How to Get a Copy of Your Marriage Certificate in NYC

If you need a copy of your marriage certificate in NYC, the good news is that it's a straightforward process once you know where your record actually lives. Here's exactly how to request one, what it costs, how long it takes, and how to get it apostilled if you need it recognized in another country.

A quick note first: I'm a NYC wedding and elopement photographer, not a government office, so always confirm the current details against the official sources I link below before you send anything. This guide is here to make the process make sense and understand how to navigate it.

First: where your marriage record lives

This is the single most important thing to get right. If your wedding ceremony took place in any of the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island), your marriage record is held by the NYC Office of the City Clerk, not the New York State Department of Health. New York City keeps its own marriage records, separate from the rest of the state.

If you married anywhere in New York State outside the five boroughs, you'd instead request your certificate from the town or city clerk where you married, or from the New York State Department of Health, where copies run $30 each. Everything below is for marriages that happened in NYC.

How much does a copy of marriage certificate in NYC costs

For a marriage record for domestic use (the standard short certificate), the City Clerk's fee is $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy. Fees are payable by debit/credit card or by money order made out to "The City Clerk of New York", and personal checks are not accepted.

The fee for a Marriage Record for foreign use (extended certificate) is $35 for the first copy and $30 for each additional copy. This fee includes the search, Certification, and Hand Signature with Raised Seal. For the certificate to be valid outside the United States, you must complete two additional steps, which you can read below or on the City Clerk's marriage records page.

The three ways to order a copy of marriage certificate in NYC

1. Online. The fastest route for most people is through the City's official platform, Project Cupid at nyc.gov/cupid, the same system used for marriage licenses.

2. By mail. Download the Marriage Record mail request form from the City Clerk's website, include a copy of your valid photo ID (as specified on the form) and the fee, and mail it in. Payment by mail must be a U.S. postal money order or a money order/certified check in U.S. currency, again payable to "The City Clerk of New York."

3. In person. You can request a record in person at any of the borough City Clerk offices. One detail worth knowing: the Manhattan office holds records dating back to 1950, while the Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island branch offices handle in-person requests for records from 1996 to the present. So for older records, Manhattan is your office.

Just got married? Read this

If your wedding was recent, you don't have to wait for anything in the mail. Newlyweds can visit the City Clerk's office in person within five days of the ceremony, no appointment needed, and the certificate is typically issued the same day. This is also the move if you need it quickly or want it in hand with tracking, rather than waiting on a mailed copy. If you got married at the City Clerk's office (often called more loosely as City Hall), they handed you a copy of your marriage certificate at the end of the ceremony, and you are all good to go!

Need it quickly? Book an in-person appointment

If you need your certificate sooner than a mailed copy would arrive, you can request one in person at a City Clerk office, but you must schedule an appointment first through Project Cupid at nyc.gov/cupid. The City Clerk is explicit: no walk-in visits are permitted at any office, and you should not show up without a confirmation email. So in-person is faster than mail, but it still requires planning ahead.

How long does it take to get your marriage certificate?

Timing depends on how you order:

• In person (by appointment): generally faster than mail, but needs an appointment.

• By mail or online: typically a few weeks, depending on the City Clerk's current volume, which runs higher in spring and fall wedding season.

• Mailed internationally: slower still, and often sent without tracking, so build in extra time.

Because processing windows shift with the season, always check the City Clerk's site for current turnaround before you rely on a specific date.

If you need it for use abroad (apostille)

Marrying as an international couple, or planning to use your certificate in another country? You'll likely need an apostille, which is a form of authentication for documents used internationally. In New York, apostilles are issued by the New York Department of State. You'll generally need a certified copy of your marriage certificate first, then submit it for the apostille.

One caution: requirements vary by country, so confirm exactly what the destination country needs before you start, and check whether they want an apostille specifically or a different form of legalization.

A historic record (older than 50 years)

A marriage record more than 50 years old is considered a historic, public record. You can request these by mail, or view them in person at the Manhattan office's Record Room. Much older records eventually move to the NYC Municipal Archives.

ARE YOU A COUPLE PLANNING A NYC CITY HALL WEDDING OR ELOPEMENT?

If YES, I'd love to document it! Before the paperwork and after the "I do," I photograph the whole day in a candid, cinematic, story-driven way. See how I cover NYC City Hall weddings and elopements, or check my availability for your date.

For the full lead-up, see my complete NYC City Hall wedding guide.