Texas Marriage Records Search

Being one of the biggest states in the United States, Texas has a vast population. With over 250 counties, the state keeps Texas marriage records of all couples who got married within the state. 

These marriage records in Texas are recorded for vital health statistics. The couples require these Texas marriage records only in a few cases, such as applying for a legal name change, spousal benefits, immigration, or property purchase. 

Marriage records in Texas are also needed for people who want to adopt a child. 

Those who want to get custody of a child in case of divorce also need Texas marriage records. 

For these reasons, this article will focus on how to find marriage records online in Texas while examining who is eligible to run a Texas marriage records search. 

The ways to run a free marriage records search will also be examined further in this article.

Texas Marriage Records

Once the couple decides to get married, the first step should be applying for a marriage license. 

As a rule, this document is issued by a local county clerk, who authorizes the couple to get married. 

Therefore, a marriage license can be compared to a legal authorization for marriage. Suppose the marriage license has been issued and the marriage ceremony is planned. 

The marriage certificate will be composed on the day of the ceremony. A marriage certificate, in turn, serves as official marriage proof, as it contains all information about the husband and wife, witnesses, and their occupation.

Additionally, Texas marriage records contain a piece of vital information about the date and place of the marriage and religious denomination in some counties. 

Both marriage certificates and licenses are Texas marriage records and can be obtained from the vital office or the county. 

Please note that a marriage certificate is legal marriage proof for most legal institutions such as banks, social security, etc.

Who Is Eligible to Run a Texas Marriage Records Search?

Texas marriage records are no different from all other U.S. states, which is why they are considered public information. 

The only requirement for the interested party to run a Texas marriage records search lies in the age: one must be older than 18. 

However, it is worth mentioning that each county charges a fee for running a Texas marriage records search. The fee is determined by the county. 

However, it is usually quite symbolic and does not exceed 50 U.S. dollars. Another condition to run a Texas marriage records search is the written application, stating the initiative and some personal information. 

When writing an application, a requestor must state his full name, age, occupation, and relation to the spouse.

Additionally, such information as a reason for the Texas marriage records search, and the date and place of the marriage must be stated on the application. 

It is of crucial importance to attach an I.D., passport, or U.S. military-issued I.D. photo. Without the photo mentioned above, there is no way to run a Texas marriage records search. 

Suppose you get a refusal to run a Texas marriage records search. In that case, you can always reapply by providing written permission with the spouse's signature on it to find the Texas marriage records online.

How to Find Marriage Records Online in Texas?

If you want to run a Texas marriage records search, there are multiple possibilities how to find marriage records online in Texas. Of course, running a Texas marriage records search online and offline is possible. 

We recommend using the three platforms below, as they complement each other when searching for Texas marriage records online. 

Important: not all of the platforms mentioned below enable running a free marriage records search.

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

We recommend starting a Texas marriage records search with the CDC website, as it is the only tool that enables a free marriage records search. 

Correct, the website charges no fee for the services it provides. Nonetheless, there is no possibility to correct or obtain Texas marriage records online directly on the website. 

The CDC serves as a "mediator" website, giving you all the information about the location, contacts, and fees to run free marriage records on official state websites.

Texas Department of State Health Services Website | (www.dshs.texas.gov)

The TDSHS website enables you to find Texas marriage records online. It can also possibly correct any of the existing Texas marriage records. 

Please note that the fees and the ways you could cover them vary depending on the county. However, none of the counties enable running a free marriage records search.

Independent Platform | (backgroundcheck.co)

We always recommend backing up a Texas marriage records search with some independent platforms such as backgroundcheck.co. 

Using the website, you will complement the information mentioned on the Texas marriage records with the background information on the spouses, such as their education and employment, criminal history, and contact information.

This article has covered all aspects of how to find marriage records online in Texas.