Search Free Dallas County Marriage Records: License Lookup

Access anybody’s free Dallas County marriage records today.

You may want to learn more about someone in your life or search marriage records out of curiosity. These records may also be needed for learning about family history for a genealogy search or to resolve an outstanding legal or business matter.

The right to inspect and copy marital records is afforded through the Texas Public Information Act. Sometimes, you can access them through online search tools, and other times, you may need to send a formal request or go in person.

This article will provide the information and steps needed to begin your search for marriage records in Dallas County, Texas, and the types of documents you are entitled to.

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

How To Look Up Dallas County Marriage Records for Free

Now that you know you are authorized by law to access marriage records, it’s important to learn the necessary steps for looking up this information. When it comes to marriage records, a citizen can access them through the Dallas County Clerk’s Office.¹

The Dallas County Clerk provides an online records search tool that allows you to look for marriage records from the comfort of your home. To begin your online search, select the “marriage” option on the left-hand side of the screen.

On the right-hand side, you can select a date range for when the marriage was recorded. You are now ready to enter the person’s name who’s marriage record you are looking for.

Note: There is also an advanced search option if you have additional information you would like included to filter your results.

When you get to the results page, you can view all marriage records that match your search criteria. The results will provide you with both applicants’ names, the date the marriage was recorded as well as when they were married. You can also view the marriage license number and the book, volume and page where the record is physically located.

If you click on a specific record, you can view the complete online marriage record. In some cases, an image is available of the original marriage certificate.

If you want to request a copy of a marriage certificate, one option is to complete the Online Marriage Certificate Request provided by the Vital Records Department of the Dallas County Clerk. To qualify for a certified record, you will have to provide information that shows you are an eligible party.

The following people can request a certified marriage record in Dallas County:

• The person listed on the record
• Parent
• Guardian
• Child
• Grandparent
• Grandchild
• Legal representative
• An attorney representing a person or estate

You can also complete a Certified Copy of Marriage Record Request Application, which can be dropped off in person or mailed, along with your fee, to the address below:⁴

Dallas County Clerk’s Office
ATTN: Marriage License
500 Elm St., Ste 2100 – Second Floor
Dallas, Texas 75202

For either application, you will need to provide the names of both applicants and the date they were married. You will also have to provide your relationship to the applicants and contact information.

The cost of a certified marriage record in Dallas County is $10.00 per copy. Processing time by mail is approximately six to eight weeks.

For additional questions, you can contact the Dallas County Clerk by phone at 214-653-7099. They are available for any questions Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Archived marriage records, which can be used for genealogy purposes, will be detailed below.

How Do You Access Historical Dallas County Marriage Records for Genealogical Purposes?

Citizens have a need for both new and archived marriage records, and each has their own purpose. Archived marriage records may be used to conduct a genealogy search or resolve a complex legal matter.

Sometimes archived marriage records are with the same custodian as newer documents, and in other cases, they are held by a separate office responsible for maintaining these older records.

Dallas County does not have a separate archives office for marriage records. To access archived Dallas County marital records, you can use the same tool provided in the previous section.

A good starting point is to see what you can find through their online marriage records search tool. You can also contact the County Clerk to ask them about the types of archived marriage records they have available and how to access them.⁵ You can call them at 214-653-7099 or go to the address below:

Dallas County Clerk’s Office
500 Elm St., Ste 2100 – Second Floor
Dallas, Texas 75202

Archived marriage records can be hard to find. Consider inquiring with local libraries and historical societies to see what types of archived marriage indexes and related records they may have.

You can also search with churches and other religious institutions. Often, when a church performs a marriage, they keep their own record of the nuptials.

Whether with a government agency or other local entity, you may have a unique type of document you are searching for. Common-law marriages, which are a recognition of two people as married without going through the formal process, are legal in Texas and can be found in marriage records. Domestic partnerships and similar types of relationships do not exist in Texas.

If you need to search throughout the state, try reaching out to the Texas State Library Archives Commission.⁶ They can be contacted by email at [email protected]. For archived marriage records, you can also call them at 512-463-5474 or visit them at the below address:

Texas State Library & Archives
1201 Brazos Street
Austin, Texas 78701

You may also want to check with the Family History Center, which is part of the Texas State Archives and Libraries.⁷ They may also have marriage indexes for you to access.

How To Find Marriage Records Throughout All of Texas

You may have just completed your search of Dallas County marital records and are now wondering if you can follow the same process in other Texas counties. While this may be the case to an extent, each county has its own process and nuances for accessing and requesting marriage records.

If you are looking for a unified option for requesting marriage records throughout the state, you can do so with the Vital Statistics Section of the Texas Department of State Health Services.⁸ The Vital Statistics Section can provide a marriage verification for any marriage in Texas from 1966 to the present. Applicants requesting a marriage verification can do so by submitting an online request or filling out their Application for Marriage Record.

Once you complete your application, you can mail it to the address below:

Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, Texas 78711

You can also bring the completed application in person to any available Vital Statistics Office location.⁹ A marriage verification costs $20.00 per copy and is only available to a person listed on the marriage certificate, a legal representative and the following limited group of people:

• Spouse
• Parent
• Guardian
• Child
• Grandparent
• Individuals with court orders or proof of need for verification

If you do not qualify to receive a verification, you can still review their yearly marriage indexes. These marriage indexes begin in 1966 and contain the parties to a marriage, their age, and when and where they were married.

If you have any lingering questions, review the Marriage FAQ page.¹¹ The Vital Statistics Section is available if you want to contact them Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You can call them at 888-963-711 or send an email to [email protected].

How Do You Apply for a Marriage License in Dallas County Texas?

If you and your significant other have decided to tie the knot, it’s important to know that each state and county has its own unique requirements and processes for completing this process. The first step in the process is to request a marriage license. To request a marriage license in Dallas County, you can do so with the Vital Records Division of the County Clerk.

To begin the process, you are required to complete their online marriage license application (or informal request). This application will require you to provide some basic information about you and your partner. You must provide the following information for both applicants requesting a marriage license:

• Full name (maiden name if applicable)
• Email address
• Phone number
• Home address
• Social Security Number
• Date of birth
• Location of birth (city, state, county and country)
• Answer questions about marital history, child support and relation to the other applicant

To apply for a marriage license in Dallas County, you will have to confirm that you are 18 years old, not currently married and that you have not been divorced in the last 30 days. If you have been divorced more recently, you will have to wait unless the person you are marrying is the same person.

Once you complete your online application, you will receive a booking number to schedule your appointment to finalize your marriage license. When you arrive for your appointment, both parties must be present. If only one of the applicants can be present, you will have to provide the County Clerk with an Affidavit of Absent Applicant for Marriage License.¹³

When you arrive, one thing you will have to do is provide proof of your age and name through valid government-issued photo identification. There are several acceptable forms of identification, including a driver’s license, current United States Passport and unexpired military identification.

A marriage license from the Dallas County Clerk costs $81.00. They accept several forms of payment, but if you are going to provide a check or money order, it should be made payable to John F. Warren, Dallas County Clerk.

This fee can be reduced to $21.00 if you and your partner complete a Texas-approved premarital education course within one year of your marriage license application.¹⁴

After a marriage license is issued by the Dallas County Clerk, there is a mandatory 72-hour waiting period before you can finalize everything with a wedding ceremony. However, this waiting period can be bypassed by a judge if you have completed the premarital education course or one of the applicants is on active duty with the armed forces. A judge with jurisdiction over family law cases can also waive this waiting period.

Also, it’s important to know that your marriage license expires after 90 days. If you do not get married in that timeframe, you will have to start the whole process over.

If you have additional questions about how to obtain a marriage license, you can contact the Dallas County Clerk, or specifically, the Vital Records Division.¹⁵ They are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can call them at 214-653-7099 or go to the address below:

Dallas County Clerk
500 Elm St., Ste. 2100
Dallas, Texas 75202

If you are ready to get married, you should now have the information needed to apply for a marriage license and reduce both the fee and waiting period, if needed. If you need to access Dallas County marriage records, you can find them with the tools, contact information, and databases provided throughout this resource.