Track Down Free Utah Marriage Records (License Search)

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Free Utah Marriage Record Search

Access anyone's marital information in Utah, free of charge.

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Find free Utah marriage records for yourself or anyone else by using the steps laid out in this brief resource.

The federal Freeԁom of Informаtion Aсt (FOIA) and the state-level Government Records Access and Management Act guarantee that every citizen can search for public documents in Utah — including marriage licenses and other marital records.

Check out this streamlined resource, which is sрeсifiсаlly designed to offer step-by-step guidance for anyone who wants to find marriage records in Utah.

The Accessibility of Marriage Records & Certificates in Utah

Under the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the corresponding state FOIA acts, every interested person has the right to access information about the marital status of people in Utah.¹ There are two main laws that guarantee public access to records in Utah.

Firstly, the Utah Open & Public Meetings Act legislates how public meetings are held.² Secondly is the Utah Government Records Access & Management Act (GRAMA), mentioned above, which guarantees access to public records of government agencies at all levels.³

Of course, these laws are not universal. There are some exceptions that apply in specific cases.

For example, citizens cannot access individuals’ health records. Also, the public doesn’t have access to documents which may cause security issues, among many others.

Unfortunately, access to marriage records in Utah is difficult for marriages registered before 1887. This is because registration was not required in the state before 1887. For marriages registered after 1887, access is easy.

Of course, people can access older marriage records, if they are available. However, they are often stored in probate courts. Also, some are stored in the justice of the peace records in local courts.

Unfortunately, these older records are mixed with other legal documents. This makes access to them even more complicated and time-consuming.

In Utah, any interested person can request marriage records or certificates without having to show a statement of purpose. According to GRAMA, there are no restrictions on what can you do with the marriage records duplicates. Similarly, the act guarantees a response within at least 10 business days.

According to a recent report by the United States Census Bureau, Utah has one of the highest marriage rates in the U.S. (second only to Alaska).⁴ Every year, there are about 22.3 new marriages per 1,000 women. This figure is much higher than the national average, which sits at 14.9 new marriages per 1,000 women.

Overall, Utah has one of the highest marriage rate in the country. At the time of writing, about 55.8 percent of adults in the state are married.

The median age at first marriage is among the lowest in the country (similar numbers are in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Idaho). On average, men marry at 26.1 in Utah, while women marry at 24.8.

According to a report by Bowling Green State University, marriage lengths in the U.S. are very low. The median length of marriage is 17.2 years, which is far lower than the national median of 21 years.

How To Look Up Free Utah Marriage Records & Licenses

Residents who are looking for marriage records in Utah can find information at state, local, or city levels. Also, information can be found both online and offline. Users can get both non-certified and certified copies that can be accessed via the same procedure.

In addition, the fee is universal – people have to pay $18 for a copy. For each extra copy, there is an additional $10 fee.

For marriages registered before 1978, please contact the local county clerks. Here’s a list of local county clerks in Utah for more information.⁶ For newer marriages, registered after 1978, follow the steps below.

Online requests: Users interested in records of marriages that took place in the state in 1978 and later should visit the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics. Utah’s state government offers an online search tool for any person interested in finding marriage records issued in the state. Requesters have to sign up or log in and follow the steps as described.

Technical support and live chat are available by email at support@utah.gov or by phone at (801)983-0275.

In-person requests: For all in-person requests, citizens will have to visit any of the local Utah Local Health Departments, which has a “Window Open” listing. When applying, users will have to complete a certified marriage record application, provide valid identification, and pay the required fee. Keep in mind that the last orders are accepted 30 minutes before closing.

The standard fee for a certified copy is $18, with an extra $10 for each new copy. People can pay by cash, credit card, check, or money order.

If you need more information, interested persons should visit the head office of the Utah Department of Health & Human Services, which can be found at the following address:

Utah Department of Health & Human Services
Multi-Agency State Office Building
195 North 1950 West
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84116

Phone: (801)538-6105

Mail requests: Citizens should complete the marriage record application, provide valid identification, and proof of payment.

If someone cannot print and complete the application form, a letter containing the following details should be provided: type of record requested, the name of the persons on the record, the date and place of the event, the name of parents, the relationship to the person on the marriage record, the reason for the request, and the requestor’s signature.

Applicants will have to pay the standard fee for a certified copy, which is $18. For extra copies, the fee is $10. Payment can be made via check or money order.

The sealed envelope must be sent to the following address:

Vital Records
PO Box 141012
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84114-1012

Note: Please allow at least 3 weeks for mailing and processing.

Finding Marriage Records & Certificates via Utah Counties

As mentioned above, people have multiple ways of getting marriage certificates at the state level in Utah. However, the state’s Department of Health offers information only for marriages that took place in 1978 and beyond.

For more in-depth information, record seekers should contact county and city government resources. There are both online and offline resources.

The Salt Lake County Health Department handles nuptial records in the county.⁷ The standard fee is $18 for a certified copy, and an extra $10 for each new copy. People looking for marriage certificates (or abstracts) have multiple online or offline alternatives:

Online requests: Inquirers should use the state’s online request portal to get certified marriage records. Searchers must either log in or sign up and follow the steps described in the application.

Interested persons can get technical support and live chat by emailing support@utah.gov or calling (801)983-0275.

In-person requests: Requesters must visit the Health Department’s office, where they will have to complete the application (available in English and Spanish), provide valid identification documents, and provide proof of payment. The three documents must be filed at any of the Health Department’s locations. The application is processed as you wait, so expect a quick response.

Payment can be made by credit and debit card (VISA and MasterCard), cash, check, or by money order.

Mail requests: Citizens should first complete the application form (available in English and Spanish), provide a copy of both sides of their valid identification document, and provide payment proof (only check or money order to SLCoHD Vital Records). The documents must be sent to the following address:

SLCoHD Vital Records
610 South 200 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Note: Mail requests are processed promptly. Submissions that do not include the proper documents will not be processed.

The Utah County Clerk manages marriage and prenup records in Utah County. Requesters can get a certified marriage record copy online or in-person. The fee is $18 for a certified copy and an extra $10 for each new copy.

Online requests: The Utah County Clerk offers an in-depth guide on how to search marriage records and a simple online lookup tool to help searchers obtain a marriage certificate.

Users can search by name and then filter out the results based on multiple criteria, such as the event’s date and location. Then, users must provide the shipping address, add the order to the cart, upload an image of a valid identification document, a selfie to confirm their identity and pay via credit or debit card.

Processing starts during the next business day after receiving the application. Users will receive a tracking link to monitor the application’s progress. Please allow up to 2 weeks for processing.

In-person requests: Interested persons can request marriage certificates in person at the Utah County Marriage License Office,¹⁰ which is located at the following address:

Utah County Clerk’s Office
111 S University Ave
Provo, Utah

Applicants have to bring a valid identification document and will have to complete an application form (available at the office). Payment can be made by credit and debit card, cash, or check. The application will be processed while you wait.

Marriage records in Weber County are managed by the Weber County Clerk/Auditor. The county keeps the original of every marriage certificate for marriages that were issued since 1887. Requesters can get a copy of their marriage certificate online.

The standard fee for a certified copy is $9, while for a regular copy is $2 (the regular copy does not have the Weber County’s seal of authenticity).

Inquirers can also get marriage data for free, which typically consists of the record of information on the license, and not the license itself. This is mostly used only for genealogy studies.

Online requests: For marriages that took place within the past 75 years, requesters have to follow this instruction guide provided by the county.¹¹ Users must complete the record request form, add the required identification documents, and make the payment (check or credit card).

For marriage records that are older than 75 years, Weber County offers a marriage license search tool to find the information you need. Inquirers can search by name and year of marriage, or by name and a range of years if the precise year is unknown.

After finding the desired record, users will have to complete the online record request form, add the required identification documents, and make the payment (check or credit card).

For more information or support, requesters should contact the Weber County Clerk/Auditor’s office at:

Weber County Clerk/Auditor’s office
Weber Center
2380 Washington Blvd
Ogden, Utah 84401

Phone: 801-399-8400

Most major cities in Utah defer the marriage records and their management to the respective counties or to the state government. All requesters are advised to find information on the respective county’s website or physical address.

How To Check Utah Archives for Ancestral Marriage Records

The best way to search for family and ancestral marriage records is to do adequate county and local research. Citizens should pay particular attention to church and family records, local genealogists, old newspapers, or historical societies.

Following the enactment of the Edmunds-Tucker Act in 1887, marriage records in Utah have only held by the state or local governments since 1887.¹⁴ Initially, they were held at the local probate courts, and from the late 1890s, they were held at the local County Clerk Offices. Since 1978, marriage records have been held at the state level.

Marriage records before 1887 exist, but they are part of the Territorial Records (depending on the location or date of marriage), while many are stored by temples belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Please check the directory of temples to get more information, depending on your location.

Old marriage records are also stored at the Utah State Archives, or are in the personal records of judges or bishops, depending on the location or date of marriage. According to the Library of Congress, the best way to find information about old marriages is to consult church and family records.

Utah’s Stance on Common Law Marriages

Although Utah doesn’t recognize any common law marriage, couples can ask the court to recognize a relationship as a marriage, in special circumstances.¹⁵

If the court approves the marriage, the couple is considered married since the following requirements have been met:

• Both parties are of legal age and are capable of consent
• Are legally capable of marrying (for instance, they are not closely related)
• Have lived together, in the same residence
• Treat each other as spouses
• Present themselves as married, as bride and groom

The application must be filed while the couple is in a relationship or within one year after the relationship ends (for instance, if one spouse dies). The application can be filed by one spouse, both spouses or a next-of-kin. The full guide on how to start the procedure to recognize your relationship as a marriage is available on the Utah State Courts website.

How To Request a Marriage License in Utah

If you are looking to apply for a Utah marriage license, there are a few things you need to pay attention to. All applicants have to be at least eighteen years old to obtain a marriage license. If you are under eighteen, you will need the written consent of your parent or legal guardian.

Similarly, marriage licenses will not be granted between close relatives (e.g., parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle). In addition, both parties must be determined to be of sound mind.

Those are the primary restrictions. Beyond that, there is no blood test required, nor is there a required waiting period. A couple may then request a marriage license from any of the County Clerk Offices in any city or town in Utah.

The cost of a marriage license in Utah varies by county. After the issuance of a marriage license, the parties have 32 days to have their wedding ceremony performed by an authorized individual. If a couple fails to get married during this timeframe, the license becomes void.

There is some basic information all applicants must provide when requesting a marriage license. Here is what you will need:

• The in-person application written and signed by both applicants
• Basic identifying information, including full names, birthplaces, and addresses of the future wife and husband
• The parents’ names and their birthplace
• The Social Security numbers for both applicants

Every marriage is solemnized according to state law and all Utah marriage records are managed by the Utah Office of Vital Records & Statistics.¹⁶

See the steps for tracking down all free Utah public records for additional insight into statewide public information; this includes methods for searching divorces, property details, tax information, running background checks, accessing court cases, and more.