North Dakota Vital Records Office
The North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Vital Records in Bismarck holds marriage records from July 1, 1925, to the present. That’s your go-to for anything modern. For anything earlier, you need the county courthouse where the license was issued. That’s where you’ll find marriages before July 1925.
Address:
North Dakota Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
600 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept. 301
Bismarck, ND 58505-0200.
Fees: A certified copy costs $15.00. Order multiple copies of the same record at the same time and each extra runs $10.00. No refunds. Make your check or money order payable to “North Dakota Department of Health.”.
Free Online Sources for North Dakota Marriage Records
Free databases exist. They won’t give you a certified copy. But for genealogy, they’re pure gold.
FamilySearch: FamilySearch.org has “North Dakota, County Marriages, 1871-1950.” It’s free. You need a free FamilySearch account. Search by bride or groom, marriage date, county. Witnesses and officiants sometimes appear. It’s a solid first stop.
State Archives: The State Historical Society of North Dakota at statearchives.nd.gov has free historical marriage indexes. Some are browsable online. Some are digital. Some are just listed in their catalog.
County Courthouse Websites: Some of North Dakota’s 53 counties post marriage license indexes. These are basic. They confirm a marriage. Then you order the real thing.
County Courthouse System for Marriage Records
Every North Dakota county clerk of court keeps its own marriage records. That’s where pre-1925 records live. That’s where modern records live. Each of North Dakota’s 53 counties has its own courthouse. Each has its own rules.
Cass County (Fargo) is one. Burleigh County (Bismarck) is another. Grand Forks County. Ward County (Minot). The North Dakota Association of County Officials website has every county’s contact info.
Step-by-Step Search Instructions
Step 1: Determine the County. Figure out the county. If you don’t know it, search multiple counties. Use online indexes first.
Step 2: Search Free Online Indexes. FamilySearch. Start there. Enter the bride or groom. Use wildcards. Write down the marriage date. Write down the county.
Step 3: Contact the Correct Office. Post-1925? Call the State Vital Records Office. Pre-1925? Call the county clerk of court. Use the county from Step 2.
Step 4: Order a Certified Copy. Submit a request. Use the state form. Use a written request. Include both spouses’ full names. Include the marriage date. Include the county. Include a check. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Follow the county’s procedure. Follow the state’s procedure.
Step 5: Check the State Archives. FamilySearch fails? Call the State Historical Society of North Dakota. They have older records. They have microfilm. They have original books.
Requirements for Obtaining Marriage Records
You need full names. You need the bride’s maiden name. You need the marriage date. You need the county. You need your name. You need your mailing address. You need a reason. Genealogical research. Legal purposes. You don’t need a certified copy for genealogy. A non-certified copy works. A non-certified index works. Certified copies are for legal things. New marriage licenses. Immigration. Legal name changes. Legal purposes.
Historical Records and Limitations
Records older than 100 years are historical. They’re easier to access. Privacy restrictions exist. Records under 50 years are restricted. The married couple. Immediate family. The married couple. The married couple’s immediate family. Historical records are open. Pre-1925 records are open.
Some records are incomplete. Some counties have missing records. Courthouse fires. Poor record-keeping. Historical events. The State Vital Records Office has records from 1925 onward. County records have gaps.
FamilySearch’s “North Dakota, County Marriages, 1871-1950” is substantial. It’s not complete. Some counties have more records. Some counties have fewer records. The State Historical Society of North Dakota has original marriage books. The State Archives in Bismarck has microfilm. You can visit. You can check local historical societies. You can check local historical societies in the county.