Guide to Michigan Marriage Records

Michigan marriage records are open to the public. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) holds statewide marriage records dating back to 1867, and county clerks keep the records for licenses they issued. Anyone can request a search, and no special relationship to the couple is needed.

This guide covers how to search Michigan marriage records, order a certified marriage certificate from the state or a county, apply for a marriage license and find historical records.

Types of Michigan Marriage Records

State vs County Records

MDHHS can search its statewide files for any year since 1867, which helps when you do not know the county. County clerks can usually issue copies faster for marriages licensed in their county. Note that MDHHS says some records were never filed with the state, so check the county if the state search finds nothing.

Confidential Marriages

Michigan law lets a probate judge issue a marriage license without publicity when a couple wants to keep the marriage date private (MCL 551.201). These records are not public and are released only to the spouses.

Are Michigan Marriage Records Public?

Yes. MDHHS states that marriage records are not restricted documents in Michigan and that anyone can request a search. Photo ID is not required to order a certified marriage copy from MDHHS. The only exception is a confidential probate court marriage, which is limited to the bride or groom.

What Information Is in a Michigan Marriage Record?

A Michigan marriage record can include:

• Names of both spouses at the time of application
• Names of both spouses' parents
• Date and place of the marriage
• County where the license was issued
• Names and residences of 2 witnesses
• The officiant's name and signature

Historical county records may also list ages, residences, birthplaces and occupations. Records from 1888 onward added parents' names, which is helpful for genealogy.

How to Order a Michigan Marriage Certificate from MDHHS

Search fees are not refunded, even if no record is found.

Ways to Order from MDHHS

• By mail: send the application with a check or money order payable to "State of Michigan" to Vital Records Requests, P.O. Box 30721, Lansing, MI 48909.
• Online or by phone: VitalChek is the only authorized online provider, at (866) 443-9897. Extra fees apply.
• Will Call pickup: Tuesday and Thursday, 10 am to 2 pm, processed in 2 to 5 business days.
• Drop box: 333 S. Grand Ave., Lansing.
• In person: by appointment only, Tuesday and Thursday, 10 am to 2 pm.

MDHHS currently lists processing times of about 10 to 12 weeks for regular orders and 8 to 10 weeks for expedited orders, plus mail time. If you need a copy sooner, the county clerk is often faster.

How to Order from a Michigan County Clerk

Contact the clerk in the county where the license was issued. Fees vary by county. Wayne County, the largest, charges:

• $24 for the first certified copy
• $7 for each additional copy
• $11.50 for an uncertified search

Wayne County accepts orders through VitalChek, by mail, or in person by appointment at 400 Monroe St., Suite 610, Detroit. Personal checks are not accepted.

How to Get a Marriage License in Michigan

• Where to apply: the county clerk in the county where either partner lives. If neither partner lives in Michigan, apply in the county where the wedding will take place.
• Age: 18, with no exceptions since September 19, 2023 (2023 PA 121).
• Fee: $20 under state law, or $30 if both partners live outside Michigan. Large counties can set their own fees. Wayne County charges $30, or $40 when both partners live out of state.
• Waiting period: 3 days, counting the day you apply. The clerk can waive it for good cause.
• Validity: the wedding must take place within 33 days of the application.
• ID: usually a government photo ID, a certified birth certificate and Social Security information. Bring a divorce or death record if you were married before. Wayne County does not accept hospital or baptismal certificates.
• Health information: the clerk must give you educational materials on HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and each applicant signs a form confirming receipt (MCL 333.5119).
• Witnesses: 2 witnesses aged 18 or older must attend the ceremony.

Who Can Perform a Marriage in Michigan

District judges and magistrates, probate judges, federal judges, municipal judges in their area, mayors in their county, county clerks and clergy can perform weddings. Clergy from other states can officiate if they are authorized in their home state.

After the Wedding

The officiant returns the original license to the issuing county clerk within 10 days. The clerk records it and sends the record to the state.

Free Ways to Search Michigan Marriage Records

• FamilySearch "Michigan, Marriages, 1868-1925": a free collection with over 1.6 million indexed records and images taken from county records.
• Library of Michigan: microfilm indexes for 1867 to 1921 and 1950 to 1969, and returns for 1867 to 1925. Ancestry Library Edition, available there, covers 1867 to 1952. Images are shown only for records over 75 years old.
• County clerk websites: some clerks offer online search or ordering tools.

There is no official free statewide online index for recent Michigan marriages. Use MDHHS or the county clerk for those.

Michigan Marriage Record History

Michigan's record keeping changed over time, which affects what you will find:

• Before 1867: no statewide requirement. Marriages may be in township or county clerk records, in church records, or not recorded at all.
• 1867: officiants had to record marriages, and clerks sent ledgers to the state.
• 1887: a civil marriage license became required.
• 1888: registrations began to include parents' names.
• 1926: records moved from ledgers to individual certificates.

Michigan Marriage Statistics

MDHHS reported 49,987 marriages in Michigan in 2023, a rate of 10.0 per 1,000. Marriages dropped to 41,977 in 2020 and returned to about 51,000 in 2021 and 2022.

Common Law Marriage in Michigan

Michigan stopped recognizing new common law marriages on January 1, 1957. Since then, a license and a ceremony are required for a legal marriage (MCL 551.2).

Correcting a Michigan Marriage Record

Contact the county clerk where the license was issued. MDHHS directs marriage record corrections to the county, not the state.

Changing Your Name After Marriage in Michigan

Update your name with the Social Security Administration first. The Michigan Secretary of State cannot process the change until it is updated with SSA. Then visit a Secretary of State office in person with your current license, proof of the SSA update and your certified marriage certificate. The fee is $9 for a driver's license and $10 for a state ID.

Frequently Asked Questions