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Florida Marriage And Divorce Records

By Ben Kingsley


Marriage is one of the most significant events in a person's life. Proof of this life-long commitment is the marriage certificate which is a licit record officially stating that two people agreed to be lifetime partners. Like any other vital records, a marriage certificate is an important document. This can be very useful in various ways. One of which is when scrutinizing an individual's background specifically the marital status. Although the most heavily counted on in background checks are criminal records, a marriage record can be utilized as well. A document of marriage indicates significant information about the person in question. A record of marriage in Florida can be acquired from the Bureau of Vital Statistics, Department of Health or from the County Clerk's Office.

In the Sunshine State, all vital records are housed in the Bureau of Vital Statistics. This division functions under the Florida Department of Health. Records of marriages that date back from 1927 to present can be obtained from this office. However, those that were recorded prior to 1927 are only accessible from the Office of the County Clerk where the marriage license was issued.

In requesting for a copy of a marriage certificate in Florida, all you have to do is just secure an application form and fill it out with the significant details asked. You can download the form online or get it from the Department of Health or the County Clerk's Office directly. This flow should be followed for the record request to be processed. The usual processing time for marriage record requests takes approximately 2 to 5 business days. This estimated turnaround time may occasionally increase depending on the volume of requests such agencies are receiving.

It is easy to rout out the needed information when you know the essential details of the event. Knowing when the marriage transpired helps you determine which agency you should pay a visit to. Also, with all the important details on hand, you can organize and maximize your time and you can get the marriage record you need fast. Significant information that you must provide in the request form are the complete names of the couple, the wife's maiden name, date and county of marriage, and the county where the marriage license was provided. You must also provide your personal details as the one requesting the record and the reason of the procurement.

After completing the application form, you have to submit it to the relevant agency together with the corresponding fee. Payment should be through check or money order made payable to either the Department of Health or the Circuit Clerk's Office. The processing fee for marriage certificate requests is $5. If you wish to obtain an additional copy of the same record at the same time, you are to pay an extra $4 for such. In case you are not certain as to what year the marriage occurred, you can provide a range of years to be searched. Bear in mind that for each year searched, an additional $2 is requisite. A maximum of $50 is allowed which means you can go as high as 25 years. Unfortunately, such fees are non-refundable regardless if a record is found or not.

Nevertheless, if you want to access marriage archives in a fast and practical way, do it online. Search for online record providers, perform a quick background check on the service provider you're eyeing on, and start your record search. With a computer and an Internet connection handy, you can actually retrieve the records you need even in the comfort of your own home. What's more, instead of getting the results in days like the usual processing time, you get to obtain the records online in just a matter of minutes. So the next time somebody asks you on how to get public records fast, tell them about these online sources and how much you've enjoyed their services!




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