West Virginia Marriage Records

West Virginia began maintaining marriage records in a centralized database in 1964. Before that, most counties kept records of marriage events within their respective jurisdictions. Recent data show that West Virginia's marriage trend of 5.8 marriages per 1,000 residents is slightly lower than the national average of 6.2 marriages per 1,000 people.

West Virginia marriage records are legal documents that validate and detail marital unions within the state. Generally, these documents include:

• Marriage License: A marriage license is a pre-wedding document. It is the document issued by the county clerk granting two individuals permission to get married. Marriage licenses contain information about the couple, including their full names, ages, residences, and the name they intend to use after the marriage. Marriage licenses also contain the issue date, license number, and the expiry date of the document.
• Marriage Certificate: A marriage certificate is a post-wedding document, serving as official proof that the wedding took place. Usually, after the marriage ceremony, the officiant signs and returns the marriage license to the county clerk's office. The officer in charge documents the union and creates the marriage certificate. A marriage contains information about the married couple, including their full names, date and place of marriage, and location of the marriage. It also has the officiant's signature, certificate number, and the signature and seal of the issuing officer.

How To Look Up Marriage Records in West Virginia?

You may look up marriage records in West Virginia from the following sources:

• Marriage certificates from 1964 to the present are accessible at the West Virginia Health and Human Resources Bureau of Public Health Vital Registration Office.
• Marriage licenses and pre-1964 marriage certificates are available at the county clerk's office.

Persons ordering certified copies of marriage certificates from the West Virginia Vital Registration Office may order the document online, in person, or by mail. Online requests for marriage certificates are through a third-party service provider approved by the State Bureau of Public Health.

To order certified copies of marriage certificates in person or by mail, download and complete the Application for Certified Marriage Certificate form. Visit in person or mail the record request to:

For marriages before 1964, certified copies of marriage certificates are only available from the county clerk's office where the license was issued. To obtain the document, submit a written request to the county clerk's office. Generally. All requests for marriage certificates may include the following:

• The full name of the couple
• Date of marriage
• A valid government-issued photo ID
• A permission slip, if the requester is not eligible to order the document
• The fees

Are Marriage Records Public in West Virginia?

Marriage records are confidential documents, restricted from the public for a predetermined period in West Virginia. Therefore, the general public cannot view or obtain copies of another person's marriage record. Per state law, only the parties' names on the marriage certificate, their adult children, and legal representatives may access marriage records in West Virginia. However, after the mandate period passes, the marriage record becomes publicly accessible.

How Much Do West Virginia Marriage Records Cost?

It costs $12 to order a certified copy of a West Virginia marriage certificate from the State Vital Registration Office. Additional certified copies ordered at the same time are also $12. Similarly, online requests for marriage certificates cost $12, with an additional $13.50 processing fee. Marriage certificates ordered at the county clerk's office cost $5-$6, depending on the county.

The West Virginia Vital Registration Office does not offer expedited processing for marriage certificates requested by mail. Generally, it takes 5-15 business days to process mail requests. However, walk-in requesters typically get the document on the same day.

Is It Possible to Make Your Marriage Records Confidential in West Virginia?

West Virginia does not offer a voluntary confidential marriage program, like California or Michigan, nor does it permit the sealing of marriage certificates by court order. Instead, all marriage certificates filed with the State Registrar are confidential records for a predetermined number of years, after which they become public records. During the confidentiality period, the marriage documents are still available to qualified persons, unlike in confidential marriage programs where the record is fully restricted from the public, except to the couple.

How Do I Verify the Authenticity of West Virginia Marriage Records?

Verifying the authenticity of a marriage record in West Virginia is essential for various legal, financial, and personal reasons. From name changes and divorce proceedings to tax, inheritance, insurance, Social Security, immigration, and genealogy use, there are several reasons to ensure your marriage document is legitimate.

Depending on the year your marriage certificate was issued, you may verify the authenticity of your marriage certificate at the West Virginia Vital Registration Office or the county clerk's office where the license was issued. To verify the document, compare the original license application and county register entries. In addition, confirm the clerk's signature, seal impression, and certificate number match the certified copy.

Authenticated marriage certificates contain features that validate the document's legitimacy. Typically, it includes a unique certificate number, a raised or embossed seal, identification of the issuing authority, and a text such as "Certified True Copy" on the document. In addition, certified copies of marriage certificates are printed on watermarked, specialty paper with security threads to deter counterfeiting.

Can I Find West Virginia Marriage Records Online for Free?

Yes. Although West Virginia restricts access to marriage records to only eligible individuals, unauthorized persons may still look up old and newer marriage records from credible resources at no cost.

FamilySearch.org is a free genealogy website with compiled abstracts and transcriptions from original West Virginia county marriage registers from 1776 to 1971. It also includes a name index with links to digital images of many West Virginia marriage certificates from 1780 to 1970.

Ancestry.com provides free access to West Virginia compiled marriage records, including index and transcriptions from 1863 to 1900. The platform also hosts extracted data from bonds, licenses, and register returns from 1785 to 1971.

PublicRecords.us provides a state-by-state directory of marriage records, aggregated from multiple governmental resources. The platform hosts an extensive database of marriage records, including West Virginia marriage records. You may access more current marriage records, post-1967, on the platform. The web tool offers free access to basic information on marriage filings, including the spouses' names, marriage date, and county of marriage.

What Is Required to Get a West Virginia Marriage License?

Persons intending to get married may fulfill certain state requirements and submit appropriate documentation in West Virginia to obtain the marriage license. They include:

• Both parties must be present at the county clerk's office.
• Both parties must be at least 18 years old to purchase the license. Persons aged 16-17 years may get married with parental consent.
• Provide their Social Security numbers.
• Provide a valid government-issued photo ID.
• Provide the exact date of a previous marriage and the reason the marriage ended (death, divorce, or annulment.
• If divorced within the past 6 months, provide divorce decree.
• Pay the marriage license fee.

The standard marriage license fee across West Virginia counties is $57. The fee is reduced to $37 if the couple can present a signed, dated premarital education certificate from a qualifying 4-hour course completed within 12 months.

There is no waiting period for persons aged 18 and above. They may get married immediately after the license is issued. However, persons aged 16-17 may observe a 3-day waiting period after the license is issued before they may get married. Marriage licenses are valid for 60 days in West Virginia. If the wedding is not conducted within the validity period, the couple must reapply for a new license.

Can You Amend Marriage Records in West Virginia?

In West Virginia, the following amendments are permissible under state law on your marriage records:

• Clerical errors, including misspelled names, incorrect birth dates, addresses, or birthplaces
• Typos in parental information
• Omitted information, including middle names
• Transposed errors, such as transposed digits in a Social Security number
• Name changes

Amending West Virginia Marriage License

You may amend errors on your marriage license before the wedding if you notice inaccuracies in the document. Both applicants must be present at the county clerk's office to amend the error. Provide an affidavit stating the erroneous information and the correct data. Present any documentation supporting the correction. Pay the original marriage license fee.

Amending the West Virginia Marriage Certificate

After the wedding, if you notice inaccuracies on the wedding certificate, you may apply to the State Vital Registration Office or the county clerk's office where the marriage license was issued to amend the document. Both offices accept in-person or mail requests for amending marriage certificates.

For minor errors within one year of the certificate issue, submit a written request detailing the error. Provide appropriate identification and any documents supporting the correct information. The State Registrar will fix the mistakes without a fee. The corrections do not result in the certificate being marked as amended.

For corrections identified after one year or for more substantive corrections, such as name changes or correcting marriage location, submit a notarized affidavit specifying the incorrect information and the proposed correct data. Provide two documentary pieces of evidence, such as official records and government-issued documents, to support the correction.

Per state law, the documentary evidence should be documents created at least five years before the amendment request date or within seven years of the marriage. There is a non-refundable amendment fee of $10. If a certified copy of the amended marriage certificate is required, an additional $12 may be included with the amendment fees.