Get your certified Michigan Marriage Certificate

Yes, you can order a Michigan marriage certificate online through VitalRecordsOnline.com. The online process allows you to submit your application, provide required information, and pay securely. Online orders are typically processed faster than mail-in requests. You will need to provide identifying information about both spouses and the date and location of the marriage.

A marriage license is the document you obtain before your wedding that legally authorizes you to marry in Michigan. A marriage certificate is the official record proving your marriage took place. After your ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the appropriate office for filing. Once recorded, it becomes the official marriage certificate. You need the certificate for legal purposes like name changes, insurance benefits, tax filing, and immigration applications.

You can obtain a certified copy of a Michigan marriage certificate from the state vital records office, the county clerk or recorder where the marriage was filed, or online through VitalRecordsOnline.com. For older records, you may need to contact the county directly or the state archives. Processing times vary by method, with online and in-person requests typically being the fastest options.

The fee for a certified Michigan marriage certificate is $34 for the first copy, with additional copies costing $16 each when ordered at the same time. Fees may vary if ordering directly from the county clerk’s office where the marriage license was issued.

Yes. An authorized third party such as a spouse, parent, legal representative, or attorney may request a Michigan marriage certificate on someone else’s behalf. You will typically need to provide a notarized affidavit or sworn statement confirming your relationship and the reason for your request. A Power of Attorney (PoA) document is also accepted as proof of authorization.

Michigan marriage records are generally considered public records. However, access to certified copies is restricted to eligible individuals such as the parties named on the certificate, their parents, legal guardians, or authorized legal representatives. Non-certified informational copies may be available to the general public for genealogy or research purposes.

You can get your certificate only 30 days after your wedding ceremony. Marriage records are available for events in Michigan from 1867 to the present, but certificates are only available at least 30 days after the event.

If you lose your marriage certificate:

1. Submit an application for a certified replacement copy in person, by mail, or online through VRO. You will need to complete the application, gather the required identification and documents, and pay the fees determined by the MDHHS-DVRHS.
2. 1. For in-person applications: Present the completed application and required documents to a county health department.
   2. For applying by mail: Send your application, documents, and a check or money order for the replacement fee to the MDHHS-DVRHS at:
      Standard Mail:
      Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
      Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics,
      Vital Records Requests,
      P.O. Box 30721
      Lansing MI 48909.
      
      Priority (Expedited) Mail
      Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
      Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics,
      Vital Records RUSH,
      P.O. Box 30721
      Lansing MI 48909
      
   3. For online submissions: Complete the application and upload your documents through the VRO website (payable by credit card online).
2. MDHHS-DVRHS will mail the certified copy(s) after processing.

The Michigan MDHHS-DVRHS offers a straightforward process for correcting or amending a marriage certificate as authorized by law. Amendments are necessary when changes need to be made to the marriage record, and different forms are required depending on the specific information that needs to be amended.

All corrections will be completed by the local registrar in the county where the license was obtained:

1. Requires evidence to establish the need to amend
2. Evidence approved by the circuit court’s ex parte order
3. The local registrar forwards a copy of the replacement record to the state
4. The state vital records office issues replacement copies

Apostilles may be ordered from the Michigan Secretary of State by mail or Vital Records Online (VRO). You need an apostille when you file documents with a foreign government. It is a special certificate that verifies the authenticity of vital records for international use and is acceptable in countries that are part of the Hague Convention.

VRO offers comprehensive apostille services for marriage certificate across all 50 US states. Governments and organizations acknowledge the service, which is legally valid in over 100 countries. VRO’s service comes with expert support, costs $149 (plus government fees).

For simultaneous requests, complete the appropriate form from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and follow the instructions Simultaneous Marriage / Apostille Request Form.

To manually mail a request, you will need to provide the following information:

1. Completed and signed Application for Apostilled/Authenticated Copy (simultaneous requests) or the Authenticated Request Form for Apostille/Certification
2. A certified marriage certificate, or request one at the same time as the apostille request.
3. $1.00 per document, either by money order or check made payable to the State of Michigan
4. Self-addressed and stamped return envelope or prepaid air bill sent by a service such as FedEx, UPS, USPS Priority, or USPS. (If sending by mail with courier service, you must list yourself as the sender and receiver on the courier return air bill.)

You can submit requests for marriage record apostilles to the Department of State Office of the Great Seal at the following addresses:

For standard mail, use the following address

For express shipping (UPS, DHL, or Federal Express), submit the request to the physical address: