Search Oregon Marriage License Records

Oregon marriage license records are public documents held by all 36 county clerk offices and the state Center for Health Statistics. County clerks issue marriage licenses and keep records of each one filed in their office. The state has kept marriage records since 1911. You can search for an Oregon marriage license online, by mail, or in person at the county where it was issued. This guide covers how to find, apply for, and obtain a marriage license in Oregon, with details on fees, requirements, and local resources for every county.

How to Get a Marriage License in Oregon

Every marriage license in Oregon comes from a county clerk. The state does not issue them. You pick any county in Oregon to apply. The license works in all 36 counties once it is valid. Both people must go to the clerk office in person. You fill out a written form, show your ID, and pay the fee. The clerk then issues the marriage license after you sign the paperwork.

Under ORS 106.041, the county clerk collects the application and issues the license. The form asks for your age, place of birth, occupation, residence, and prior marital status. You must also give your Social Security number and the name you plan to use after the marriage. Each Oregon marriage license must include a statement that reads: "Neither you nor your spouse is the property of the other. The laws of the State of Oregon affirm your right to enter into marriage and at the same time to live within the marriage free from violence and abuse." Making a false statement on the form is a Class C misdemeanor under ORS 106.990.

The Oregon Center for Health Statistics provides the standard form that every county uses for marriage license applications in Oregon.

After your marriage license is issued, your officiant must return the signed license to the issuing county clerk within five days of the ceremony. The clerk then files it and sends the original to the state Center for Health Statistics.

Oregon Marriage License Requirements

Oregon law sets clear rules for who can get a marriage license. You must be at least 18 years old. If you are 17, you need consent from a parent or legal guardian. No one under 17 can marry in Oregon. Both people must appear in person at the county clerk office. You need a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport.

Under ORS 106.020, certain marriages are void in Oregon. You cannot get a marriage license if you are still married to someone else. First cousins and anyone more closely related cannot marry, unless they are first cousins by adoption only. Oregon does not require blood tests. You do not need to be an Oregon resident. People from any state or country can apply for a marriage license here.

The full text of ORS Chapter 106 covers all marriage laws in Oregon. The statute defines marriage as a civil contract under ORS 106.010. Both parties must declare their intent in person.

Note: Oregon marriage license records are public documents with no access restrictions, unlike birth and death records.

The Three-Day Waiting Period for Oregon Marriage Licenses

ORS 106.077 requires a three-day waiting period before your Oregon marriage license takes effect. The day you sign the application counts as day one. The license becomes valid on day four. Once valid, it stays good for 60 days. If you do not use the license in that window, it expires and you must apply again.

The ACLU Oregon county guide lists waiver details for each county. Most counties in Oregon let you waive the three-day wait for an added fee. The fee ranges from free to $28 across the state. Seven counties offer free waivers: Benton, Columbia, Harney, Linn, Malheur, Marion, and Polk. Two counties do not grant waivers at all: Deschutes and Gilliam. A judge, county clerk, or court official can sign the waiver for good and sufficient cause.

Plan your timeline around the waiting period. Apply at least three days before the date you want your Oregon marriage license to take effect.

Who Can Officiate a Marriage in Oregon

Oregon allows many types of people to perform a wedding ceremony. ORS 106.120 lists who may solemnize a marriage. The options include judges, county clerks, religious leaders, and people authorized by secular groups. Online ordination is valid in Oregon as long as it meets state rules.

A county clerk can perform your ceremony for $117. Judges charge the same fee. These fees apply when the ceremony takes place during normal hours or at a court building. The fee may be waived in cases of hardship. Officiants can also charge up to $100 plus actual costs for off-site ceremonies held outside normal hours. Under ORS 106.150, the ceremony itself has no required form. Both people must declare they take each other as spouses. Two witnesses age 18 or older must be present. The officiant signs the marriage license and returns it to the county clerk within five days.

Anyone authorized to officiate can do so anywhere in Oregon. Your ceremony can happen at a park, a home, a church, or any other spot in the state.

Marriage License Fees Across Oregon

Each county sets its own total fee for a marriage license in Oregon. Fees range from $50 to $63 depending on the county. The state portion is $25, which goes to the Domestic Violence Fund under ORS 106.045. The rest covers the county processing cost. Most counties accept cash. Some take checks, money orders, or cards. A few counties are cash only. Always check with the clerk before your visit.

The cheapest marriage license in Oregon costs $50. You can find that price in Columbia, Curry, Douglas, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Linn, Morrow, Polk, Sherman, and Wasco counties. Benton County charges $52, making it one of the lowest in the state. Baker County charges $54. Deschutes County costs $55. Jackson County recently raised its fee to $63 as of March 2026. Most other counties charge $60 for a marriage license in Oregon.

After the ceremony, you can order certified copies of your marriage license from the county clerk. The first copy costs $7.75 in most counties. Extra copies at the same time cost $4.00 each. You can also order copies from the VitalChek website, though additional processing fees apply for online orders of Oregon marriage license records.

Changing Your Name with an Oregon Marriage License

ORS 106.220 gives five options for changing your name when you get a marriage license in Oregon. You declare your new name on the application. That name becomes your legal name once you are married. No court order is needed for these specific changes.

Oregon law lets you keep your current name, take your spouse's last name, combine both last names with or without a hyphen, move your birth surname to your middle name, or add your birth surname to your middle name and take your spouse's last name. These are the only options that do not require a separate court process. Any name change beyond these five choices needs a court order filed in Oregon.

Finding Oregon Marriage License Records

Oregon keeps marriage license records at two levels. The county clerk who issued the license holds a local copy. The state Center for Health Statistics in Portland holds the original. State records go back to January 1911. County records in some areas date to the 1800s. The Oregon State Archives holds marriage returns from 1906 to 1910 and 1946 to 1965.

To get a certified copy of an Oregon marriage license from the state, you need the full names of both parties, the date of the marriage, and the county where the license was issued. The first certified copy costs $25 from the state office. You can order by mail at P.O. Box 14050, Portland, OR 97293-0050 or in person at 800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 205, Portland. Call 971-673-1190 for questions about Oregon marriage license records.

The CDC vital records page for Oregon also provides direction on where to write for marriage license copies. For older records, the Oregon Historical Records Index has over 600,000 names from county records including marriage entries. The state archives hold more than 1.4 million entries available through Ancestry.com for historical Oregon marriage license research.

Under ORS 106.100, marriage records held by a county clerk are public records open to full disclosure. This sets them apart from birth and death records, which have access limits in Oregon.

Browse Oregon Marriage License Records by County

Each county in Oregon has its own clerk office that issues marriage licenses. Pick a county below to find local fees, hours, and resources.

Marriage License Records in Major Oregon Cities

Oregon cities do not issue marriage licenses. County clerks handle all licenses. Pick a city below to learn where residents go to get a marriage license.