Discover Free Texas Marriage Records: License Lookup Resource

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Free Texas Marriage Record Search

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

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Find free Texas marriage records via county and state government levels in no time using this streamlined resource.

Fortunately, modern electronic databases and online search tools mean you no longer have to make a trip to the vital records office or the county courthouse to get a copy of a marriage license in Texas. You can conveniently order copies online in most cases.

This article provides step-by-step instructions for performing a free marriage license search in Texas, as well as guidance on how to acquire certificates and even historic marital records in the state.

Can Anyone Access Marriage Records & Certificates in Texas?

The good news is anyone can search for free marriage records, as these documents are considered to be “vital records” that are generally available to the public.

According to Title 3, Chapter 194 of the Texas Health & Safety Code, all county clerks are required to file a copy of each completed marriage license application with the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS), Vital Records Office within 90 days of receipt (same for divorce decrees).^{1, 2}

The TDSHS uses this license application data to create an index listing all reported marriages in the state, meaning that documents relating to Texas marriages – whether for research into your family genealogy, specific legal reasons or just to satisfy your curiosity – are generally available to the public.

Note that the state vital records office can only provide you with a “marriage verification letter”. An official “certified copy” of nuptial records for immigration, tax or other legal purposes is only available through the county clerk where the document was issued.

Based on U.S. Census Department data, Texans tend toward marriage slightly more than the national average, as 49.2% of adult Texans were currently married in 2022, compared to 47.8% of Americans overall.

Preliminary 2023 census data shows the trend continues, with 49.5% of adult Texans reporting themselves as married in 2023.

Many U.S. states saw a decline in weddings in late 2020 and 2021, and Texas was no exception, with marriage rates dropping from a high of 7.1 persons per 1000 in 2016 and 2017 to just 5.3 persons per 1000 in 2020 and 5.8 persons per 1000 in 2021.³

How To Search Texas Marriage Records & See Who the Spouse Is

Unless you need a certified copy of a marriage license, the quickest way to find records in the state is to order a “marriage verification letter” using the online order form provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS).⁴

You will have to provide your full name, your Social Security number, your Driver’s License or ID number, and the date the marriage license was issued to complete the order form.

Marriage verification letters are available from 1966 to the present.

Note that the current fee for a marriage verification letter in Texas is $20.

You can also order a parchment-like heirloom anniversary certificate signed by the Texas State Registrar and the Governor of Texas for a $60 fee.

Additionally, you can order this and other Texas vital records in person at a local TDSHS office, or by mailing a completed vital records application form to:

Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040

You may contact the TDSHS via email, regular mail or in person if you have any questions about ordering vital records.

If you are looking for older marriage records, the archived indexes and its details will be explained further below.

Looking Up Free Texas Marital Records on the County Level

If you need a certified document for legal reasons, you can also search for marriage records by contacting the county where the license was issued.

Fortunately, the TDSHS provides a useful online tool with links to every county clerk’s office in the state.

Keep in mind that each county has its own procedures for requests and sets its own fees for documents and copies. Check the county website or ask for more information when you contact the local county clerk’s office.

For example, in Travis County (Austin), you can use an online record lookup tool to view a specific marriage license (or other public records), but ordering certified copies must be done by email, phone or in person. There is a charge of $5 per document plus $1 per page for certified copies.

Travis County Recording Division
5501 Airport Blvd, Suite 100B
Austin, TX 78751

Phone: 512-854-9188

Note the Travis County Recording Division currently requires an appointment for in-person document requests.⁶ You can make an appointment using their scheduling tool.

Alternatively, you can walk-in to the Travis County Civil Family Courthouse office on Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm for in-person document requests.

Travis County Civil Family Courthouse
1700 Guadalupe St
Austin, TX 78701

Phone: 512-854-9457

Bexar County (San Antonio) does not provide a tool for searching public documents, but you can download a Request for Certified Copy of a Marriage License form from the county website, and either mail it in or submit the form in person.

A standard copy of a marriage license is $2, and a certified copy costs $8. The Bexar County Clerk’s Office can be reached at:

Bexar County Clerk’s Office
100 Dolorosa, Suite 104
San Antonio, TX 78205

Phone: 210-335-2216

The Harris County Clerk’s Office (Houston) also provides standard and certified copies of vital documents to the public. Note that you do have to set up an account in order to login and order copies of documents. A copy of a certified document costs $5 plus $1 per page.

A certified copy of a marriage license (with watermark) can be ordered online, by mail or in-person, but keep in mind that copies with a raised seal of certification must be purchased in person.⁷

Harris County Clerk’s Office
201 Caroline St., 3rd Floor
Houston, TX 77002

Phone: 713-274-8600

Certified copies of marriage records are also available from the Dallas County Vital Records Division. The copies can be ordered using an online tool or you can print the Dallas County Certified Copy of a Marriage Record Request form and either mail in or deliver the completed form in person. There is a $10 fee for a certified copy of a marriage record in this county.

Dallas County Clerk’s Office
Records Building
500 Elm Street, Suite 2100
Dallas, TX 75202

Phone: 214-653-7099

If you are interested in genealogy, you can also find more information in archived marriage records.

How To Browse the Texas Marriage Index for Family Lineage & Genealogy Research

The Texas Marriage Index (maintained by TDSHS) is available to the public, and is a very useful tool both for determining marital status, as well as for genealogical research and digging into family history.⁹

However, the state of Texas did not begin to collect vital records at a central location until 1966, so you will have to research other resources for information on marriages before that date.

The Texas State Archives are a great resource for genealogy research, and the archives contain census data, voter registration records, and newspapers as well as many county records stretching back as far as the early 18th century.¹⁰ However, most of these documents are only available via microfilm.

You can visit the Texas State Archives in person at:

Texas State Library & Archives Commission – Headquarters
Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building
Capitol Complex, 1201 Brazos St
Austin, TX 78701

The Austin History Center is a branch of the Austin Public Library system, and has millions of historical documents, including books, photos, various early maps, newspapers and magazines, as well as an extensive collection of family archives, available for genealogical research.

The Church of the Latter Day Saints (LDS) also maintains an extensive collection of genealogical research materials, including marriage records, that is available to the public at their Family History Centers.

The LDS operates four Family History Centers in Texas:

Arlington LDS Family History Center
3809 Curt Drive
Arlington, Texas

Phone: 817-446-7088

Austin LDS Family History Center
1000 East Rutherford Lane
Austin, Texas

Phone: 512-837-3626

El Paso (Mount Franklin) LDS Family History Center
7315 Bishop Flores Drive
El Paso, Texas

Phone: 915-581-8849

Houston North LDS Family History Center
16331 Hafer Road
Houston, Texas

Phone: 281-893-5381

Also, keep in mind that you can also find a wide variety of historical marriage-related information by searching old newspapers, church records, family bibles, as well as in public or private libraries and archives.

Texas’ Stance on Common Law Marriages

The state of Texas recognizes common law marriages.

The requirements for a common law marriage in Texas include that both parties must be 18 or older (and not currently married to anyone else), and they agree they are married and living together, as well as representing their union to others such as friends and family.¹¹

Note that common law marriages (also called “informal marriages”) can be registered at a local county clerk’s office using a form from the TDSHS Vital Statistics Unit.¹²

Texas doesn’t recognize other forms of civil unions, domestic partnerships or similar arrangements.

The state does, however, permit same-sex couples to have a common law marriage just like mixed-sex couples, and these unions are recorded in the Texas Marriage Index like any other formal or informal marriage.

How To Acquire Common Law Marriage Details in Texas

The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) has created a Declaration & Registration of Informal Marriage form (see above) to be used by local county clerks to register common law marriages.

The relevant county clerk submits this form to the state vital statistics office (see above), and then this marriage is added to the State’s Marriage Records Index (see above).

So, assuming that the couple decided to complete the Declaration & Registration of Informal Marriage form, then that union will be listed and available for public search just like any other in Texas.

How To Apply for & Submit a Texas Marriage License

The first step in obtaining a marriage license in Texas is to complete an application form and submit it to the clerk of the county in which you plan to get married.

Although the marriage license application forms are very similar, each county produces its own version of the form. Some counties that include larger cities, such as Travis County, provide an online marriage license application form, but most smaller counties still require submitting a completed and signed written form at the county clerk’s office.¹³

The second step in obtaining a marriage license in Texas is for both the husband and wife (or both spouses) to appear together in person at the county clerk’s office and provide appropriate proof of identity documents.

Note that all applicants for a marriage license must be at least 18 years old (unless you obtain a court order removing the “disabilities of minority”).

Neither applicant can be currently married to anyone else, nor be related to the other applicant, nor be divorced within the last 30 days (unless you can provide a court-ordered waiver of this restriction).

Texas Family Code, Chapter 2, Sec 2.204 requires a minimum three-day waiting period from when the license is issued and the wedding ceremony is held.¹⁴ This gives the couple some time to consider their decision, and perhaps even negotiate a prenup agreement.

The only exceptions to this regulation are for both applicants to complete a state-approved “premarital education course” up to one year before the application for a marriage license is filed, or for a member of the U.S. armed forces on active duty, or someone who works for the U.S. Department of Defense, or if the applicant obtains a written waiver from a family court judge or an appeals court judge.

However, if both applicants complete the “Twogether in Texas” premarital counseling program, then the 72-hour waiting period before the ceremony is waived and the license fees are reduced by up to $60.

Both Travis and Bexar counties charge an $81 fee to process a regular marriage license, and $46 for filing and processing an informal license.

Harris County also charges a $81 fee to file a regular marriage license, and a $46 fee for filing an informal marriage license. The Harris County Clerk’s Office also charges an additional $100 fee if neither applicant is a resident of Texas.

The fee for a regular marriage license in Dallas County is $81, and the cost for an informal marriage license is only $36.¹⁵

Last but not least, keep in mind that a Texas marriage license is only valid for 89 days after the day it is issued, and will expire if it has not been used by the 90th day after it has been issued.

Whether you’re trying to do a marriage background check or conducting genealogical research to complete your family tree, anyone can search Texas marriage records for free using this streamlined resource.