Acquire Free Duval County Marriage Records (License Lookup)

Search free Duval County marriage records efficiently using this resource.

The Florida Public Records Law grants members of the public access to government documents, including marriage records. As a result, people can access marital documents to learn more about anyone. Consider using marriage records to assist with a genealogy search or even for legal or business reasons.

There are different types of marriage records, so it’s important to understand which you can access. In addition, the process for accessing marriage records may differ from one county to the next. This article offers the best lookup tools to search marriage records in Duval County, Florida.

This resource was written by Attorney Robert Bailey Jr, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law.

How To Access Duval County Marriage Records (Florida)

If a citizen wants to access Duval County records of marriage, you can start by performing an online search of the official records of the Circuit Court Clerk. They have marriage records that can be accessed from 1988 to the present. You can search by either the name or instrument number.

To perform a search, under the document type option, select “marriage license.” You can then enter either party’s name (partial names allowed) for the marriage record you are searching for. You can also set a date range for when the marriage was recorded.

The search results will provide both parties’ names, the instrument number, book and page location and the date the marriage was recorded. The next step you will take is to click the record you are searching for to view additional information. Specifically, this search tool allows you to view a PDF of the original marriage certificate.

If you just want an uncertified informational copy, you can download and print the record from this search tool for free. For a certified copy, you will have to make a request with the Official Records & Research Department of Duval County.²

To make a request, use the information obtained from when you used the online search tool and provide this office with as much detail as possible (e.g., names, marriage date etc.). You can make a request by mail or in-person at the address below:

Duval County Clerk of Courts
Official Records & Research
501 W. Adams St., Rm. 1253
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

The cost for a certified marriage record is only $1.00 per page plus an additional $2.00 certification fee. A marriage record is typically contained on just 1 page and so the average cost for a certified marriage record is $3.00.

For additional questions about how to access marriage records, you can contact the Duval County Clerk’s Official Records & Research Department at 904-255-2025 or by going to the address provided earlier. They are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The next section will detail how to access archived (older) marriage records.

How Do I Search Historical or Archived Marriage Records in Duval County?

Often, a person is searching for a recent marriage record. However, there are plenty of situations, such as when performing a genealogy search, in which one will need access to archived marriage records. To access archived marriage records in Duval County, you will not find them with a separate archives office.

That means, for archived records, you should follow the same process above and reach out to the Duval County Clerk’s Official Records & Research Department. They can be reached at 904-255-2025 any time from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Their office is located at the address below:

Duval County Clerk of Courts
Official Records & Research
501 W. Adams St., Rm 1253
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

You can also check for archived marriage records with historical societies, libraries and churches (or other religious institutions). These places may have indexes or archived marriage records located in other types of documents, such as old newspapers.

Other types of records people like to search include common law marriages, domestic partnerships and civil unions. Florida statutes do not recognize any of these relationships.

A last option if you want old marital records is to check with the State Archives of Florida.³ You can call them at 850-245-6700 or via email at [email protected]. Their physical location is at the address below:

State Archives of Florida
R.A. Gray Building
500 South Bronough Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399

How To View Florida Marriage Records Through State Agencies

After you have exhausted your search for Duval County marital records, you can expand your search throughout the entire state of Florida.

In the course of your search, it may come to your attention that the person whose marriage record you were searching for was not recorded in Duval County. While you can figure out the process for the county where the marriage occurred, there is another option.

A citizen can request a marriage record through the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Statistics.⁴ The Florida Department of Health can provide marriage certificates from June 6, 1927, to the present. Just like with the Clerk’s Office, these records can be used as official proof that a marriage occurred.

To make a request, a citizen will have to fill out their Application for a Florida Marriage Certificate.⁵ To complete this application, you must provide the following information:

• Full names of both parties to the marriage
• Marriage date
• Date of birth for both parties to the marriage
• City and county where the marriage occurred
• County where the marriage license was issued
• Requester’s contact information
• Requester’s relationship to people listed on the marriage record

A completed marriage application, along with the appropriate fee, can be sent to the address below:

Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Attention: Vital Records Section
PO Box-210
Jacksonville, Florida 32331

You can also request a marriage record in person at the following location:

Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
1217 North Pearl St.
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

If you want a certified marriage record from the Bureau of Vital Statistics it will cost you $5.00. This charge is required regardless of whether they find the record you asked for. If you are not sure of the year of the marriage, a citizen will be charged an additional $2.00 per calendar year (maxed out at $50.00).

For additional certified copies, you will have to pay another $4.00. There is a $10.00 rush fee as well as $1.00 for shipping and handling. Check or money order must be made payable to “Vital Statistics” and cash payments are not allowed.

For additional questions, you can contact the Bureau of Vital Statistics by email at [email protected] or by phone at 904-359-6900. They are available for calls or walk-in service Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

If you are looking for an online option, you might want to consider submitting a marriage record request with VitalChek. VitalChek is the only approved third-party vendor that can provide this service in Florida. If a record seeker uses this service, there are additional shipping and processing fees.

How To Request a Duval County Marriage License

If you are looking to get married in Duval County, then you will need a marriage license. In Duval County, marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the Circuit Court.⁶ A citizen can apply for a marriage license without an appointment by going to either of the below locations:

Duval County Courthouse
501 West Adams Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

Neptune Beach Branch
1543 Atlantic Blvd.
Neptune Beach, Florida 32266

Both locations are available for walk-ins, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. However, to walk in for a marriage license, make sure you get there no later than 4:30 PM.

You can also schedule an appointment for your marriage license at the Clerk’s Office Neptune Branch if you complete the Duval County online marriage pre-application. The appointment must be scheduled within sixty days from when the online application was submitted.

To be eligible for a marriage in Duval County, there are a few requirements a couple must meet. The first requirement is that both parties applying for a marriage must do so in person at the same time. To ensure the parties are of legal age and have the correct legal name, they must provide a valid government-issued identification (e.g., driver’s license, passport, state identification card etc.).

A person applying for a marriage license must also provide their Social Security Number, or if a non-citizen does not have one, then they can provide their alien registration number. To satisfy state law, parties requesting a marriage license must also attest that they have read the Florida Marriage License Handbook.⁸

In addition, if you completed an approved pre-marriage course, you will want to provide the certificate when applying for your license. This certificate allows Florida residents to skip the three day waiting period before their marriage license is effective (as long as it was received in the past year).

For non-residents, there is no waiting period for the marriage license to become effective; however, completion of the course provides all parties with a discount on the fee.

The fee for a marriage license without taking the premarital course is $86.00. That fee is reduced by $61.00 with proof that you completed an approved premarital course.

For additional questions, you can contact the marriage license department at 904-255-2000. They are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

With this information, you are ready to apply for a marriage license in Duval County. You are also equipped to conduct a search of both new and archived Duval County marriage records.