Access Free New Hampshire Marriage Records on Any Resident

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Free New Hampshire Marriage Record Search

Access anyone's marital information in New Hampshire, free of charge.

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Search free New Hampshire marriage records to confirm whether an individual or a couple has been formally partnered within the state.

This information is available to citizens through state, county, and municipal agencies that maintain marriage record databases for individuals granted marriage licenses.

Anyone interested in finding marriage records can refer to this resource, which assists searchers by providing efficient lookup methods for information about marriages in New Hampshire and how to access marital records via official channels without tedious searching.

Can the Public Access Marriage Records & Licenses in New Hampshire?

Marriage records in this state are not publicly available because they are considered to be private documents. Like many other states, it is considered a “closed record” state, according to NH Statute Section 5 Chapter 9.¹

This means that only certain individuals are granted access to any type of vital records that contain personal information. They include not only marriage but also birth, death, and divorce records, for any of which the seeker must submit a request for research, according to the New Hampshire Right to Know Law.

The only individuals who may be eligible to obtain access by proving their identity are:

• The individual the record belongs to
• The individual’s immediate family members
• Someone who has a direct and tangible interest in the record

Also, any marriage records in the state that are older than 50 years from the date of inquiry are considered open to the public for the purposes of genealogy, historical, and personal research. Fortunately, inquirers will not have to complete any type of request for these.

Authorized individuals may obtain certified copies of marriage certificates for their own records as well. If they don’t need the actual document, they can choose to simply view a copy to gather the information they seek.

The union of two individuals officiated by a government or religious authority is the only valid, legal marriage in New Hampshire.

It applies to same-sex marriage as well, which has been recognized since January 1, 2010. The legislation effectively converts all civil unions established on January 1, 2008, to marriages on January 1, 2011. The exception is for those that were converted to marriage or were dissolved or annulled before then.

The state does not recognize common-law marriage. Instead, the marriage statute RSA 457:39 recognizes the surviving partner as the deceased’s spouse as long as the two cohabited and recognized each other as husband and wife for at least three years until their partner’s death.

However, this situation does not require a marriage license and only the members of the couple’s community may validate it.

Additional information inquirers may find useful can be had from the census. It provides marriage rates for the entire state and other interesting insights such as trends from year to year, age, race, same-sex marriages, remarriages, and divorces.

In 2022, New Hampshire’s marriage rate was 36.4 marriages per 1,000 unmarried women, well above the national average of 31.23 marriages per 1,000 unmarried women.

If there are recent marriage records since 1989 the seeker is looking for, statistical data on them may be obtained from any city or town that is running the NHVRIN Vital Records automated software.

The state legislature passed a law in 2003 that expanded on New Hampshire’s Right to Know Law, RSA 91-A. It made state data available to researchers and the general public while maintaining the confidentiality of citizens’ personal identifying information.

The NHVRIN FAQs page offers more information for interested persons.

How To View & Request New Hampshire Marriage Records

Searchers can find marriage records in the state through many methods: In person, via mail, over the phone, and online. They must locate the state office, city, or town clerk in the area where the marriage license was issued.

City and town clerks have maintained all New Hampshire marriage records from 1960 to the present.

In-person: The state provides one of the most important resources for requesting a certified copy of a marriage or civil union certificate, available through the New Hampshire Vital Records agency. Record seekers can print the Certificate Application Form and complete and sign for the Marriage section if they wish to expedite the process.

Then, they need to find their government-issued photo ID, which can be any of the following:

• Driver’s license
• State ID
• Passport

Instead of a photo ID, they can find two acceptable documents to use and then print, complete, and sign the Documentary Evidence form.⁴

They must bring sufficient payment for the number of certified copies they are requesting. Regardless of whether a record is found, the search fee is $15, plus $10 for each additional copy of the same.

Then, they bring all documents and the appropriate fees to the office location at:

NH Department Of State
Division Of Vital Records Administration
9 Ratification Way
Concord, NH 03301

Phone: (603)271-4651
Email: vitalrecords@sos.nh.gov
Office Hours: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Inquirers can view the New Hampshire Secretary of State FAQs page for further details about vital records.⁵

By mail: The process is nearly the same as that for obtaining marriage records in person. Inquirers download, complete, and sign the Marriage section of the Certificate Application form. The difference is that they send the request along with a valid photo ID and the fee to the aforementioned address.

The fee is $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy.

By phone: Record seekers cannot order marriage certified by phone, but a recorded message is available to verify fees and other information at (603)271-4651 during the office hours of 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Online: Searchers can order certified copies of marriage certificates online through the order form at VitalChek, a government-endorsed third-party agency.⁶ The fee is $15 for the first copy. Going through the online form, record seekers select or enter the information for the marriage certificate they are requesting and finally, make the payment for the order by credit card.

Inquirers seeking older marriage records can do so through archived indexes, which are available at no cost and will be explained in further detail below.

Looking Up Free New Hampshire Marital Records on the County & City Levels

Performing a search at the state level is the most comprehensive option, and the request process allows for inquiries to obtain the broadest results. However, interested persons can also find marriage records by county or city online, in person, via mail, and over the phone, and obtain further information specific to the marriage party or couple they are researching.

All vital records in the state, including those for marriage, are kept at the town level. Town clerks have maintained vital records from 1657 to the present, while the NH Division of Vital Records Administration has had them from 1631 onward.

1866 is when state law required registration of vital records, but not all towns immediately complied and the Secretary of State did not receive all of the records.

In 1905, the New Hampshire Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics was established and created a database to contain marriage records from 1652 to the present.

It includes copies of pre-1905 records from each town and state-created cards with the same details. The database also includes marriage and divorce records through 1947, although most divorce records are from 1858 to 1937.

Hillsborough County: Record seekers who know the marriage was recorded in Hillsborough County on or after 1652 must contact the NH Division of Vital Records Administration with an in-person or mail request at the following address:

NH Department Of State
Division Of Vital Records Administration
9 Ratification Way
Concord, NH 03301

Phone: (603)271-4651
Email: vitalrecords@sos.nh.gov
Office hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

$15 is the cost of the search fee, plus $10 for each additional copy of the same record.

By mail: The process seekers use is nearly the same as that for obtaining marriage records in person. They download, complete, and sign the Marriage section of the Certificate Application form. The difference is that they send the request along with a valid photo ID and the fee to the following address:

NH Department Of State
Division Of Vital Records Administration
9 Ratification Way
Concord, NH 03301

The fee is $15 for the first copy, and $10 for each additional copy.

By phone: Record seekers cannot order marriage certified by phone, but a recorded message is available to verify fees and other information at (603)271-4651. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Online: Another method is to use the government-endorsed VitalChek online order form.

Rockingham County: If the marriage was recorded in Rockingham County on or after the year 1652, record seekers may choose to contact the NH Division of Vital Records Administration or order through VitalChek.

Merrimack County: Searchers who know the marriage was recorded on or after 1652 in Merrimack County can order the record online, in person, or by mail through the NH Division of Vital Records Administration or online through VitalChek.

To find marriage records when the city is known, the searcher can obtain certified copies of certificates through several methods: online, in person, or by mail through the NH Division of Vital Records Administration, online through VitalChek, or from the city clerk.

The available marriage records are from the time period of 1960 to the present. There is a state search fee of $15 for the first copy, even if no record is found, and $10 for each additional copy of the same document.

Manchester: To obtain certified copies of marriage certificates for individuals whose marriage intentions were filed in Manchester on or after 1960, interested persons must contact the Manchester City Clerk.⁷

To order online, they can purchase marriage certificates using the City of Manchester’s Marriage Certificate online ordering tool.

Using this method, they select 1, 2, or 3 copies and standard or expedited shipping, complete the required information, and pay by credit card. The cost of the first copy is $15 and $10 for each additional copy of the same certificate. Standard shipping is $1, while expedited shipping is $30.

As part of this process, they must provide a copy of their photo ID to prove direct interest in obtaining copies of the marriage certificate. They have the option to fax it to (603)624-6481 or email it to vitalrecords@manchesternh.gov.

For searchers who do not have a photo ID, they must complete the documentary evidence form and provide the appropriate substitute documents.

If requesters prefer to visit in person, they can do so at:

Manchester Office of the City Clerk
1 City Hall Plaza
Manchester, NH 03101

Phone: (603)624-6455.
Office hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

When purchasing in person, record seekers must provide a photo ID and complete a request form. The cost is $15 for the search fee or for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy. Payment can be made either by check or money order made payable to the City of Manchester, or by credit card for a fee of $1.95 or 2.75% of the amount.

To purchase by mail, they must print and complete the Request for Marriage Certificate Application and send it with the appropriate payment and a copy of their photo ID in a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Manchester Office of the City Clerk.¹⁰

Inquirers can also email the city clerk using the online form or get directions to the location.

Nashua: For record seekers to order certified copies of a certificate for a marriage that occurred in Nashua, they must complete a marriage certificate application to the City Clerk.

They must also provide a photo ID and the cost for the state search fee, which is $15 for the first copy and $10 for each additional copy. Inquirers who do not have an appropriate photo ID must complete a documentary evidence form and provide suitable documents that confirm their identity.

Payment can be made by check or money order payable to the City of Nashua and sent along with the completed form and a copy of their photo ID in a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the following mailing address:

Nashua City Clerk
P.O. Box 2019
Nashua, NH 03061

Another method is to order the certified copies of the marriage certificate at the office location in person:

Nashua City Clerk’s Office
229 Main St.
Nashua, NH 03050

Phone: (603)589-3010
Fax: (603)589-3029
Email: CityClerkDept@nashuanh.gov
Office hours: 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday

Concord: When searchers know the marriage of inquiry occurred in Concord, they can request a search for or order certified copies of the certificate from the Concord City Clerk’s Office. Available methods are online, in person, or by mail. The same state fees apply but are made payable to the City of Concord.

To order online, record seekers use the EB2Gov Vital Record Request tool. There is no shipping fee.

They can also request a search for or order certified copies of marriage certificates in person or by mail. They must download and complete the Vital Records Certificate Application form, or complete it in person at the clerk’s office.

They must provide a photo ID. If their photo ID has an address that is different from the address they are requesting to be mailed to, they must also complete the Assignment of Access form.¹³

If they still need an acceptable form of ID, they must complete the documentary evidence form and provide the appropriate documents instead.¹⁴

Then, they may choose to bring the completed form along with identification and payment at the office location or include the items in a self-addressed stamped envelope to the following address:

Concord City Clerk’s Office
41 Green St.
Concord, NH 03301

Phone: (603)225-8500.
Fax: (603)225-8592.
Email: cityclerk@concordnh.gov
Office Hours: 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Wednesday and Friday, and 8 am to 6 pm on Thursday

For older New Hampshire marriage records, information can be found through archives for genealogy purposes. Some different types of resources are available for viewing or obtaining earlier records.

Searching the New Hampshire State Archives or Marriage Index for Free

Interested parties can search the state archive or marriage index for older records at no cost. All marriage records in the state from 1905 to the present are at the Division of Vital Records at the NH Department of Health.

For pre-1905 vital records, the New England Historic Genealogical Society has a statewide compilation of them on microfilm.¹⁵

The New Hampshire State Library also has Genealogical Resources for older records.

Some other useful resources for finding older records are:

• Genealogy page at the New Hampshire Historical Society
• Resources page at the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists
• New Hampshire Local History & Genealogy Resources page at the Library of Congress
• New Hampshire Gazette at the Library of Congress
• Genealogy pages at the city level
• Genealogy resources at public libraries, particularly those in the city where marriage of inquiry occurred
• Religious institutions

Marriage records become publicly accessible when they are older than 50 years from the date registered. That means researchers can find genealogy and lineage information on family members and ancestors without having to complete paperwork, wait for a search, or wait to receive certified copies of records.

How To Request a Marriage License in New Hampshire

When a couple desires to prepare for marriage, the first step is requesting a marriage license, a document that authorizes them to marry with the ceremony to occur in the state.

This can be done at any city or town clerk’s office regardless of the couple’s place of residence. It requires payment of a state-set fee of $50, which can be done by cash, check, or credit/debit card made payable to the city or town.

Manchester: The couple can pay for the marriage license with cash, check, or credit card, with checks made payable to the City of Manchester. The credit card fee is $1.95 or 2.75% of the amount.

They must bring their government-issued photo ID and $50 fee payment and complete a marriage license application in person at the Manchester City Clerk’s office at:

Manchester Office of the City Clerk
1 City Hall Plaza
Manchester, NH 03101

Phone: (603)624-6455.
Email the city clerk: Contact form
Office hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

Nashua: The couple must bring the $50 fee payment via cash, check, or credit card, with a check made payable to the City of Nashua, present their government-issued photo ID and long-form birth certificate, and complete a marriage license application form at the city clerk’s office.

It is available for issuing marriage licenses from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Friday at:

Nashua City Clerk’s Office
229 Main St.
Nashua, NH 03050

Phone: (603)589-3010
Fax: (603)589-3029
Email: CityClerkDept@nashuanh.gov
Office hours: 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday

Concord: The couple must appear together to complete a marriage application worksheet and present their certified birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID along with the $50 fee payment via cash, debit, or credit card at:

Concord City Clerk’s Office
41 Green St.
Concord, NH 03301

Phone: (603)225-8500.
Fax: (603)225-8592.
Email: cityclerk@concordnh.gov
Office hours: 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday – Wednesday and Friday; 8 am to 6 pm on Thursdays.

The process takes approximately 30 minutes and requires the couple to appear at a clerk’s office with a government-issued photo ID and/or a certified copy of one’s birth certificate to complete the application for a marriage license. If an individual has been previously married, they must also bring a certified copy of their divorce decree.

It is best to appear at least an hour to an hour and a half before the office closing time. Unlike some other states, there is no waiting period or requirement for witnesses to the marriage ceremony in New Hampshire. Once the marriage license has been issued, it is valid for 90 days.

Individuals must be at least 18 years old to marry in New Hampshire. If they are 16 or 17, they can request permission to marry.

Whether someone is seeking New Hampshire marriage records for personal research, official purposes, or applying for a license, this resource makes these processes quick and efficient by outlining state, county, and city agencies’ processes.

On the other hand, you can track down New Hampshire divorce information to see who has dissolved a marriage within the state; you can also find various other records (arrests, court cases, warrants, property ownership, and more) via the NH free public information lookup instructions.