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Search Marriage Records NJ
Choose between a New Jersey marriage-certificate request and State Archives research by the marriage date and the document required.
Start with the event year: New Jersey does not offer a public statewide marriage-name search
New Jersey Vital Statistics says vital records are protected, are not public records, and cannot be searched online. The state office maintains marriage records starting in 1951; the State Archives owns marriage records from May 1848 through December 1950 and provides historical search/research routes.
For pre-1848 marriages, the State Archives explains that county-level marriage filings began in 1795 (or when a county was formed), so those older events may require county or archival research rather than a Vital Statistics order.
For a current/non-genealogical state order, supply the exact marriage identifiers
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Record name
Provide the full name on the record.
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Location
Provide the city where the event occurred.
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Exact event date
New Jersey requires month, day and year for a non-genealogical request.
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Spouse/partner name
For marriage, civil union or domestic partnership, provide the spouse/partner name instead of parents’ names.
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Identity documents
Provide acceptable ID; copies are mailed to the address on the identification unless the state’s alternate-address requirements are met.
Choose a certified copy only when you can prove eligibility
For a certified copy, New Jersey requires proof of relationship showing that the requester is an eligible person such as the subject, qualifying family member/legal representative, an authorized government agency, or a person acting under a court order. A certification is an uncertified informational copy: proof of relationship is not required, but identity is still required, and the certification is not valid for establishing identity or legal purposes.
The Office of Vital Statistics and Registry charges $25 for the initial search and one certified copy or certification, plus $2 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Municipal fees can differ.
Use the submission channel that matches the request
| Channel | State-published processing information |
|---|---|
| Online | Typically 4–6 weeks; delivery time and deficient-application resolution are additional |
| State walk-in, non-genealogical | Typically within 2 hours; local-office fees/timing can vary |
| Mail through the state’s vendor route | Typically 2–4 weeks; delivery and deficient-application resolution are additional |
| Phone through the partner agency | Available; supporting documents still must be provided and additional fees apply |
New Jersey says incomplete applications are returned. For a legal or apostille use, order the certified copy rather than the informational certification.
For genealogy, preserve the state’s published cutoff nuance instead of guessing
The genealogical page describes marriage records for deceased people where the marriage occurred more than 50 years ago “until 1951,” but the same page also says Vital Statistics holds the most current 100 years and directs records older than 100 years to the State Archives. Those statements do not create a single clean rolling cutoff.
Use the more concrete repository boundaries for routing: the State Archives says it owns New Jersey marriage records from May 1848 through December 1950, while Vital Statistics says it maintains marriage records starting in 1951. If requesting through the genealogical Vital Statistics process, the required locators are full name, city or county and event year; exact date is optional but helpful. The state lists $25 for the first copy, $2 for each additional same-record copy, $1 per extra year searched, and $25 per additional name or county; genealogical mail requests are typically 10–12 weeks.