Nebraska Marriage Records

Nebraska mandated the statewide keeping of marriage records in 1909. Before this, marriage records were kept by individual counties where the marriage license was procured. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Nebraska's marriage record rates are lower than the U.S. average. Per the data, the state reports a marriage rate of 5.3 marriages per 1,000 residents, which is over 14% below the national average of 6.2 marriages per 1,000 people.

Nebraska's marriage records refer to all the documents that confirm two individuals were joined together in matrimony. These documents in Nebraska consist of the following:

• Marriage License: A marriage license is the pre-ceremony permit issued by the county clerk of the District Court, permitting two individuals to get married. Marriage licenses contain information about the persons about to get married, including their full names, gender, date of birth, current addresses, the license number, and the license issue date.
• Marriage Certificate: A marriage certificate is a certified document created after the wedding ceremony, serving as legal proof of the marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the officiant signs and returns the marriage license to the county clerk's office, which records, files, and issues the marriage certificate. A marriage certificate contains information about the wedding, including the couple's full names, date and location of the wedding, and officiant information. In addition, a marriage certificate contains the certificate number, issue date, and the official seal of the issuing office.

How To Look Up Marriage Records in Nebraska?

You may look up marriage records in Nebraska from the following agencies:

• The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Office of Vital Records holds marriage certificates from 1909 to the present.
• Marriage licenses and marriage certificates pre-1909 are accessible at the county clerk's office where the license was purchased.

Interested persons may obtain certified copies of Nebraska marriage certificates from the Vital Records Office. You may order the document online or by mail. To apply for marriage certificates online, complete the Application for Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate online form. Persons ordering the document by mail or in person may download and complete the Application for a Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate Form, and mail it to the State Office of Vital Records at:

Marriage licenses and certified copies of marriage certificates are also available at the county clerk's office where the marriage license was issued. Some counties offer online searches for basic marriage license details. Generally, all requests for marriage certificates may include the following:

• The full names of the couple
• The exact date of marriage
• The county where the license was issued
• Mailing address
• A copy of a valid government-issued ID
• Proof of relationship with the record holder
• The fees

Are Marriage Records Public in Nebraska?

Yes. Under the Nebraska Public Records Act, marriage licenses and certificates are considered public records. The public may obtain basic information, such as names, marriage date, and location, about a person's marriage. While basic information is open to the public, certified copies of marriage certificates are restricted to authorized individuals.

How Much Do Nebraska Marriage Records Cost?

It costs $16 to order a certified copy of a Nebraska marriage certificate from the State Office of Vital Records. Additional copies are charged at the same rate. The fees for certified copies of marriage certificates vary by county. Generally, it costs between $10 and $25 to order certified marriage certificates at the county level.

The standard processing times for online applications for marriage certificates are a minimum of 7 days, while mail requests typically take up to 15 days. At the county level, mail-in requests for certified marriage certificates are processed within 2 weeks.

Expedited processing for marriage record requests is available only to mail requesters. The document is typically processed within 2 days.

Is It Possible to Make Your Marriage Records Confidential in Nebraska?

No. Under Nebraska law, marriage licenses and certificates are public records, open to the public for inspection. The state does not offer any pathway for couples to obtain confidential marriage licenses, which would restrict their marriage certificate from the general public, permitting only the couple to access the document. Similarly, there is no provision under the state law to seal your marriage records from the public.

How Do I Verify the Authenticity of Nebraska Marriage Records?

Verifying the authenticity of your marriage record in Nebraska is crucial for legal, financial, and personal purposes. From applying for immigration or travel to genealogy, tax filings, insurance claims, Social Security benefits, legal name changes, inheritance disputes, and divorce proceedings, there are various reasons why a person may want to verify that their marriage documents are legitimate.

You may verify the authenticity of your marriage records at the Nebraska Office of Vital Records or the county clerk's office where the marriage license was issued. To authenticate the document, you may inspect the original license in person or obtain a certified copy.

Authenticated marriage records contain security features to prevent forgery of the document. These features include a raised embossed county clerk's seal, certificate number, and the state seal. Certified copies of marriage records are usually printed on security paper to deter tampering.

Can I Find Nebraska Marriage Records Online for Free?

While certified copies of Nebraska marriage records are restricted to authorized individuals, several non-governmental platforms offer access to informational or historical marriage records for free or through subscription services.

FamilySearch.org is a free genealogy platform with extensive digitized Nebraska marriage records, including licenses, certificates, and indexes. You may access pre-1909 historical records from counties, church registries, and delayed registration. The platform also has partially indexed records from the Nebraska State Historical Society from 1909 to the 1950s.

Ancestry.com is a subscription-based service offering indexed marriage records and related genealogical data. Interested persons may access marriage licenses, certificates, and census-linked marital data from 1855 to the early 1950s.

PublicRecords.us aggregates public marriage data from multiple government sources to provide a comprehensive database of vital records, including Nebraska marriage records. You may access basic information, such as a couple's names, marriage dates, and locations, for free. Detailed information may require a minimal fee. PublicRecords.us holds more recent data on marriage records and may be a great resource to begin your search for marriage records.

What Is Required to Get a Nebraska Marriage License?

Persons planning on getting married in Nebraska may fulfill certain legal requirements and submit appropriate documentation to obtain the license.

• Appear together at the county clerk's office.
• Both parties must be at least 19 years old. Persons 17-18 years old may get married if they provide parental or guardian consent.
• If either party was previously married, there is a waiting period of 6 months after the divorce is finalized before the party may remarry.
• Provide the date of prior marriage dissolution.
• Both parties must present a valid government-issued ID.
• The marriage license fees.

The marriage license fee varies per county. Expect to pay between $25 and $24 to purchase the license. There is no waiting period in Nebraska. The couple may get married immediately when the marriage license is issued. However, couples must get married within one year of the date the marriage is issued. If the wedding does not take place within the period, a new license is required.

Can You Amend Marriage Records in Nebraska?

Marriage licenses and certificates may be amended in Nebraska if there are inaccuracies in the document. Generally, you may amend the following errors on your marriage records:

• Minor clerical errors, including misspelled names, incorrect birth dates, mistakes on parental information, and errors in addresses.
• Transcription mistakes, such as the wrong ceremony date or the officiant's name.
• Legal name changes. It requires a court order.
• Adding or correcting a parent's name.

Amending the Nebraska Marriage License

You may amend errors on your marriage license if you notice inaccuracies on the document before you get married. To amend the error, contact the county clerk's office where the marriage license was issued. Submit a written request detailing the error and specifying the accurate information. Some counties may require a sworn affidavit for correcting errors on marriage licenses if the correction is substantial. Both applicants must present valid government-issued photo IDs to amend the marriage license. There are no fees to correct errors on your marriage license.

Amending the Nebraska Marriage Certificate

Amending errors on your marriage certificate in Nebraska requires contacting the State Office of Vital Records. All persons requesting amendments may complete the Application for Amendment of Marriage Certificate form. It costs $16 to amend a marriage certificate in Nebraska. The process of amending marriage certificates in Nebraska is determined by whether the correction is made within the first year of issue or after one year has lapsed.

• First Year - Clerical/Obvious Errors: Typographical mistakes, such as transposed letters or omission in the name, date, or officiant field, may be corrected administratively with the State Office of Vital Records without an application.
• First Year - Non-Clerical Amendments: Non-clerical amendments, such as a wrong marriage date or incorrect party names, may be corrected by a notarized affidavit stating the incorrect entry and the correct information. The record request may be supported with one documentary evidence, such as a driver's license or a court order.
• Amendments After One Year: All amendments for incorrect information on marriage certificates after one year of issue require an affidavit specifying the wrong data and accurate information. To submit the document, you may include two or more documentary pieces of evidence, each established at least five years before the application date or arising within seven years of the marriage date.