Access Free Washington County Marriage Records (Maryland)

Search free Washington County marriage records with the lookup tools linked in this brief resource. Any concerned citizen can search these records to reveal more about an individual’s current marital status.

Marriage documents are considered public records in Washington County, and the Maryland Public Information Act (PIA) makes this kind of information readily available to anyone interested in it.

This resource contains valuable guidance and advice about seamlessly uncovering marriage details in Washington County, Maryland.

Retrieving Washington County Marriage Records at No Cost

Individuals searching for Washington County marital records should contact the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office.¹ In the state of Maryland, local county Clerk’s Offices are responsible for keeping marriage records and providing people with copies of those when necessary.

The Washington County Clerk’s Office can provide interested citizens with certified and non-certified copies of marriage records. Non-certified copies are merely informational, letting the holder know the available details about those nuptials, but with no practical use.

For official purposes, such as establishing identity or court proceedings, for instance, it’s necessary to request a certified copy of the desired marriage record.

In Washington County, citizens can request their copies of marriage certificates in person or by mail. Certified copies cost $5.50, and non-certified copies cost $0.50.

When placing a request, searchers can fill out a request form with as much detail as possible or write a letter containing the same information.² The Clerk’s Office accepts both forms.

When mailing in an order, payment should be included in the envelope by check or money order. This is the address to write to or visit when requesting a marriage certificate:

Washington County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office
24 Summit Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21740

Phone: (301)733.8660
Email: [email protected]

In Maryland and, consequently, in Washington County, municipal courts don’t handle family matters. Searchers should always rely on the County’s Clerk, using the information provided above.

Also, this state doesn’t recognize common law marriages. It doesn’t matter how long a couple has been living together and if, for all intents and purposes, they’re known as a unit. Those relationships won’t appear in any official searches, unless a proper marriage has been established.

Some individuals, when searching for records, are attempting to obtain historical records. This happens when a genealogical search is being performed, for example. In those cases, the local county may not have all the necessary information at hand.

There are tools in Maryland to help those searching for older records, and those tools will be addressed below.

How To Look Up Historical or Archived Marriage Records in Washington County Maryland

A simple Washington County marital records search won’t likely be sufficient when the goal is to uncover historical or genealogical facts. The Maryland State Archives can be a useful resource for those instances since they’re the official repository of an immense pool of records.³

Searchers can find marital records in the State Archives that go as far back as the 1600s, almost to the present day. They can help people find marriage certificates all the way to 2013. Washington County, for example, has two sets of indexes on its website: one for marriages that happened in 1951 and afterward and another for nuptials in 1950 and before.

All of the indexes on the Maryland State Archives are free, but the contents of each may vary. They chose to separate the indexes by county, and what each location kept over the years may vary. Still, it’s possible to find valuable information on them, such as the names of the bride and groom, their parents, the cities they lived in when the marriage happened, and much more.

The search may become harder if the county where the marriage happened isn’t known. However, the State Archives is available to help. People can contact them in person, by phone, or by email, and they have computers in their lobby that people can utilize to run their searches on the spot.

This is the Maryland State Archives information:

Maryland State Archives
350 Rowe Blvd.
Annapolis, MD 21401

Phone: 410.260.6400
Fax: 410.974.2552
Email: [email protected]

According to the State Archives, not everything they have is already digitized and plenty of records are kept on offsite locations. When a copy of a record is needed, or when it’s not available online yet, users can place an order with them.

Certified copies ordered from the State Archives cost $25 each, while uncertified copies cost only $5. Certified copies are available for marriages between 1776 and 2013, but it’s important to be aware that only certified copies are available for any document that hasn’t been digitized yet. Uncertified copies can be ordered for records between 1952 and 2011.

To make a request, users must complete the online form with as much information as possible – the Archives won’t give refunds if a record can’t be found or if the incorrect one is retrieved.⁵ It’s also advisable to go through the frequently asked questions section to ensure the searcher makes the best possible use of those resources.⁶

Additional sources of past marriage records may include local historical societies, religious institutions, libraries, or even past newspapers.

As good a tool as the State Archives can be, in cases when the search isn’t historical, it’s possible that all the searcher needs is to look at marriages that happened throughout the whole state to find what they’re looking for. How to accomplish that will be described below.

How Do I Search for Maryland Marriage Records Beyond Washington County?

The Maryland Vital Records Division, which the state’s Department of Health manages, can help interested citizens find marital records, regardless of which county recorded the nuptials.⁷ When a Washington County marital records search comes empty, this office may be able to help.

Marriage certificates can be requested in person, by mail, or online, and the Vital Records Division has records starting from January 1, 2007. Certificates may be ordered and obtained by the following people:

• One of the spouses;
• A representative of one of the spouses (with a notarized letter from the spouse giving them the power to request the record);
• The attorney for one of the spouses (with proof they’re representing one of them).

At the Vital Records Division, each certified copy costs $12, and the person making a request must complete an application and mail it out to the following address:⁸

Maryland Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 68760
Baltimore, MD 21215-0036

The instructions for those making in-person requests are the same. However, it’s mandatory to schedule an appointment before visiting the Vital Records office.⁹ This is the office’s address for when the appointment time comes:

Maryland Division of Vital Records
6764 B Reisterstown Road
Baltimore, MD 21215

Phone: 410.767.6500

For online requests, citizens can work with VitalChek. It’s important to remember that third-party platforms may charge more fees than the Vital Records Division.

How To Acquire a Washington County Marriage License

According to the law in Maryland, marriage licenses must be issued by the county that will hold the nuptials, not the county where the couple lives. The Clerk’s Office for the Washington County Circuit Court is responsible for issuing licenses for those who want to marry in that county.¹

In Washington County, only one of the parties may appear in person at the Clerk’s Office as long as they bring in documents for both of them. There is a waiting period of two days before a wedding may be officiated after the license is issued, but the license will remain valid for six months.

A marriage license in Washington County costs $60, plus $25 if the couple wishes to have their ceremony to be performed by the Clerk’s Office. Also, non-residents must complete an affidavit in order to have their licenses issued.¹⁰

It’s not necessary to schedule an appointment, and this is the address for the couple (or one of them) to appear:

Circuit Court for Washington County
Clerk’s Office
24 Summit Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21740

Phone: (301)733.8660
Email: [email protected]

Marriage records are readily available to anyone interested in obtaining them because it’s important for people to know some facts about the individuals they connect with. Decisions about how a relationship will or won’t move forward may be affected by these individuals’ marital status; therefore, no one should hesitate to seek out information.

Anyone looking to search for Washington County marriage records can feel comfortable doing so using any of the tools and resources presented to them in this article.