Are Connecticut Marriage Records Available to the Public?
Yes. Marriage records in Connecticut are considered Connecticut public records and are available to anyone, over 18 years, who provides adequate information for a record search and pays the required fee. All information on the record will be available to the requester except for the social security numbers of the spouses on the record. Only parties to a marriage can receive a Connecticut marriage certificate which displays the social security numbers of the spouses. The requester must provide proof of identity, show they are a party to the marriage, to receive this form of the record.
Family Court records can include marriage records and divorce records. These records contain personal information of those involved and their maintenance is critical should anyone involved wish to make changes. Because of this both marriage and divorce records can be considered more difficult to locate and obtain than other public records, and may not be available through government sources or third party public record websites.
How to Find Connecticut Marriage Records
A Connecticut marriage record refers to all documents providing details about the legal union of two people as parties in a domestic relationship in the state. Beginning on the 1st of October 2005, same-sex couples were allowed to enter civil unions in the State of Connecticut, but same-sex marriages became legal in the state on October 1, 2010. Consequently, all existing civil union laws were repealed and as such, couples can no longer enter a civil union in the State of Connecticut. All existing civil unions were converted to marriages except for those where the parties already started court proceedings for annulments, dissolution, or legal separations. The Department of Health Connecticut maintains public marriage records and issues marriage licenses and marriage certificates including divorce certificates in the case of dissolution of marriage.
How to Find Out if Someone is Married in Connecticut
Those seeking to find out if someone is married can search public marriage records of the county where the marriage took place. One can also check the Connecticut state library, or review Connecticut marriage records on third-party sites or newspaper archives. Another way would be to request the record from the vital records office in Connecticut or the office of the Town Clerk where the marriage was performed either via mail or in person.
How to Check Marriage Status Online
To check the marriage status of any individual online, one can request records from the office of vital statistics on the website maintained by them. Members of the public can also check newspaper archives online or visit third-party sites. In Connecticut, any public member above the age of 18 can obtain a copy of a Connecticut marriage certificate for a fee.
Please note that this certificate would not include the social security number of the subjects of the data except requester is one of the subjects.
What is Considered a Marriage Record in Connecticut?
Connecticut marriage records describe official documents regarding all marriages registered in the State of Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Health Vital Records Office maintains all marriage records for the state since July of 1897.
Both government websites and organizations may offer divorce and marriage records. Similarly, third party public record websites can also provide these types of records. But because third party organizations are not operated or sponsored by the government, record availability may vary. Further, marriage and divorce records are considered highly private and are often sealed, meaning availability of these types of records cannot be guaranteed.
How to Check Marriage Records for Free
Some third-party sites offer marriage searches for free and would only require a fee when a copy of a marriage record is sorted. One can visit these sites to carry out a search.
How to Change Your Name After Marriage in Connecticut
To perform a name change after marriage in Connecticut, the first step is to obtain a marriage certificate or court order. Next, parties must inform the Social Security Administration (SSA) about the name change. To do this, submit a form-SS5, a valid photo ID, and a certified copy of the marriage certificate to any local SSA office. The processing time usually takes between two to three weeks to receive a new social security card.
Parties changing their name after marriage must also update their driver's license information by visiting a Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicle office. They will need to complete a form-E78, provide their current driver's license or any other state-issued ID, and a certified name change document.
What is Considered a Marriage License in Connecticut?
A Connecticut marriage license is a legal document that approves the union of two people in the state. It signals an intent to get married and serves as an official support for a union. For a marriage to occur in Connecticut, the individuals involved must first obtain a license from the Vital Records Office situated in the town where the marriage will occur. Any two persons can obtain a marriage license in Connecticut provided both parties satisfy the eligibility requirements.
Are Marriage Licenses Public Record in Connecticut?
No. Connecticut marriage licenses are only available to the individuals whose names appear on them or individuals who need them and are eligible to get a license to be married. Individuals who seek to obtain a marriage license can do so by requesting it online or in person.
Connecticut Formal Marriage License
A Connecticut formal marriage license refers to the regular marriage license issued in the state to an eligible couple who put in a formal request or application to get married.
Connecticut Common-Law Marriage License
In Connecticut, common-law marriage is a relationship between two people who live together and present themselves as a couple, even though there is no formal record of a marriage. The State of Connecticut does not recognize common-law marriages. However, a common-law marriage entered into in a state that recognizes such marriages will be recognized in Connecticut if it was valid under the other state's law.
How Do I Obtain a Marriage License in Connecticut?
A marriage license in Connecticut must be obtained in-person, and by both parties to the marriage from the local Vital Records Office located in the town where the marriage will take place. The license will be issued once both parties have met the eligibility requirements to marry in Connecticut. Both parties applying for the license will complete a marriage license application, provide acceptable identification, and make a sworn statement that all information provided in the application is true and accurate. Blood tests are no longer required to obtain a marriage license in the State of Connecticut. There is a $50 fee for each license which will be paid at the time the license is issued.
Upon conclusion of the ceremony, the license will be signed by both spouses, the officiant of the marriage, and one or two witnesses. After this, the license must be submitted to the Registrar of Vital Records of the town where the marriage occurred. Thereafter, it will be registered and filed in the official marriage records of the State of Connecticut where it becomes a public record. This central repository is to ensure one person is not married to multiple people at the same time. Once the license has been registered, it becomes a vital record and is then referred to as a marriage certificate.
What is Considered a Marriage Certificate in Connecticut?
A Connecticut marriage certificate is a government or public record that proves a couple is legally married. It will name the married individuals, where the marriage ceremony occurred, when the marriage occurred, and who officiated the ceremony. The Vital Records Office provides certificates for all Connecticut marriages recorded between 1897 and the present. Records of marriages held before 1897 are available from the State Library's History and Genealogy Unit.
How Do I Obtain a Copy of My Marriage Certificate in Connecticut?
Members of the public looking to find marriage records can check with the vital records office. To obtain a certified copy of a Connecticut marriage certificate, submit a request to the Vital Records Office located in the town/city where the ceremony occurred or the State Vital Records Office. Those seeking to replace or find a marriage certificate would also need to submit a request. Requests submitted to the town Vital Records Office are processed more quickly. To request for a copy of a Connecticut marriage certificate, submit an application online, in person, or by mail.
Connecticut marriage certificates cost $20 per copy. State Office payments must be in cash or money order payable to the Treasurer, State of Connecticut. For a request submitted in one of the local Vital Records Offices, pay in cash or money order to the registrar of the town.
Visit the local Vital Records Office in the town where the ceremony was held to submit a request for marriage certificates in person. Alternatively, visit the State Vital Records Office located at:
State Vital Records Office
Connecticut Department of Public Health
1st Floor
410 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
This office opens from Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Applicants are required to provide photo IDs to enter the building.
To request for copies of a marriage certificate by mail, send the completed application form and other required documents and fees to the Vital Records Office in the town where the ceremony was held or to the State Vital Records Office.
To send a mail request to a town/city Vital Records Office, complete the town application request form, include the applicable fee, and mail it to the local Vital Record Office.
To send a mail request to the State Vital Records Office, complete the state application request form and mail it, with the applicable fee, to:
State Vital Records Office
Connecticut Department of Public Health
1st Floor
410 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106
To obtain a certificate for a civil union (for a ceremony performed between October 1, 2005, and September 30, 2010), complete an Application to Request a Civil Union Certificate form and submit it to the vital records office.
If requesting for this certificate from a town/city Vital Records office, use the town application form. To make a request from the State office, use the state application form. The fee for a civil union certificate is $20. Note that the issued certificate will include a disclaimer stating that all civil unions in Connecticut, except those dissolved or in the process of dissolution/annulment/legal separation, were converted to marriages on October 1, 2010.
Are Prenups Public Record in Connecticut?
Not all parts of a prenup are public records for privacy reasons according to Sec 1210 Formerly Sec 119 Access to public records Exempt records. The couples involved may request for their prenup to be sealed and hence unavailable to the public.
