Access Free Galveston County Marriage Records (License Lookup)

Search free Galveston County marriage records to reveal anyone’s marital history or status.

These records are available for inspection under the Texas Public Information Act, which provides members of the public with access to government records.

Marital records can be essential when performing a genealogy search or resolving a business or legal matter. You can even search these records to learn more about someone without having a specific purpose.

However, to conduct an efficient and effective lookup, it’s important to understand where these records are hosted and how to request or view them. This streamlined resource walks you through the best ways to search marriage records in Galveston County, Texas.

This resource was written by Attorney Robert Bailey Jr, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law.

How To Look Up Free Galveston County Marriage Records

There are free ways to look up marriage record information in Galveston County. The quickest option is to search Galveston County marital records online with the County Clerk’s Records Repository.

Citizens can use this tool to search marriage records by name, document number, or the specific book and page where the information is located.

If you perform a name-based search, the results can be narrowed down by entering a date range for when the marriage record was filed. Once you enter your search, the results will provide the document number, parties names and the recorded date. On the left-hand side, there is a link you can click to view the actual marriage record.

If you need a certified copy, you can request it with the Galveston County Clerk. To obtain a certified copy, you must have a specific relationship with the people listed on the record. The following people are authorized to request a certified copy of a marriage record:

• The person listed on the marriage certificate
• Parents
• Siblings
• Child
• Grandparents
• Guardian or legal custodian of the person listed on the marriage certificate
• Authorized representative (e.g., executor of estate)

A request can be submitted through their online certified marriage request form. A requester will need to provide the following information:

• Full name of both parties
• The city where the marriage occurred
• County of marriage
• Date of marriage
• Reason for request
• Relationship to individuals listed on the marriage record

You can also complete their Certified Copy Request for Marriage License and either drop it off or mail it to the addresses listed below.³

Mailing Address:

Galveston County Clerk
P.O. Box 17253
Galveston, Texas 77552

Physical Address:

Galveston County Clerk
59th St., Ste. 2001
Galveston, Texas 77551

A certified copy of a marriage certificate costs $9.00 per copy. If you submit your request online, there is an additional one-time $10.00 service fee.

For additional information, you can call the County Clerk in Galveston County by phone at 409-766-2200 or go in person to the address provided above. They are available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

You can also find archived marriage records for genealogy searches. This will be discussed in the next section.

How Do You View Archived Marriage Records in Galveston County Texas?

If you are performing a genealogy search, you will need to access archived marriage records. There is no separate archives office to access marriage records in Galveston County, so your primary option is to use the resources outlined above to find more recent marriage records.

Particularly, your two primary options are to search with the County Clerk’s Records Search Tool or to reach out to their office directly to see what types of records are available and whether they have other resources, such as marriage indexes.

To inquire about archived marriage records, you can contact the Galveston County Clerk anytime between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.⁴ A citizen can reach out to them by phone at 409-766-2200 or by talking to someone in person at the following location:

Galveston County Clerk
59th St., Ste 2001
Galveston, Texas 77551

A citizen can also look for archived marriage records through non-government sources such as public libraries, churches (or other religious institutions) and historical societies. They may have the information you are looking for in marriage indexes, old newspapers and other documents.

For statewide options, you can look through the marriage indexes provided by the Texas State Library & Archives Commission.⁵ You can contact them at [email protected] or by phone at 512-463-5474. They are located at the address below:

Texas State Library & Archives
1201 Brazos St. 
Austin, Texas 78701

You may also find marriage records with the Texas State Archives & Libraries Family History Centers.⁶

Whether new or archived, there are related types of relationships that people often want to search. While domestic partnerships are not recognized in Texas, common-law marriages are. A common-law marriage is when the state recognizes a couple as married despite not going through the formal process.⁷

How To Locate Texas Marriage Records Outside of Galveston County

After exhausting your search of Galveston County records of marriage, you may not be finished. Whether performing a genealogy search or finding out that a party was married in another county, you may have to extend your search throughout Texas. While you could search from county to county, that process can be cumbersome.

To access marriage records throughout the entire state, a citizen can search with the Texas Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics Section.⁸

If you are looking to perform an online search, you can look through their marriage indexes starting in 1966.⁹ Here, you can view a yearly summary of all marriages recorded in Texas. Searchers can view the individual’s names that were married, the file number, their ages and the date and location of their marriage.

A second option is to request a marriage verification. This is the only type of document the Vital Statistics Section can provide, so if you need a certified copy of the marriage certificate, you will have to inquire with the county clerk where the marriage occurred.

To request a marriage verification, you must be listed on the record or one of the following qualified persons:

• Parent or Guardian
• Spouse
• Grandparent
• Children
• Siblings
• Legal Representative
• Person with Legal Interest (must have documentation to prove legal interest or court order)

Marriage verifications cost $20.00 each and are available from 1966 to the present. One option for a qualified person is to submit a marriage verification request online. Another option is to fill out and print the Application for Marriage Record PDF Form.

This record can be taken to any local Vital Statistics Office.¹¹ You can also mail the application to the address below:

Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711

If you still have questions, you can contact the Vital Statistics Section by email at [email protected] or by phone at 888.963.7111. They’re available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

They also have a Marriage FAQs page that may assist you with additional questions you have.¹²

How To Apply for a Galveston County Marriage License

If you decide to get married, you will have to apply for a marriage license. To apply for a marriage license, you can do so through the Galveston County Clerk.

The County Clerk’s Marriage License Department is available for applications from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. They are located at the following address:

Galveston County Clerk – Marriage License Department
Justice Center
600 59th St. 
Galveston, Texas 77551

Galveston County Clerk – Department of Marriage Licenses
174 Calder Dr. 
League City, Texas 77573

To qualify for a marriage license, you must be unmarried and at least 30 days removed from a divorce.¹³ The only exception is if you are marrying the person you divorced or the requirement is waived by the court. To request a marriage license, both parties must appear together and present their social security number (if applicable) and valid identification of their age. This can be done with any of the following types of identification:

• Driver’s License
• Passport
• State ID
• A certified copy of the birth certificate along with a picture ID

If a person under the age of 18 wants to apply for a marriage license, they will need to go through a separate process to receive a Removal of Disabilities of Minority court order.

The fee for a marriage license in Galveston County is $81.00 and can be paid by cash, debit or credit card. Once a marriage license is issued, there is a 72-hour waiting period before the parties can conduct their marriage ceremony. This waiting period can be bypassed if the parties meet one of the below exceptions:

• At least one party is on active military duty.
• Both individuals have completed the approved premarital education course (Twogether in Texas) and can provide proof of completion.¹⁴
• An approved waiver from a judge with jurisdiction in family law matters.

The validity of the marriage license is 90 days from the date of issuance. If a marriage ceremony is not performed during that time, the license expires. You can also amend or correct a marriage license if you need to.

For additional questions, you can contact the Marriage License Department of the Galveston County Clerk’s Office by phone at 409-766-2200.

You and your partner now have the necessary information to apply for a marriage license in Galveston County. With the information outlined above, you are also now prepared to efficiently search Galveston County marriage records.