Ohio Marriage Records Search

Many people wonder how to find marriage records online in Ohio. 

This is happening due to the number of institutions requesting Ohio marriage records for many legal reasons. 

No property can be purchased, and no name can be changed on the legal documents if the Ohio marriage records are not provided. 

This is why this article will cover all aspects of how to find marriage records online in Ohio and what are the ways to run a free marriage records search.

Ohio Marriage Records

Ohio marriage records can be roughly divided into two categories: marriage license and marriage certificate. 

The marriage license is usually obtained before the marriage and is issued by the local county clerk. 

The primary purpose of the marriage license is to ensure there are no legal or other impediments to the marriage occurring. 

Whereas the marriage certificate is considered an official marriage proof and, in most cases, is requested by most legal institutions. 

As a rule, the following information is mentioned on the marriage certificate:

- Names of the Spouses
- Birth Dates of the Spouses
- Addresses (Residence)
- Occupation of the Spouses
- Parent's Full Names
- Witnesses' Names
- Name of Officiating Minister of Registrar
- Religious Denomination of the Spouses
- Place and Date of the Ceremony

Who Is Eligible to Run an Ohio Marriage Records Search?

Since Ohio marriage records are public information, everybody who turns 18 can run an Ohio marriage record search freely. 

However, an Ohio marriage search cannot take place if the following two conditions have not been satisfied beforehand:

1. The fee to run an Ohio marriage records search must be paid as a money order, cash, or a debit card.

2. The potential requestor must submit a written request to run an Ohio marriage records search, having the following information inside:

- Personal and contact information of the requestor
- Personal data of the party whose name is on the record
- Relationship between the requestor and the party on the record (e.g., father, mother, son, daughter, husband, sibling, aunt, uncle, grandparent, legal guardian, etc.)
- The reason for the request (e.g., insurance proceeds, authentication, death benefits, private purposes, etc.)
- The date of marriage
- The place of marriage
- Scope of the inquiry is required (statewide or county limited)
- Photo from one of the following documents: nondriver photo-ID card, driver's license, state-issued, passport, or U.S. Military-issued ID

Suppose the requestor gets a refusal to run an Ohio marriage records search. 

In that case, he still has a possibility to apply once again by providing written permission from the spouses with their signatures on it to run an Ohio marriage records search.

How to Find Marriage Records Online in Ohio

There are multiple possibilities for those who are interested in how to find marriage records online in Ohio. 

First, obtaining Ohio marriage records in person directly at the Ohio Department of Health or other vital records offices is possible. 

Another option would be requesting to run Ohio marriage records search by phone or email. 

However, those who are interested in how to find marriage records online in Ohio can do it in several ways, namely using the following three websites:

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | (cdc.gov)
 

Gaining access to the CDC website allows you to run free marriage records searches. However, not on the website. 

The CDC serves as an intermediary between the person who wants to run an Ohio marriage records search and the actual platform from which the marriage records in Ohio can be obtained. 

The CDC serves more as an information tool, which provides you with all the relevant information on the location of the institutions which can provide you with the marriage records in Ohio. 

CDC also mentions the fees you need to pay and ways you could connect with the vital office so that you have all the information to obtain Ohio marriage records online beforehand.

Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Website| (www.odh.ohio.gov)
 

The ODH website is the ultimate tool that allows you to run an Ohio marriage records search. 

Although it does not offer the possibility of running free marriage records, it is the only reliable website to download Ohio marriage records online. 

The fees per service, such as amendment or download of Ohio marriage records, depending on the county.
 

Independent Platform | (backgroundcheck.co)
 

However, the websites mentioned above will not provide you with more information in case you performed Ohio marriage records search for records other than yours. 

Having these Ohio marriage records in hand might leave you with more questions on the background information on the parties whose names are mentioned on these Ohio marriage records.

· Employment and Education History
· Contact Information
· Civil and Criminal Court Records (if applicable)
 

If you have more questions about finding marriage records online in Ohio, contact the vital records office via phone or email.