Missouri Marriage Records

Georgia marriage records are vital records and official documents recognizing the marriage of two persons in the state. The state's marriage laws are codified under Chapter 451 of the Missouri Revised Statutes. This chapter recognizes marriage as a civil contract and requires that intending couples obtain a marriage license before they can be solemnized in a marriage in the state. Common law marriages are not recognized in Missouri, while same-sex marriages are legal pursuant to federal law.

Typically, applicants for marriage licenses must be 18 to be issued a license; however, the state makes certain stringent provisions for persons under 18 who want to be married. Marriage license applications are completed at the county recorder of deeds office in the state. More than 34,000 marriages were held in Missouri in 2022.

Missouri marriage licenses are valid for 30 days, and there is no waiting period to hold a marriage ceremony upon getting a valid license. No blood tests or premarital education courses are mandated. Upon completing a marriage ceremony, your marriage officiant must submit the signed marriage license to the county recorder of deeds office within 15 days or face a misdemeanor. A certificate of marriage can be issued only after the submission and recording of the marriage license at the county recorder of deeds office.

Marriage records, such as a Certified Statement Relating to Marriage and a certified copy of a marriage license, are considered vital records only available to the persons with tangible interests in the document. However, marriage indexes are available for search online at the website of some county recorders of deeds. If you want a certified copy of a marriage record, contact the recorder of deeds office where the marriage license was filed. A Certified Statement Relating to Marriage is available from the Bureau of Vital Records division of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

What are Marriage Records?

A Missouri marriage record is an official document containing information about the legal union between two individuals in the state. A marriage record in Missouri may be a marriage license, marriage certificate, or Certified Statement Relating to Marriage. A marriage license is a permit issued by the state authorizing intending couples to get married. It is issued and must be obtained before a marriage can happen. A marriage certificate is issued upon the solemnization of a marriage and contains more detailed information than the marriage license. It cannot be issued until the marriage has occurred. A Certified Statement Relating to Marriage is a document issued by the state to attest that the named parties in the document are married. If basic information is required about a marriage, a marriage statement suffices.

Marriage licenses and certificates in Missouri are maintained by the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the marriage licenses were obtained. Certified Statements relating to marriage are available from the Bureau of Vital Records. Typical Missouri marriage records include the following:

Names of the Couple: Full names of both individuals getting married
Date of Marriage: The date when the marriage took place
Location of Marriage: The city or county where the marriage was performed
Marriage License Number: A unique number assigned to the marriage license
Officiant’s Information: The name and title of the person who performed the marriage ceremony
Witnesses: Names of any witnesses present during the ceremony
Dates of Birth: The birthdates of the bride and groom
Residences: The addresses or counties of residence of the couple at the time of marriage

Missouri marriage records are vital records that document significant life events and are important for specific legal and administrative purposes. They serve as legal proof of a marriage and are essential for actions such as name changes, spousal benefits, and divorce proceedings. Additionally, these records are valuable for genealogical research and analyzing local and statewide marriage trends.

Marriage indexes are public records that anyone may access. However, Certified Statements Relating to Marriage and certified copies of marriage licenses and certificates are provided to specifically defined individuals and entities. This protects identities, prevents fraud, and ensures the integrity of marriage records. According to state law, certified copies of vital records may only be issued to persons with a direct and tangible interest in the document. Under 19 CSR 10-10, this includes the registrant, a family member, a legal guardian, or an authorized representative.

Marriages in Missouri

According to data and statistical reports published by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, marriage rates in the state since 1950 hit a high between 1970 and 1980, with 10.7 and 11.1 marriages recorded per 1,000 population in 1970 and 1980. In the last decade, marriage rates have declined, with the state recording 6.0 marriages per 1,000 population in 2019 and 2021 and 5.8 marriages per 1,000 population in 2022.

According to the Missouri DHSS report, of the 34,766 male-female marriages in 2022, marriages between white male and white female partners were the most common. Taney, Putnam, Pettis, Carter, and Ripley Counties had the highest marriage rates in the state in 2022, with 11.1, 7.9, 7.9, 7.8, and 7.8 marriages per 1,000 population, respectively.

Similarly, divorce trends have followed marriage rates in the state. While the state experienced high divorce rates between 1975 and 1995, as approximately 5.5 divorces occurred per 1,000 during the peak periods in that timeline, a significant decline has occurred in recent years. In 2018, Missouri recorded 3.0 divorces per 1,000 population. By 2020, that figure had dropped to 2.7.

Chapter 451 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri contains marriage laws for the state. Per Chapter 451.020 of the state's statutes, certain marriages are prohibited. These include marriages between parents and children, including grandparents and grandchildren of every degree, between uncles and nieces, brothers and sisters of the half as well as the whole blood, aunts and nephews, first cousins, and persons lacking the capacity to enter into a marriage contract. Also, while federal law now permits same-sex marriage, Missouri retains a statute prohibiting same-sex marriages.

Before you may be married in Missouri, you must obtain a marriage license by applying at a county recorder of deeds in the state. Per Chapter 451.090 of the state law, applicants for a marriage license must be at least 18 years old. If you are younger than 18, you must obtain consent from a custodial parent or guardian. Any applicant wishing to apply for a Missouri marriage license who is younger than 15 must obtain a circuit court order. If you are 16 or 17, your custodial parent or guardian must be present to consent at the time of the application and provide a United States government-issued ID. Anyone aged 16 or 17 is prohibited from marrying persons aged 21 or older.

Once you meet the requirements to get married in Missouri, you may initiate a pre-application for a marriage license online. However, not all counties provide for a pre-application step. Whether you pre-apply online or not, you and your partner must visit the office of a county recorder of deeds to complete the application process. In the office, you will submit further information about yourselves and the marriage and fill out an application. You will also be required to pay a fee of about $50. However, other nominal fees charged by the county or payment gateway may apply.

Note that if you or your partner have been married previously, you must provide information or documentation to prove that the marriage has been dissolved. You may also need to check with your attorney if any waiting period before applying for a Missouri marriage license has expired. Also, at the application, you will need an acceptable ID for proof of identity age, and Social Security number.

Missouri has no blood test requirement or waiting period to obtain a marriage license. Upon getting your marriage license from the county recorder of deeds (typically on the same day of application), you may proceed to get married. Note that Missouri marriage licenses are only valid for 30 days upon issuance. Hence, your marriage ceremony must take place within the stated period.

You must submit your marriage license to the marriage officiant before the ceremony; otherwise, you will be guilty of a misdemeanor. Under Chapter 451.100 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, marriages may be solemnized by a clergyman (active or retired) in good standing with any synagogue or church in the state. The state also allows any judge, including municipal judge, to act in the capacity of a marriage officiant without compensation. Your marriage may be solemnized by a religious society, religious institution, or religious organization of Missouri, according to the customs and regulations of the society, institution, or organization, when you or your partner are a member of the society, institution, or organization.

Before or after the marriage ceremony, your officiant will complete the paperwork, sign the document, and get signatures from you, your partner, and two witnesses. Within 15 days of the marriage ceremony, the marriage officiant must return the signed license to the county recorder of deeds. Per Chapter 451.030 of the state law, failing to return the marriage license to the county recorder of deeds within 15 days of the marriage ceremony is a misdemeanor.

Common law marriages have not been recognized in Missouri since the state abolished this type of union in 1921. However, the state considers couples in a common law marriage legally married if they move from a state where common law marriages are recognized into Missouri, according to the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Missouri Marriage Certificate

Chapter 451.110 of the Missouri Revised Statutes provides for the issuance of certificates of marriage to the parties in a marriage. This certificate is proof that a marriage occurred. It contains the names and residential addresses of the parties to the marriage, the county in which the marriage license was issued, the issuance date of the marriage license, and other facts about the marriage.

Missouri marriage certificates are provided to spouses by the marriage officiant. They are an unofficial document and cannot be used for legal purposes. However, they serve as a memorable keepsake that spouses may retain for their wedding records or albums.

Note that a marriage certificate is not the same as a certified copy of a marriage license, which is obtainable by married couples from the office of the county recorder of deeds.

How To Find and Access Missouri Marriage Records

You can request two marriage records in Missouri: the Certified Statement Relating to Marriage and the marriage certificate. The Certified Statement, issued by the Department of Health and Senior Services in Jefferson City, includes the names of the spouses, the marriage date, and the county or location where the marriage was recorded. This document is useful if the exact county of marriage is unknown.

However, to obtain a certified copy of the original marriage certificate, you must contact the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the marriage license was issued. While the Certified Statement is available at the state level, the certified copy of the marriage certificate is only obtainable locally. Note that Missouri began recording marriages at the state level on July 1, 1948.

Finding and Accessing Missouri Marriage Records Online

You can order a Missouri Certified Statement Relating to Marriage online via VitalChek. Alternatively, call VitalChek at 1-877-817-7363 toll-free to order a Certified Statement. The vendor will charge an additional fee for using the service. To expedite your request, you may opt for overnight delivery. VitalChek is a state-authorized service that orders official government-issued vital records online and is managed by LexisNexis. When you place an order through VitalChek, your request is sent directly to the Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City or a regionally authorized vital records office for processing.

Also, some Missouri Counties allow requesters to search online for marriage records. For example, requesters can search a marriage record or order a marriage license copy online in St. Louis County, access digital records of marriage licenses online in Saint Charles County, and search marriage licenses from 1827 to the present in Marion County. If you want a marriage record from any of the counties mentioned, consider contacting the county recorder's office or visiting the county recorder's website.

Finding and Accessing Missouri Marriage Records Offline

You can obtain a confidential verification of marriage record by submitting a Certified Statement Relating to a Marriage application, a tangible interest document or signed notarized statement authorizing release, and a check for the applicable search fee in a SASE (Self-addressed stamped envelope) to:

DSHS - Missouri Bureau of Vital Records

930 Wildwood Dr

Jefferson City, MO 65109

Note that the fee is non-refundable and is required to perform a search for a marriage record. If no record is found, a vital records office will issue a statement notifying the requester of the search result.

If you want to obtain a certified copy of your marriage license or certificate, contact the recorder of deeds in the county where the marriage license was issued. For instance, marriage license copy requests can be made by mail in Clay County, proof of marriage is available by filling out a form to be submitted by mail in Cole County, while marriage license copy may be obtained by mail in St. Louis County. In some counties, certified copies of marriage licenses are mailed to couples after their marriage ceremonies if the fee for the record is included in the marriage license application fee. For instance, the Cape County Recorder of Deeds office mails a certified copy of marriage licenses to married couples after their marriage ceremonies.

References

Counties in Missouri

List of Content

What are Marriage Records?
Marriages in Missouri
1. Missouri Marriage Certificate
How To Find and Access Missouri Marriage Records
1. Finding and Accessing Missouri Marriage Records Online
2. Finding and Accessing Missouri Marriage Records Offline