Oregon Marriage Records

Marriage records in Oregon include marriage licenses and certificates, which serve as official documentation of a marriage within the state. County clerks and the Oregon Center for Health Statistics (CHS) maintain these records for various purposes, such as legal documentation and genealogical research.

Marriage records are confidential for 50 years and accessible only to those with a legitimate interest, like the couple, their immediate family, or legal representatives. After 50 years, the records become public. In 2022, Oregon recorded 25,646 marriages, with Multnomah, Washington, and Deschutes counties seeing the highest numbers. Oregon marriage laws are contained in Section 106 of the state’s revised statutes. Although non-residents can marry in Oregon, they must obtain a marriage license from a county clerk, and the ceremony must be held within the state. Oregon does not recognize common-law marriages unless established in a jurisdiction where such unions are legal, and the state fully recognizes same-sex marriages.

To access an Oregon marriage record, individuals may order certified copies online through VitalChek, by phone, mail, or in person. The process requires valid identification and may involve additional steps for those with different names or requesting records from specific periods. Oregon's marriage records are vital for verifying marital status, legal proceedings, and historical research.

What are Marriage Records?

Oregon marriage records refer to any official documentation of the marriage between individuals in the Beaver State. The two main types of official records in Oregon are marriage licenses and marriage certificates. The license is a legal document issued to intending couples to allow them to conduct a valid and legal marriage ceremony in the state. A marriage certificate is issued after the marriage and may be used as legal evidence of the marriage between two persons.

Oregon marriage records are maintained by county clerks at the local level and the vital records office of the Oregon Center for Health Statistics at the state level. Government authorities at the local and state levels maintain marriage records for different reasons, such as official documentation of life events, genealogical research, and studying marriage trends.

Oregon marriage records are sealed for 50 years after the marriages are recorded with the state. Therefore, a marriage record is not open to the public until 50 years after its occurrence. During the 50-year period, only persons with a tangible interest in the record, such as the individuals named on the record, their attorneys, or immediate family members, may request access to the records. Marriage records may be requested by the persons named on the records for proper identification, for the courts to recognize their marriages, and to update official documents.

Marriages in Oregon

There were 25,646 marriages in Oregon in 2022, resulting in a marriage rate of 5.5 per 1,000 residents. In the previous two years, the state recorded 5.7 and 5.2 marriages per 1,000 people in 2021 and 2020, respectively. Multnomah, Washington, Deschutes, Clackamas, and Marlon Counties had the highest number of marriages in the state. July (3,255), August (3,158), and September (3,114) were the top three months for marriage ceremonies in 2022. In line with national trends, marriage trends have steadily declined since 1990, when the state recorded 8.9 marriages per 1,000 residents. Similarly, divorce rates have declined since 1990 (5.5), with the state recording 2.8 divorces per 1,000 residents, slightly up from the 2.7 recorded in 2021 and the 2.6 recorded in 2020.

You can get married in Oregon even if you are not a state resident. However, whether you are an Oregon resident or not, you must apply for and obtain a marriage license from a county clerk in the state. While most Oregon counties allow applicants to pre-apply for their marriage licenses online or request that a county clerk's office provide you with a paper application, you must sign and submit the application in person at the county clerk's office. You can find a list of Oregon counties on the government website to search county clerk offices. You may request specific steps to obtain a marriage license by contacting the county authority. A couple is not required to hold their marriage ceremony in the county where their license was issued; however, they must conduct the marriage within Oregon. An Oregon marriage license fee costs between $50 and $75. Clatsop County charges $60, Deschutes County charges $55, while Multnomah County charges $60 for an Oregon marriage license. You may check with county authorities to find out what types of payments are accepted.

Before you apply for an Oregon marriage license, you must meet the state's eligibility requirements. These requirements state that an applicant for a marriage license must be 18 or older. However, if they are 17, they must obtain signed consent from their parents or guardians. The parent or guardian giving consent must be present when the license is purchased at the county clerk's office. No one under 17 is allowed to be married in Oregon.

Also, if you are applying for a marriage license in Oregon, you cannot currently be married or in a registered domestic partnership with anyone other than the individual you wish to marry. Oregon prohibits the solemnization of marriages between first cousins or relatives any nearer of kin to the person license applicants want to marry. No blood test or physical examination is required to obtain a marriage license in Oregon.

There is a waiting period of three days for your license to become valid for use in Oregon. The state counts the waiting period from the day the marriage license is purchased. However, this period may be waived for military, medical, or out-of-state residency reasons. The county clerk determines the rejection or acceptance of waiver requests for the three-day waiting period. Once the marriage license becomes valid, you have up to 60 days to use it; otherwise, it becomes invalid, and you must obtain a new license.

Per state law, two adult witnesses must be physically present at your marriage ceremony. The ministers or partners involved in the marriage do not count as witnesses. Also, a marriage may only be officiated by:

A county clerk
An active judge of federal court
A State of Oregon judicial officer
An active United States magistrate judge
Anyone authorized by an active religious congregation or secular organization

After your marriage ceremony, the marriage officiant must fill out and sign the required section of the license. Upon completion, the officiant must return the signed and completed license to the county clerk's office, where the marriage license was issued within five days of the ceremony.

After marriage, you may legally change your name by taking your spouse's last name or hyphenating your last name with your spouse's. Either way, you must update your name with the Oregon DMV, Social Security Administration, the passport office, and other institutions where you may hold an account.

Common law marriages are not recognized in Oregon. However, the state acknowledges common-law marriages established in other jurisdictions where it is permitted. Hence, if a couple from a state where common-law marriage is authorized moves to Oregon, Oregon will recognize the marriage as valid if the couple meets the requirement of common-law marriage in their state. Same-sex marriages are also legal in the Beaver State following the May 19, 2024, ruling handed down in Geiger v. Kitzhaber by the U.S. district judge Michael J. McShane and in accordance with Section 106.345. Under state law, any privilege, immunity, right, or benefit granted by statute to a person because the individual is or was married to someone of a different sex is granted on equivalent terms to an individual who is or was married to an individual of the same sex.

The state recognizes domestic partnerships per Section 106.300 et. seq. of the Oregon Revised Statutes, also referred to as the Oregon Family Fairness Act. In Oregon, a domestic partnership is a civil contract between two persons of the same sex aged 18 or older. Neither partner in a domestic relationship may be in a marriage or a lawfully recognized registered domestic partnership. Also, at least one of the partners must be a resident of Oregon.

Oregon Marriage Certificate

In Oregon, a marriage certificate is an official legal document that proves a couple's marital status. This certificate includes important information such as the full names of the spouses, the date of the marriage, and the location of the ceremony. The marriage certificate is one of the most commonly referenced documents when verifying marital status for various legal, financial, and personal purposes.

After the marriage ceremony, the officiant overseeing the union signs the marriage certificate, making it a legally binding record. The original copy of this document is then issued to the couple. Oregon treats marriage certificates as confidential documents. Consequently, they are not accessible to the general public. Access to certified copies of a marriage certificate is restricted to specific individuals, including immediate family members of the couple and their legal representatives, such as attorneys. These certified copies are often required for official matters like name changes, applying for spousal benefits, or legal proceedings related to the marriage.

You can find the following information on an Oregon marriage certificate:

The names of the couples
The location of the marriage
The date of the marriage
The names of the two witnesses
The name and title of the officiant

How To Find and Access Oregon Marriage Records

The Oregon Center for Health Statistics (CHS) is responsible for providing certified copies of marriage records that took place within the state. For convenience, the CHS partnered with VitalChek, a third-party company, to offer online marriage records ordering. Additionally, you may request these records by phone, mail, or in person.

Note that marriage record access is restricted for 50 years. In order for a marriage record requester to be allowed to order a certified copy of a marriage record, you must be 18 or older. In addition, you must have an acceptable ID. If the listed name on your ID differs from the name on your certificate or the eligibility document provided, you may legally have to offer documentation proving your legal name change.

Acceptable IDs include each of the following:

Permanent resident card with photograph
Current, valid passport or passport card with photograph
United States Armed Services ID Card with photograph
State or federal government ID badge with photograph
Current, valid driver's license, permit, or identification card
Tribal membership of ID card that includes photograph and address
Current student identification card that includes name and photograph
Citizen identification card with photograph
Consulate card with photograph and address

Or three or more of the following:

Pistol or firearms permit
Vehicle registration or title
U.S. Immigration or naturalization papers
Military discharge paper or selective service card
Savings account passbook or a personalized check
State fishing or hunting license
Concealed weapons permit with photo
A utility bill or another recent bill with the current address
Monthly banking or mortgage account statement
Official corrections department or parole documents containing the date of birth and full name
Current paycheck stub or a physical paycheck less than 30 days old
Company ID card
Union membership card
Voter registration card that's issued by an official Oregon county elections department
Medical or hospital insurance card
Valid welfare, food stamp, or unemployment identification
Auto insurance policy
Tax statements – specifically W-2 forms

If you are ineligible to obtain a marriage record, you may send in notarized written permission from an eligible individual.

Finding and Accessing Oregon Marriage Records Online

To obtain an Oregon marriage record online, visit the VitalChek website to place an order. You will be required to pay a non-refundable fee of $43.25 for one record search and $25 for additional copies of the same record requested at the same time. The $43.25 fee includes the non-refundable fee for one copy ($7.00 expedite fee), an $11.25 VitalChek vendor fee and security fee for applicant ID verification and ID review, and the $25.00 record search fee. VitalChek accepts all major credit or debit cards. Also, most prepaid debit cards are accepted. However, government-issued benefits cards are not accepted.

To apply for a marriage certificate, you will need to provide relevant information and pass an identity screening quiz. The screening quiz will be generated using your birthdate and Social Security number if you have one. A scanned or faxed copy of a valid ID or alternative ID may also be required. A marriage record requested via VitalChek will be processed in 3-5 business days.

VitalChek allows requesters to call its service line at 1-888-896-4988 to place an order for a marriage record by phone. The line is accessible 24/7. If you order via this method, you will pay $44.95 for one record search and $25 for additional copies of the same record requested at the same time. Orders by phone are typically processed within three business days upon receipt at Oregon Vital Records unless a record problem is discovered.

Some counties allow requesters to order marriage records online. For instance, if your marriage was recorded in Multnomah County, you may order a certified or non-certified copy of your marriage record via the county's Digital Research Room. After placing an order, certified copies are mailed by our office within 1-2 business days. Non-certified copies are accessible online immediately upon purchase. Digital marriage records are available from 1990 to the present. Records from 1980 to 1989 can be viewed through the index only.

Marion County also provides a marriage license search tool on its website. This tool allows users to find marriage license records by performing a search using direct party information, instrument type, or file date range (the available records are for 1849 to 1977).

Finding and Accessing Oregon Marriage Records Offline

You may order a marriage record by mail from the Vital Records office. To order by mail, you must provide a completed marriage record order form or use a (domestic partnership record order form) with complete record information, a photocopy of valid ID or alternative ID documents, your signature, and the eligibility to order the certificate. Send the complete mail and applicable fee by check or money order made to OHA/Vital Records to:

Oregon Vital Records

P.O. Box 14040

Portland OR 97293

Orders placed by regular mail can take up to five weeks to process. The first record requested costs $25, and each additional copy of the same record costs $25. If the date of marriage is unknown, $25 covers a five-year search. An additional $1 is charged for each year to be searched after that.

You may also submit the required documents in a sealed envelope in the drop box at the State Office Building, 800 NE Oregon Street, Portland. The box is at the entrance by the west door in the parking lot. Processing may take up to five weeks.

Alternatively, you may schedule an appointment with the Vital Records office to obtain a marriage record in person. On the appointment day, check in ten minutes early on the first floor at 800 NE Oregon Street, Portland. You will be required to pass an identity screening quiz and submit the relevant documentation. It costs $28 for a first record and $25 for each additional copy. You may pay with a credit or debit card, cash, money order, or EFT for personal checks.

Couples or partners may also request certified copies of their marriage licenses or marriage records from the county clerk’s office where their licenses were filed. Contact the county clerk's office or website for specific steps in requesting a certified copy of a marriage record in your area. For instance, Multnomah County allows couples to order certified copies of marriage licenses or domestic partnership records in person and by mail.

References

Counties in Oregon

List of Content

What are Marriage Records?
Marriages in Oregon
1. Oregon Marriage Certificate
How To Find and Access Oregon Marriage Records
1. Finding and Accessing Oregon Marriage Records Online
2. Finding and Accessing Oregon Marriage Records Offline