Index/Topics/Access to birth and marriage records in the US

Access to birth and marriage records in the US

The process and restrictions for obtaining birth and marriage records in the United States, including the role of state and local vital records offices, genealogical databases, and commercial aggregators.

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Jan 13, 2026
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What public records are searched to verify marriages and divorces in U.S. jurisdictions?

Verification of marriages and divorces in the United States typically relies on local vital records and court documents — marriage license applications, marriage certificates, divorce decrees and cour...

Jan 25, 2026

How do public birth records and hospital reports confirm celebrity births in the UK/US?

Public birth indexes and certified birth certificates issued by government registries provide the primary documentary trail used to confirm births in the : searchable indexes (transcribed and digitise...

Jan 24, 2026

Which states have existing procedures accepting marriage certificates or name‑change orders for voter registration today?

Only a handful of the provided sources cite specific state-level practices for accepting or other name‑change documents when registering to vote, and among those sources is the clearest example: Arizo...

Jan 9, 2026

Which statewide portals provide free public access to family court dockets and scanned documents?

A patchwork of statewide systems gives free public access to family court dockets and, in many cases, scanned documents: Massachusetts’ Trial Court remote-access portal provides scanned Probate & Fami...

Jan 6, 2026

Which public-records and archival databases list modern birth and marriage records for living American adults?

Modern birth and marriage records for living American adults are held across a patchwork of official state and local vital records offices, county registers, and archival repositories, and they are in...