Free Wisconsin Marriage Records Search (Look Up Licenses)

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Free Wisconsin Marriage Record Search

Access anyone's marital information in Wisconsin, free of charge.

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Access Wisconsin marriage records and determine if someone is (or has ever been) married. You can also find out if others have ever obtained a marriage license in the state.

Wisconsin makes marriage records public, which can be viewed or acquired by anyone interested in uncovering information about someone they know. The Wisconsin Open Records Law requires that all government agencies make information available to the public at every level; this includes marriage records and all the details contained within them.

This resource will help anyone who’s seeking information about marriages and domestic partnerships in Wisconsin.

Can Anyone Access Marriage Records & Certificates in Wisconsin?

Marriages in Wisconsin are governed by Chapter 765 of the state statutes.¹ Marital records — including information about the couple, the date, and the place where it happened — are public records and can be accessed by anyone who’s interested.

Usually, records for marriages from 1907 until the present day are available through the Wisconsin Vital Records Office and the Register of Deeds Office for each county. Marriage license requests, on the other hand, are managed by the local clerks’ offices.

Older certificates can be found with the Wisconsin Historical Society and other sources.

The State of Wisconsin provides the population with certified and non-certified copies of marriage records. Certified copies are printed on security paper, with a raised seal and the signature of the Registrar. Those copies are only available to individuals directly connected with the parties named on the certificate or those who can prove a tangible interest in the record.

Non-certified copies are available for anyone, and any interested citizen can request them. Those copies contain the exact same information as a certified copy, but it’s printed on simple paper and can’t be used for official purposes.

In 2020, over 26,000 marriages were solemnized in Wisconsin. During the same time, over 11,000 divorces were recorded, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.² Most people getting married for the first time were between 24 and 29 years of age.

How To Access Free Wisconsin Marriage Records: WI Marriage License Lookup

There are a few different ways to obtain marriage records and find out if someone is married or has applied for a license in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Vital Records Office, for example, accepts orders in person, online, and via mail.³

Mail orders take about 10 business days to be fulfilled, not including shipping time. Each marriage certificate costs $20, and if more copies are ordered, each extra unit costs $3. Those interested in placing an order must send the following to the Vital Records Office:

• A completed  application;
• A copy of a valid government-issued ID;
• Payment by check, money order, or cash (with checks made out to State of Wisconsin Vital Records); and
• A self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Those items should be mailed to the following address:

Wisconsin Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 309
Madison, WI 53701

The requirements for an in-person order are the same (except for the self-addressed envelope). The difference is that most requests are fulfilled in one hour, which can be quite convenient. They also accept credit and debit card payments, and this is how citizens can contact the office in person and find support for their requests:

Wisconsin Vital Records Office
1 W Wilson St. Room 160
Madison, WI 53703

Phone: 608-266-1373
Email: [email protected]

Online orders to the Vital Records Office can be made with a third-party government-endorsed site called VitalChek.⁴

Retrieving Free Marriage Records Through Local Wisconsin Counties

To find out if someone is married in Wisconsin, people can also work with the Register of Deeds Offices. Those agencies are responsible, for example, for maintaining and issuing copies of a variety of records, including marriage ones. Working with local, smaller offices can be helpful in many situations.

When more research is needed to find a particular record, or when there are questions that need answers, working with the Register of Deeds Office will likely be more productive. If the searcher knows the county where the nuptials took place and cannot readily find the records with the Vital Records Office, this would be the next step.

Interested parties can refer to the full list of all Register of Deeds Offices in Wisconsin.⁵ This resource digs a bit deeper into how the three major counties work to provide the population with marriage records.

The Milwaukee County Register of Deeds Office provides vital records to the local population.⁶ Certified marriage records can only be ordered by individuals directly connected or affected by those records, but anyone can obtain non-certified copies.

They also provide records for any marriage in the state of Wisconsin, regardless of which county it happened in. Likewise, they should be able to provide certificates from 1830 to the present day as long as the marriage has been properly registered with the State.

Certificates cost $20 each (and $3 for any extra copies requested simultaneously), and orders can be placed in person, via mail, or online. For in-person and mail orders, this is how citizens can contact the Register of Deeds Office:

Milwaukee County Register of Deeds
901 N 9th St. Room 103
Milwaukee, WI 53233

Phone: 414-278-4021
Fax: 414-223-1257
Email: [email protected]

The Dane County Register of Deeds Office follows the same rules and procedures as Milwaukee County. The only difference is that this agency has records available starting in 1907. Requests for marriage certificates can be made in person and by mail.

For those who wish to place an order in person, this is their contact information:

Dane County Register of Deeds
210 Martin Luther King, Suite 110
Madison, WI 53703

Phone: 608-266-4142

For mail-in orders, searchers must send a completed Wisconsin Marriage Certificate Application with a copy of a current and valid ID.⁷ This agency will contact the searcher via phone to obtain credit or debit card information if payment isn’t sent with the paperwork.

Dane County Register of Deeds
P.O. Box 1438
Madison, WI 53701-1438

The Waukesha County Vital Records Office also assists searchers in obtaining a copy of a marriage certificate. They have records for the whole state of Wisconsin from 1907 but require that interested individuals schedule an appointment if they wish to be seen in person. To schedule a time to be seen at the Vital Records Office, inquirers should call 262-548-7863, on weekdays, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

This is the address people must go to for their appointment:

Waukesha County Vital Records Office
515 W Moreland Boulevard, Room AC 110
Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188

Citizens can send orders by mail using the address above as long as they send an Wisconsin Marriage Certificate Application with a copy of a valid ID.

They must also send a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment. Waukesha County accepts payment by card, and people can send a debit or credit card authorization with their order.⁸

The three counties mentioned above also work with Official Records Online and VitalChek for online orders.⁹ Users who choose to order using those platforms should be aware that additional fees (such as processing, handling, and others) will likely apply.

How To Find Free Archived Marriage Records in Wisconsin for Genealogy Research

When looking for older marriage records, the Historical Society helps searchers look up many indexes and sources.¹⁰ One option is to look up an ancestor’s name and see what pops up, but there are ways to perform a deeper, more detailed search.

The Wisconsin Pre-1907 Vital Records Index, for example, allows for a refined search of public marriage records. Users can narrow the search by year, county, type of record, etc. Some documents go back all the way to the 1600s.

The Historical Society also has a team available to help citizens with their genealogical searches. This is a free service, and all someone interested in it has to do is schedule an appointment or send them a message with their questions. The team of reference librarians is available in person, via Zoom, or by phone, and this is how to contact them:

Wisconsin Historical Society
816 State St.
Madison, WI 53706

Phone: 608-264-6535
Email: [email protected]

The Milwaukee County Register of Deeds Office also offers genealogy and marriage index searches for records starting in 1830. Searches happen by appointment and follow a strict set of rules.¹¹ To schedule an appointment, citizens can call 414-278-4027 or email [email protected].

Note: The office also offers services in Spanish, and anyone interested can call 414-335-0723 if they need assistance.

In Wisconsin, university libraries can also be a resource when searching for ancient marriage records. Some libraries have useful tools to search churches, synagogues, and cemetery records, for example (among other sources).

Here are some examples of places interested citizens can visit or contact when they wish to search records:

• University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
• University of Wisconsin Parkside
• University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

Are Common Law Marriages Recognized in Wisconsin?

Common law marriages were once recognized in Wisconsin; however, they were abolished in 1917. This means that regardless of how long a couple has been living together, their rights aren’t protected unless there’s some sort of official arrangement in place.

In other words, in Wisconsin, it doesn’t matter if a couple lives together and shares a life; that isn’t sufficient to make that relationship legal, preventing individuals from being able to support their partners in medical decisions, jail visitations, and even inheritance.

Living together hasn’t been considered a crime in Wisconsin since 1983, so cohabitating isn’t against the law in the state. However, there’s more to consider, such as property and custody issues.

For a while, one option for same-sex couples was to go into a domestic partnership. Chapter 770 of the Wisconsin Statutes established the option for people to formalize their relationship at a time when same-sex marriage wasn’t yet established.¹² Domestic partnerships aren’t available anymore, though, since 2018.

It’s possible to search for domestic partnership records, just like someone would for marriage records. The processes are the same, and citizens can work with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Vital Records Office or the local Register of Deeds Offices to find out if someone has gone into a domestic partnership (and if that partnership has ever ended).¹³

For individuals interested in cohabitating with someone without getting married, the suggestion would be to retain a family or estate planning lawyer who could draft an arrangement (like they would do a prenup, for example) to protect the couple. They can listen to both parties’ needs and expectations and draft an agreement that would hold up in court, keeping all interests protected as time goes by.

For more information about marriage records and other domestic relations, the State Law Library has plenty of informational resources available for interested parties to peruse online.

How To Begin the Wisconsin Marriage License Application Process

Citizens can apply for a marriage license at any clerk’s office in Wisconsin. Likewise, the ceremony itself can happen in any county, regardless of which local office issued the license.

Wisconsin requires that couples wait three days after obtaining the license before getting married. Due to this waiting period, the advice is to apply for a license at least four days before the wedding date. Also, some counties don’t see walk-ins and require citizens to schedule an appointment to apply — all of that should be considered when deciding when to apply.

The bride and groom must be at least 18 years old and appear together in person when applying for their marriage license. Individuals 16 or 17 years old may marry if they can obtain consent from their parents or guardians.

This is a list of documents that should be presented when applying:

• Valid, government-issued ID;
• A certified copy of the wife and husband’s birth certificates;
• Proof of residency (a Driver’s License or utility bill, for example);
• Social Security number;
• If one of the spouses has been married before, a dissolution or annulment certificate and
• Name, address, and phone number of the officiant of the wedding.

To apply for an application with the Milwaukee County Clerk’s Office, couples must schedule an appointment and pay a $110 fee.¹⁴

The appointment can be made over the phone at 414-278-4067 or through the online scheduling system.¹⁵ The license is delivered to the couple at the time of the appointment, but they must wait three days to get married.

This is the clerk’s office address:

Milwaukee County Clerk
901 N 9th St. County Courthouse, Room 105 
Milwaukee, WI 53233

To obtain a marriage license with the Dane County Clerk’s Office, citizens must pay a $120 fee. The county also offers the option to pay for a waiver of the three-day wait period for $25. The license is delivered to the couple on the fourth day after the application unless they pay for the waiver.

Those interested in obtaining a marriage license in Dane County must make an appointment online, upload all required documents, and be ready to meet with the officer via Zoom. Licenses aren’t provided in person.

For more information, the office can be reached over the phone at 608-266-4121 or by email at [email protected].

The Waukesha County Clerk’s Office also requires that citizens make an appointment to apply for a marriage license, but they see people in person at their office.¹⁶ To make an appointment, people can call or email them. This is their contact information:

Waukesha County Clerk
Waukesha County Administration Center
515 W Moreland Boulevard, Room 120
Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188

Phone: 262-548-7010
Fax: 262-548-7722
Email: [email protected]

It’s important to know what the law says about marriages in Wisconsin. It’s also important to know what kind of records are available and how someone can obtain information about marriages in the state. Having access to information is empowering and protects the public.

Citizens should never hesitate to seek out Wisconsin marriage records as long as they use this information responsibly and with respect to other individual’s privacy.