Iowa Marriage Records

On July 1, 1880, Iowa enacted laws establishing a State Board of Health and requiring all marriages consummated in the state to be recorded by the health department. Before 1880, all counties maintained records of marriages conducted within their jurisdiction.

Iowa marriage records refer to legal documents chronicling the legal union of couples within the state. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that Iowa has a marriage rate of 5.2 marriages per 1,000 residents. Its rate is 16% lower than the national average of 6.2 marriages per 1,000 people.

Iowa marriage records consist of two documents: Marriage licenses and marriage certificates.

• Marriage License: A marriage license is a pre-ceremony document obtained by a couple permitting them to marry legally. Usually issued by the county recorder's Offices in Iowa, marriage licenses contain information on the intending couple, including their full names, addresses, gender, date of birth, and officiant details. It also contains the date the marriage license was issued and its expiry date.
• Marriage Certificate: A marriage license is a post-ceremony document validating the legal union of two people. After the wedding ceremony, the officiant signs and returns the marriage license to the county recorder's office, which records and files the document. Marriage certificates contain information on the married couple, including their names, parents' information, the date and location of the marriage ceremony, the officiant's signature, and the official stamp and signature of the issuing office.

Iowa issued certified copies of marriage records, uncertified copies of marriage records, and commemorative marriage records. The certified marriage record is the official, legally binding marriage certificate printed on security paper and is typically ideal for legal purposes. Informational marriage records are non-certified plain-paper copies of the marriage record. They are not valid for legal use. Informational copies of marriage records are ideal for genealogical research or personal references. Iowa also offers commemorative marriage certificates. They are decorative, non-legal documents designed for display or keepsakes.

How To Look Up Marriage Records in Iowa?

You may access marriage as follows in Iowa:

• The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Statistics, provides access to marriage certificates from July 1, 1880, to the present.
• The county recorder's office maintains copies of marriage licenses and certificates issued from 1954 to the present within its jurisdiction.

You may order certified marriage records online, by mail, or submit the request in person. Online requests for marriage records are through an approved third-party vendor. To order the document from the State Bureau of Health Statistics, complete the Application for Order of an Iowa Vital Record form. You may submit the request in person during business hours, or mail the completed application to:

You may also order marriage licenses and certificates from the county recorder's office where the marriage license was procured. Each county requires record seekers to submit a written request to obtain the document. Some counties offer specific record request forms on their websites.

Generally, all requests for marriage records may include:

• The full names of the couple
• The exact marriage date
• A copy of a current government-issued photo ID
• Notarized signature for mail requesters
• The fees

Are Marriage Records Public in Iowa?

Marriage records are public records per the Administrative Code Rule 144.43. This means that once a vital record, including a marriage record, has been filed with the county recorder, it becomes a public record, open for inspection and copying. However, while state law permits public inspection of marriage documents, the documents are open to only persons with a direct interest or proof of entitlement to the record.

How Much Do Iowa Marriage Records Cost?

A certified copy of a marriage record ordered from the State Bureau of Health Statistics costs $15, with each additional copy costing $15. Generally, most counties adhere to the $15 state fee, but some counties charge slightly more for administrative costs. To this end, expect to pay up to $20 if obtaining the document at the county level. Marriage records ordered online cost $13, excluding shipping fees.

It takes 4-6 weeks for the State Bureau of Health Statistics to process marriage records requests. However, the office does not offer expedited processing for certified marriage certificate requests by mail. However, if you order the document in person, you can typically get the document within 2 hours. Similarly, marriage records requested at the county recorder's office are processed on the same day.

Online requests for certified marriage records are processed within 2-10 business days, depending on the shipping service used. Shipping fees start from $9 per order.

Is It Possible to Make Your Marriage Records Confidential in Iowa?

Iowa does not permit couples to obtain a confidential marriage license, which would make their marriage certificate closed to the public. In states where it is permitted, obtaining a confidential marriage license restricts access to the marriage records to only the couple. Similarly, state law has no legal framework for couples to seal their marriage records.

How Do I Verify the Authenticity of Iowa Marriage Records?

Verifying the authenticity of an Iowa marriage record is crucial for immigration or travel purposes, genealogy research, accessing spousal tax or insurance benefits, and settling estates or inheritance. Your marriage certificate is also essential when applying for Social Security and name changes, or during legal matters such as divorce.

In Iowa, you may verify the authenticity of your marriage record at the Iowa Bureau of Health Statistics or the county recorder's office where the license was issued. Generally, an authenticated marriage record will include key security features, such as the registrar's signature, an embossed or raised seal, and a unique certificate number. Certified copies of marriage certificates are typically printed on watermarked or security-printed paper to prevent forgery of the document.

Can I Find Iowa Marriage Records Online for Free?

Persons who cannot access certified copies of marriage records may be able to access informational copies online through non-governmental sources at no cost.

FamilySearch.org offers statewide access to name indexes and digital images of Iowa marriage records from 1809-1992. It also provides access to county-level indexes of Iowa marriages from 1838-1934.

Ancestry.com has an extensive database of Iowa marriage records. Its database includes indexed images of all Iowa counties from 1880-1948. It also provides access to marriage certificates pre-1880.

PublicRecords.us aggregates vital records from multiple governmental sources to bring you a comprehensive database of marriage records, including Iowa marriage records. The platform provides access to basic information on marriage records at no cost. However, access to the complete document may require a minimal fee.

What Is Required to Get an Iowa Marriage License?

Couples intending to get married in Iowa may meet eligibility requirements and submit appropriate documentation before they can purchase a marriage license in the state. Generally, it includes:

• Both parties and a witness must apply in person at the county recorder's office
• Both parties must be 18 years or older. Persons aged 16-17 may get married only by consent from a judge
• Provide a government-issued photo ID
• Social Security numbers of both applicants
• If previously married, provide a copy of the divorce decree or death certificate
• The marriage license fee

It costs $35 to purchase a marriage license certificate in Iowa. Iowa law requires a business day waiting period after the date of application before the license is valid. Applicants may come to pick up the license after the waiting period elapses. The waiting period may be waived if the parties obtain a waiver application form from the county clerk's office and it is approved by a judge. It costs $5 to waive the waiting period.

Iowa marriage licenses do not expire. However, the license does expire if the document is not picked up from the county recorder's office within 6 months of the application date.

Can You Amend Marriage Records in Iowa?

Yes. You may amend errors on your marriage license or certificate in Iowa. In Iowa, you may correct minor errors noticed within the first year or make formal amendments for events over one year. Generally, you may correct or amend your marriage documents if you notice the following:

• Typographical errors and transposed letters in names
• Omissions such as missing the middle initial of the couple's name
• Spelling errors
• Complete name changes -requires a court order

Amending Iowa Marriage License

If you discover an error on your marriage license before the ceremony, you may correct the error at the county recorder's office that issued the license. Most counties require you to submit a written request stating the error and providing the correct information to amend the error. To submit the request, include the original license with the error, a valid government-issued photo ID for both parties, proof of the correct information, such as a birth certificate, and the fees. It costs $35 to correct and reissue your marriage license in Iowa.

Amending the Iowa Marriage Certificate

Amending an error on an Iowa marriage certificate issued more than one year ago requires filing a Petition Order Amending Marriage Certificate in the district court. For errors noticed within the first year, submitting a written request to correct the mistake would be enough. No court order is required. After obtaining the court order, the petitioner may complete the Amendment to Iowa Certificate of Marriage form. To fill out the application, state the wrong information and provide the correct date.

Submit the court order, completed amendment form, a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID, the marriage certificate containing the error, and the fees. It costs $15 to amend your marriage certificates in Iowa.