Order Your New Jersey Marriage Certificate Online

Certified Copies and Marriage Certifications in New Jersey

New Jersey offers two types of marriage records:

If you need your certificate for an official process, make sure you request the certified version rather than an informational certification.

Marriage records from before 1951

The New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry maintains marriage records beginning in 1951. State-filed marriage records from May 1, 1848, through December 31, 1950, are held by the New Jersey State Archives.

New Jersey treats marriage records from more than 50 years ago as genealogical records when the people named on the record are deceased. These family-history requests follow a separate process from standard marriage certificate orders and typically take 10 to 12 weeks by mail.

For marriages within the last 50 years, use the standard marriage certificate application process.

Who Can Request a New Jersey Marriage Certificate?

New Jersey vital records are not public records. To receive a certified marriage certificate, you must be the subject of the record or have an eligible relationship or legal reason to request it.

Other than the two spouses named on the record, the following people can request a copy of an NJ marriage certificate:

You may need to provide documents proving your relationship to the person named on the record.

Proof of relationship isn’t required if you request an informational certification (not a full, certified copy). Whatever type of document you order, you need to provide a valid photo ID.

How to Get a Marriage Certificate in New Jersey

To request a marriage certificate in New Jersey, you must:

ID requirement: You need to submit a valid ID to request a marriage certificate in New Jersey. A current, valid photo driver's license or non-driver ID showing your current address is accepted.

Certain combinations of alternative ID documents may also be accepted, including a passport, federal or State ID, permanent resident card, voter registration record, recent bank statement, or utility bill.

Once your application is ready, you can present it in person at a vital records office, or send it by mail to:
New Jersey Department of Health
Vital Statistics and Registry
P.O. Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370

In-person marriage certificate requests in New Jersey

You can request a certified marriage certificate in person at the state vital records office:
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
140 East Front Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Walk-in service is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding state holidays.

You may also be able to request a marriage record from the local registrar in the municipality where the marriage occurred. Local fees, hours, and application requirements can vary.

New Jersey Marriage Certificate Fees and Processing Times

For NJ marriage records, the state fee for the initial search and one certified copy or certification is $25. Additional copies of the same marriage record ordered at the same time cost $2 each.

If you order your certificate by mail, you must pay by check or money order payable to “Treasurer, State of New Jersey”.

Fees charged by local registrars vary by municipality, so the amount may be different if you apply through the city or town where the marriage occurred.

Standard state mail requests are typically processed within 2 to 4 weeks, excluding delivery time. For certain records, walk-in requests at the state office can be processed within two hours. Applications should be submitted by 3:30 p.m. for same-day issuance.

New Jersey Marriage Certificate Apostille for Use Abroad

If you need to use your marriage record in another country, you may need a New Jersey marriage certificate apostille.

For apostille purposes, you must obtain the certified copy from the New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry (OVSR), rather than a local municipal vital records office.

When you apply, indicate that the certificate is needed for an apostille. OVSR will issue a certified copy bearing the original signature of the State Registrar or an Assistant/Deputy State Registrar.

You must then send the certified copy to the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, which issues and attaches the apostille. The fee for this is $25 per apostille.

Marriage certificate translation in New Jersey

The New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics and Registry doesn’t provide a marriage certificate translation service. To request this, seek out a professional translator who can provide a certified translation of your record.

If a document submitted for authentication is in a language other than English, the New Jersey Department of the Treasury recommends attaching a notarized English translation.

If you include a translation for authentication, New Jersey treats the original record and the translation as separate documents, so each may require its own fee. This is separate from ordering your certified New Jersey marriage certificate.