Copies of Marriage Licenses
To obtain a certified copy of a marriage license, the license must have been issued by the Fairfax Circuit Court. The certified copy can be obtained either in person or by mail.
MARRIAGE LICENSES ISSUED BETWEEN 7/1/97 – 6/30/01
Marriage licenses issued between July 1, 1997, and June 30, 2001, have not been configured to prevent disclosure of the social security number or control number and shall not be available for general public inspection in the offices of clerks of the circuit courts. Either spouse may obtain copies of the marriage license in person by appearing at the Office of the Clerk of the Court in the County where you obtained your license along with valid photo id (i.e. driver's license, passport or military identification) or through the mail by enclosing a notarized copy of either spouse's valid photo id with their copy request.
Pursuant to Virginia Code §32.1-267, if an individual other than the applicants wish to obtain a copy of a license issued during this time span, he shall only obtain copies:
- upon the order of the circuit court within which such application was made or register is maintained,
- pursuant to a lawful subpoena duces tecum issued to the clerk,
- upon the written authorization of either of the applicants, or (iv) upon the request of a law-enforcement officer or duly authorized representative of the Division of Child Support Enforcement in the course of performing his official duties.
Marriage license copies can obtain in-person or through the mail. To obtain a copy by mail, the customer must either complete the Marriage License Copy Request form or prepare a written request providing the date of the marriage and the full name of both parties. (Marriage licenses issued between July 1, 1997, and July 30, 2001, shall abide by the rules mentioned in the Note above.) A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be enclosed. The fee for a certified copy of a marriage license is $2.50 per copy. The Clerk’s Office accepts cash, cashier’s checks, money orders and Visa and MasterCard (with a 4% transaction fee). The court does not accept personal checks. Cash and credit card payments cannot be accepted through the mail. The copy will be mailed within two weeks from receipt of the request. Mail the request to:
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Attention: Marriage License Copies
4110 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 116
Fairfax, VA 22030
If the marriage occurred in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the circuit court is unknown, the Division of Vital Records in Richmond can provide copies. The addresses are:
Mailing Address
Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000
Street Address
Division of Vital Records
2001 Maywill Street
Richmond, VA 23230
For more information, please visit the Vital Records web site or call 804-662-6200.
