Maryland Marriage Records

How to Find Maryland Marriage Records

Marriage Records in Maryland

Marriage records contain basic information about the married couple. This information includes the full names of the two individuals, date of their marriage, and place of their marriage. Some marriage records will also include the names of the parents of the couple. Additionally, some marriage records contain the full names of the witnesses to the marriage. Some governmental marriage records contain the maiden names of the mothers as well as the place of residence of the married couple.

A marriage record is not to be confused with a marriage license, a marriage announcement, or a marriage index. The marriage license is the legal document that was issued to the couple that was married. The marriage announcement is the public listing of the wedding.

A marriage index is a list of the marriages within a specific location within that state. Typically, such an index includes the full names of the bride and groom, the date of the marriage, the name of the county in which the marriage occurred, and either the certificate number of the license or the volume and page name for a register listing.

In Maryland, marriage records must be obtained from the county office where the marriage license was issued. It is necessary to contact the Clerk of Circuit Court at the local county courthouse where the records are kept. In Baltimore, it is necessary to contact the Clerk of Court of Common Pleas of Baltimore City. Call the following number to obtain the marriage record lookup fees which vary across counties: 410-764-3069.

For a successful search for the marriage records that you are trying to locate, follow these steps:
1. Print or type each name and address clearly to avoid confusion. This includes the full name of both the husband and the wife. The maiden name should be included for the wife. Include nicknames and alternate spellings that may have been used, but list them as such.
2. Keep your request brief and to the point.
3. Limit your request to one marriage record.
4. Include the full address of the individuals at the time of the marriage, including street, city or town, and state. If you know the county in which the marriage took place, include that as well.
5. Include the date that the marriage occurred. If you do not know the date, include a time frame for the search. Generally, it is best to specify a short span of years for an unknown year search. You can always expand the number of years that you search, and a shorter span will lead to a shorter search. You can expect to pay an additional fee for searches such as this that require more effort.
6. Include contact information where you can be reached in the event that more information is required. Include a telephone number, fax number, or an e-mail address.
7. Include your relationship to the individuals listed in your search request.
8. Include the reason for your request.
9. Print your name clearly and sign your request. Some states may also require additional identifying information on you as well. Therefore, you may want to include your driver�s license number.
10. Include a SASE, or self addressed stamped envelope with your request for a speedier delivery.
11. Include the date that you mail your request with your correspondence.

To obtain a copy of a marriage record, contact the Clerk in the specific county office where the marriage took place. Remember to provide as much accurate information as you have available on the subject of the search, sufficient contact information for yourself, and the required fee. Providing the necessary information will speed the process up considerably.

A list of the local county courthouse addresses and telephone numbers for Maryland is provided below in alphabetical order.

State of Maryland
Maryland Division of Vital Records
6550 Reisterstown Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21215
Telephone: (410) 764-3069 or (800) 832-3277
Fax: (410) 358-0738

Allegany County
Allegany County Clerk
3 Pershing Street
Cumberland, MD 21502-3043
Telephone: (301) 777-5911

Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County Clerk
44 Calvert St.
Annapolis, MD 21401-1930
Telephone: (410) 318-6119

Baltimore County
Baltimore County Clerk
401 Bosley Avenue
Towson, MD 21204
Telephone: (410) 887-2601

Baltimore City
Baltimore City County Clerk
6550 Reisterstown Plaza
Baltimore, MD 21202-3417
Telephone: (410) 764-3038

Calvert County
Calvert County Clerk
175 Main St.
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Telephone: (410) 535-1600

Caroline County
Caroline County Clerk
P.O. Box 207
Denton, MD 21629-0207
Telephone: (410) 479-1811

Carroll County
Carroll County Clerk
225 N. Court St.
Westminster, MD 21157-5107
Telephone: (410) 876-2085

Cecil County
Cecil County Clerk of the Circuit Court
129 E. Main Street, Room 108
Elkton, MD 21921
Telephone: (410) 996-5376

Charles County
Charles County Clerk
P.O. Box B
La Plata, MD 20646-0167
Telephone: (301) 645-0500

Dorchester County
Dorchester County Clerk
P.O. Box 26
Cambridge, MD 21613-0026
Telephone: (410) 228-0480

Frederick County
Frederick County Clerk
100 W. Patrick St.
Frederick, MD 21701
Telephone: (301) 694-1976

Garrett County
Garrett County Clerk
203 South Fourth Street
Oakland, MD 21550-1535
Telephone: (301) 334-8970

Harford County
Harford County Clerk
20 W. Courtland St.
Bel Air, MD 21014-3833
Telephone: (410) 838-6000

Howard County
Howard County Clerk
3430 Courthouse Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21043-4300
Telephone: (410) 992-2025

Kent County
Kent County Clerk
103 N. Cross St.
Chestertown, MD 21620-1512
Telephone: (410) 778-4600

Montgomery County
Montgomery County Clerk
101 Monroe Street
Rockville, MD 20850-2540
Telephone: (240) 777-9460

Prince George's County
Prince George's County Clerk
Administration Building
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772-3050
Telephone: (301) 952-4576

Queen Anne's County
Queen Anne's County Clerk
107 North Liberty Street
Centreville, MD 21617
Telephone: (410) 758-0322

St. Mary's County
St. Mary's County Health Department
P.O. Box 316 Peabody Street
Leonardtown, MD 20650
Telephone: (301) 475-475-4427

Somerset County
Somerset County Clerk
P.O. Box 99
Princess Ann, MD 21853
Telephone: (410) 651-1555

Talbot County
Talbot County Clerk
Courthouse
Easton, MD 21601
Telephone: (410) 822-2401

Washington County
Washington County Clerk
Summit Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Telephone: (301) 790-7991

Wicomico County
Wicomico County Clerk
P.O. Box 198
Salisbury, MD 21801
Telephone: (410) 548-4801

Worcester County
Worcester County Clerk
Courthouse
Snow Hill, MD 21863
Telephone: (410) 632-1194