recent data from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control indicates that Vermont's marriage rate is higher than the national average. From the data, Vermont has a marriage rate of 7.2 marriages per 1,000 residents, exceeding the U.S. average of 6.2 marriages per 1,000 people by over 17%.

Vermont marriage records are the official documents created and maintained by state and local authorities that validate the union between two individuals. In Vermont, marriage records consist of the following documents:

• Marriage Licenses: A marriage license is the legal authorization a couple obtains from the town clerk's office before they may legally get married in Vermont. The marriage license contains the couple's full names, ages, birth dates, gender, birthplaces, parents' names of both parties, the planned marriage date, and details of prior divorces. In addition, a marriage license contains the license number, issue date, and expiry date of the document. A marriage license certifies a couple's eligibility to marry.
• Marriage Certificates: A marriage certificate is a post-ceremony record that formally certifies that two individuals have been joined in marriage. After the wedding, the witnesses and officiants sign the marriage license and return the same to the town clerk's office within 10 days of the marriage ceremony. The officer documents the license and creates the marriage certificate. A marriage certificate contains the spouses' names, ages, date and place of marriage, witness names, and name and title of the officiant. In addition, marriage certificates hold information about the document's legitimacy, including the filing date, unique certificate number, and the signature and seal of the issuing office.

How To Look Up Marriage Records in Vermont?

You may look up Vermont marriage records from the following agencies:

• The Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA) issues certified copies of Vermont marriage certificates from 1909 to 2022
• The Vermont Department of Health Vital Records Office provides access to marriage certificates from 2023 to date.
• The Town Clerk's Office provides access to marriage licenses and all marriage certificates on file in their office.

The VDH permits eligible requesters to order certified copies of marriage certificates online. Online requests for certified marriage records are through the VDH Vital Records Request Service. The platform is run in conjunction with an approved third-party vendor. Therefore, processing fees are higher than for mail requests.

Persons seeking marriage records from 1909 to 2022 may complete the Certified Copy of a Marriage/Civil Union or Divorce Record form. Mail the request to:

You may order certified copies of marriage records for weddings conducted from 2023 to date by filling out the Application for Certified Copy of Vermont Marriage Certificate form. Send the record request to:

In addition, all marriage licenses and certified copies of marriage certificates are accessible at the specific Town/Clerk's office that issued the marriage license. Record seekers may order the document by mail or in person. Generally, all requests for certified copies of marriage certificates must include the following:

• The full names of both spouses
• The marriage date
• Parents' names
• A self-addressed, stamped envelope for mail requests
• A valid government-issued photo ID
• Checks or money orders for the fees

Are Marriage Records Public in Vermont?

Marriage records are treated as public documents from the moment they are filed per the Vermont Public Records Act. However, access to them is restricted. While basic information like the couple's names, wedding locations, and marriage dates is publicly available, detailed copies are restricted to eligible individuals, such as the couple, immediate family members, and legal representatives.

How Much Do Vermont Marriage Records Cost?

It costs $10 to order a certified copy of a Vermont marriage certificate from the VDH Vital Records Office, the VSARA, or the town or city clerk's office. Online requests for certified marriage records cost $10 plus an additional $2 online processing fee. Extra copies of the record ordered with the initial request are charged at $10.

It takes 5-7 business days to process and receive online requests for marriage records, and 10 - 17 business days if the document is ordered by mail. Expedited processing is available for online requests, with the document being shipped overnight on the same day the order is received. There is an extra fee of $14.50 to expedite online requests. There is no expedited processing for mail requests. Persons who require the document urgently may order the record in person at the town or city clerk's office. Walk-in requests are processed within 24-48 hours.

Is It Possible to Make Your Marriage Records Confidential in Vermont?

Vermont does not offer a confidential marriage option where couples may obtain confidential marriage licenses, allowing them to keep their marriage records private from everyone, including eligible requesters. Per state law, every marriage license and certificate becomes a public document from the moment it is filed with the Town Clerk or State Registrar. Similarly, there is no legal mechanism where couples may apply to the courts to have their marriage records sealed.

How Do I Verify the Authenticity of Vermont Marriage Records?

Verifying the authenticity of your Vermont marriage records is essential for personal, financial, and legal purposes. Generally, people require their marriage records when applying for a spousal visa, filing joint tax returns, changing one's legal name, tracing family history, confirming marital status during divorce, and validating one's right to inheritance or survivor benefits.

Therefore, you may verify the authenticity of your marriage records at the Town or City Clerk's Office or the Vermont Vital Records Office. You may visit the office to view the record to confirm that the record on file corresponds with the document you have on hand, or request a certified copy of the marriage record.

A genuine Vermont marriage certificate contains security features to ensure the document is valid for all official uses. Therefore, certified copies of Vermont marriage certificates contain a unique serial number, the signature of the State Registrar, the filing date, and a raised embossed state seal. In addition, certified copies of Vermont marriage certificates are printed on state-engraved security paper to deter counterfeiting.

Can I Find Vermont Marriage Records Online for Free?

While certified copies of Vermont marriage certificates require a fee and eligibility, there are several non-governmental, free resources where you can find old and more recent Vermont marriage records.

FamilySearch.org is a nonprofit genealogy platform offering free access to indexed and digitized vital records collections, including Vermont marriages. The platform provides access to a searchable name index for marriage entries spanning 1791 to 1974. Users may view key details such as spouses' names, marriage dates, and locality of the marriage. In addition, the platform offers access to the microfilm-digitized format of Vermont marriage records from 1955 to 2003.

Ancestry.com is a subscription-based genealogy platform. However, many of its indexes for Vermont marriage records are accessible at no cost. However, scanned images require a paid membership. Marriage collections on the platform include indexes of civil marriages and civil unions filed with the state from 1909 to 2008. The information available on the index includes full names of the bride and groom, marriage date and town, parents' names, and certificate page reference.

PublicRecords.us is a directory that aggregates and links many state and local resources for U.S. vital records, including Vermont. Users may access more recent Vermont marriage records on the platform. However, the platform provides free access to basic marriage information, including spouses' names, marriage date, and location of marriage. Detailed access may require a subscription fee.

What Is Required to Get a Vermont Marriage License?

All persons intending to tie the knot in Vermont must meet state requirements and submit appropriate documentation to obtain a marriage license and get married legally. In Vermont, these requirements include:

• Complete the Application for Vermont Licensee of Civil Marriage form.
• Apply for the license in person in either party's town of residence.
• Both parties must appear together and sign the application to certify its accuracy
• A certified copy of both parties' birth certificates.
• If either party was previously married, provide information on the number of previous marriages, the date and place of each prior marriage, and how it ended.
• The marriage license fee.

It costs $80 to obtain a Vermont marriage license. There is no waiting period between when the marriage license is issued and when you are legally allowed to marry in Vermont. Couples may get married immediately when the clerk issues the license. However, marriage licenses are valid for 60 days from issuance. Couples must get married within the period. Failure to get married within the validity period makes the license void.

Can You Amend Marriage Records in Vermont?

The following corrections are permissible on a Vermont marriage license and certificate:

• Spelling mistakes in either party's name
• Transposed letters or digits in dates of birth or addresses
• Inaccurate details, such as wrong birthdates and ceremony locations
• Missing or misspelled officiant or witness name
• Omitted information

Amending Vermont Marriage License

Intending couples may correct inaccuracies on their marriage license before the wedding ceremony. To amend the document, return to the town or city clerk's office where the license was issued. State the error and provide proof of the correct information, such as birth certificates or state-issued IDs. The clerk will either correct the existing license if the errors are minor or issue a new license for significant errors. While there are no amendment fees for correcting marriage licenses, if a new license is reissued, the standard marriage license fee of $80 becomes applicable.

Amending Vermont Marriage Certificate

How couples amend their marriage certificate in Vermont depends on when they apply for the amendment. If the certificate correction is filed within six months of solemnization, either the couple may apply to amend the error at the town clerk's office. The clerk would strike out the inaccurate information and insert the correct information. The clerk would certify that the change is in accordance with state law on the certificate.

If the certificate amendment is after six months of solemnization, the couple or officiant may file a petition with the Probate Division in the county where the original marriage license is kept. The petition should describe the error and attach any supporting documents. The court sets a hearing date, and if the error is proven, it issues a decree spelling out the correct information. The decree is certified by the State Registrar and forwarded to the town clerk.

The town clerk then draws a line through the erroneous entry, writes the corrected information beside it, labels the face of the certificate as "Court Amended", and includes the date of the decree. The clerk then amends the public record.