Wyoming Marriage Records

Marriage records refer to details about a marriage, which are contained in documents such as marriage licenses and marriage certificates. Such records provide general information like the location of the marriage, the couple’s names, the date of the marriage, the witnesses, and the wedding officiant. These records are maintained by the Wyoming Department of Health’s Vital Records office and the office of the City or Town Clerk where the marriage was conducted. Marriage records will usually contain the following information:

• The full names of the spouses
• The date and location of the wedding.
• The witnesses to the wedding and their signatures.
• The wedding officiant’s name and signature.
• The marriage license issuance date.
• The couple’s dates of birth.
• The couples’ marital status prior to the marriage.
• The Stamp or Seal of the issuing authority.
• The marriage license number.

What Types of Marriage Records are available in Wyoming

There are different types of marriage records in Wyoming, each serving a different purpose. The content of the records also determines the type of records it is. Marriage records in Wyoming include Marriage licenses, Marriage Certificates, Marriage registers, and Marriage applications. These are the archives documents that form a couple’s marriage records. Marriage licenses are obtained to authorize the marriage ceremony, while marriage certificates are issued to evidence the legal union of the couple.

Marriage Certificate:

A marriage certificate is a document issued after a wedding to serve as evidence and state recognition of the couple’s union. This certificate is issued after a successful wedding ceremony and signed by the wedding officiant before being returned to the Vital Records office for safekeeping. Marriage certificates contain information about the wedding, such as the couple's names, the witnesses’ and officiant’s names, and all parties’ signatures. The document will also feature the issuing authority’s Stamp or Seal, without which it will be a fake document. The requirements for obtaining a marriage certificate include:

• The couple must have obtained a marriage license prior to the wedding.
• The wedding was conducted before the marriage license was expired.

Marriage License:

A marriage license is a document that gives a couple permission to conduct a wedding ceremony and be joined in holy matrimony. Marriage licenses are obtained before the wedding ceremony and have an expiry date. Thus, the couple must ensure the wedding takes place before the marriage license expires. Marriage licenses are obtained from the City or Town Clerk’s office at the location where the wedding is to take place or where both or either of the couple reside. Wyoming marriage licenses can be obtained when the following requirements are met:

• The couple must be at least 18 years old or 16/17 with consent of their guardian or parents. Anyone under 16 will require a court order.
• Provision of valid identification such as a driver’s license, birth certificate, or passport.
• If any of the couples was married prior, the date the previous marriage or marriages ended must be stated.
• Provision of their Social Security Numbers.

Are Wyoming Marriage Records Public?

No, Wyoming marriage records are not public records for the first 50 years after the marriage. According to Wyoming Statutes 35-1-426(a), vital records are to be kept private and accessible to certain individuals for the first 50 years after the record is made. Marriage records in Wyoming are available to certain individuals, namely the couple, their immediate family members, and their legal representatives. Other individuals can access marriage records under 50 years of age, where they are authorized to do so by a court order or for genealogy purposes. The town or city clerk at the location of the wedding can provide basic information about marriages, but copies of the marriage records have restricted access and can only be obtained from the Wyoming Department of Health. The Vital Records Office is open between 9 am to 4 pm from Monday to Thursday. Requesters must make an appointment before proceeding to the office for records purposes. Accessing marriage records under 50 years will require proof of identity as a close relative of the spouses or their legal representatives. An alternative to a physical appointment at the Department of Health is to use the Vital Records platform to mail in the records request with the necessary documents and proof of payment of the charged fee.

How to Find Marriage Records in Wyoming

Wyoming marriage records are available through the Wyoming Department of Health and the County or Town Clerk where the marriage took place. These records are not public records as they are only accessible to certain individuals. Marriage records can be obtained from the city or town clerk where the marriage was conducted, but these records will be limited to basic details such as the couple’s names, the location, and the date of the marriage. Detailed copies of marriage records are available through the Wyoming Department of Health to certain individuals including the spouses, their legal representatives, and their immediate family members.

You can find Wyoming marriage records that are within the limit of your access. First, determine your eligibility to obtain copies of these records, then gather the necessary documents and information, such as your legal ID for legal representatives or your proof of relation to the spouses. Fill out any required request form and proceed to submit the filled form at the Wyoming Department of Health, or mail the request with the necessary documents through the Vital Records website. You must provide some information to aid the records search, such as the couple's names, the officiant’s name, or the date and location of the marriage. The Vital Records Office is open from Monday to Thursday between 9 am and 4 pm. You must also provide a valid ID for identity verification and pay the required fee to obtain copies of marriage records.

How to Get a Marriage License in Wyoming

Marriage licenses are documents that are issued to couples prior to their wedding ceremony to permit them to be joined as a married couple and proceed with conducting a wedding ceremony. This is different from marriage certificates, which are given after the wedding is conducted to show that the couple is married. Marriage licenses are issued to last for a period of time, within which the couple must conduct the wedding or have to apply for another license.

Wyoming marriage licenses can be obtained from the County Clerk’s office where the marriage is to be conducted or where either or both of the couples reside. Before obtaining a marriage license, these conditions must be met by the couple:

• Age of at least 18 years old to marry without consent or 16/17 to marry with parental or legal guardian consent. Anyone under 16 will require a court order.
• Valid identification such as a passport, driver’s license, or birth certificate.
• Their social security numbers should be made available.
• Provide the date previous marriages ended, if any.

The next step is to pick up an application form from the County Clerk’s office, fill it out and submit with the necessary documents, which includes proof of payment of a fee which ranges between $25 to $30. Obtain the license and process to conduct the marriage ceremony within 1 year from the date the license was issued.

Who can obtain Marriage Records in Wyoming?

Wyoming marriage records are available through the Wyoming Department of Health and the city or town clerk where the marriage took place. Wyoming marriage records are subject to the Wyoming Public Records Act. Marriage records in Wyoming are not accessible to the public but are strictly restricted to certain people. This restriction is aimed at ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of the records’ registrants. Wyoming marriage records can be obtained by the couple named in the records, their immediate family members, and their legal representatives. Other individuals can also access marriage records in rare cases where they have legitimate reasons, such as genealogical research, a court order, or when requesting older marriage records. Anyone seeking marriage records in Wyoming must prepare their valid ID for identity verification, pay the required fees, and provide further details for conducting the records search. Such details can be the couple’s names, the location, and the date of the marriage. Ensure to fill out any records request forms if provided and submit all necessary documents to the records office of the Wyoming Department of Health physically or through mail.

Can You Lookup Online Marriage Records For Free in Wyoming

Yes, there are third-party websites that offer Wyoming marriage records online. Third-party websites are online platforms that can be independently owned or run on behalf of a government entity. These platforms collect records from official sources and upload them into organized archives, which the public can easily navigate. The websites are user-friendly and allow record searches using various filters such as name, date, and location. Third-party websites offer records across different governmental agencies, which will remove the need to check multiple governmental agencies' websites to find records. These platforms are popular for being accessible at any time of the day as the records are stored on servers, which are always open if you have a good internet connection.

Third-party platforms are usually free to access, while some can charge for obtaining copies of records or accessing the website. Ensure you confirm each site’s fee policy before attempting to obtain records from them. There is usually no need for ID verification, which makes it much faster to use third-party websites to look up online marriage records in Wyoming. However, third-party websites should not be trusted over government sources, and records obtained from third-party websites should be reviewed with government sources to avoid perpetuating errors.

Is Wyoming a Common Law State for Marriage?

No, Wyoming does not recognize common law marriages as statutorily valid marriages. Common law marriages refer to the union of a couple without following the processes of the civil wedding. Such marriages are informal in nature and are not recognized or evidenced by any documents with the state or courts. Common law marriages can happen through cohabitation, showing an intent to be married to each other, and through public declaration. Common law marriages also have the same age requirements as formal marriages, and the couple must not be blood-related.

According to Wyoming laws, residents can go into common-law marriage alternatives like cohabitation agreements, domestic partnerships, and joint property ownership. These agreements allow people who intend to live their lives together in one way or another to achieve this without the need for a formal wedding procedure. Suffice it that these agreements are entered into willingly by persons who are of capacity, the state recognizes the agreement, and the couple's rights are protected accordingly.