Marriage records in St. Mary's County, Maryland, are available through several channels. StMarysCourt.us allows you to find public information about marriage records in the county. Additionally, records are maintained by the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court, which can be contacted in person at the court's address in Leonardtown, by mail, or through the Maryland state online portal for ordering certified copies of certificates.
St. Mary's Marriage Records Search
In the state of Maryland, marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk of the Circuit Court of the county where the couple applies. In St. Mary's County, this function is performed by the Clerk's Office Circuit Court for St. Mary's County, headed by Clerk of Court Debra J. "Debbie" Burch. The office maintains a collection of issued marriage licenses and submitted marriage certificates, which are returned after the ceremony. The county's historical records—some of the oldest in Maryland—are also available through the Maryland State Archives in electronic, microfilm, and original formats.
Marriage records filed in the county are stored in the Records section of the court's office. Separately from the county level, the Division of Vital Records at the Maryland Department of Health maintains a centralized registry of marriages across the state—this is useful if you are unsure in which county the license was issued.
Certified Marriage Record Copies and Fees in St. Mary's
Certified copies of marriage certificates can be obtained at both the county level (through the Clerk's Office) and the state level (through the Maryland Division of Vital Records — DVR). Below are the approximate state service fees, as most requests for certified copies are processed by DVR.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Certified copy (first) | $10.00 |
| Additional copy (in the same order) | $10.00 |
| Record search fee | Included in the cost of the copy |
| Expedited processing (through VitalChek) | Additional VitalChek service fee |
Source: Maryland Division of Vital Records fee schedule (Health-General Article, § 4-224, Annotated Code of Maryland). The standard processing time for mail requests is usually 4 to 8 weeks. Expedited ordering through the online portal reduces this time. For copies directly from the county's Clerk's Office, call 301-475-7844 to confirm the current fee and wait time.
Order Marriage Certificates Online or In Person in St. Mary's
There are three main ways to order a copy of a marriage certificate.
Online
The Maryland Division of Vital Records accepts orders for certified copies through the partner portal VitalChek. On the site, you need to provide the names of the spouses, the date and place of marriage registration, and pay the fee with a credit or debit card. This is the fastest way to obtain the document.
In Person
Visit the Clerk's Office in the Circuit Court of St. Mary's County building:
An appointment is usually not required. Bring a valid photo ID. Payment is accepted on-site—confirm acceptable forms of payment in advance by phone.
By Mail
Send a request to the state Division of Vital Records or directly to the county's Clerk's Office. Include in the envelope:
- A completed application for a copy (Application for Search and Certified Copy of a Marriage Certificate — form available on the MDH website).
- A copy of a photo ID.
- A check or money order for the appropriate amount, made payable to the Division of Vital Records (or Clerk of Court if sending to the county).
- A self-addressed stamped envelope.
Mailing address for the Clerk's Office:
For state-level requests, send to Division of Vital Records, 6764-B Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215. The processing time for mail requests is approximately 4–8 weeks, so plan ahead if the document is needed by a specific date.