How to get a certified copy of a marriage certificate in New York
For Albany, Buffalo and Yonkers licenses from 1880-1907, CDC instead directs requests to the respective city office and lists a $5 city fee. The directory identifies Albany City Clerk, Buffalo City Clerk and the Yonkers Registrar of Vital Statistics as those local contacts. CDC source for New York.
CDC lists the New York marriage-record contact as Certification Unit Vital Records Section/2nd floor 800 North Pearl Street Menands, NY 12204. The service charge in that entry is $30.00. (City) $5.00.
| Field | CDC Where to Write | Current official evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Office | Certification Unit Vital Records Section/2nd floor 800 North Pearl Street Menands, NY 12204 | Uncollected. Official office |
| Service charge | $30.00. (City) $5.00 | Uncollected. Official office |
| Years held or service coverage | Records from 1881 to present. | Uncollected. Official office |
| Ordering route | CDC entry | Uncollected. Official office |
Getting a marriage license in New York
Contact the New York official office for current marriage license requirements, which remain unverified here.
Searching New York marriage records
Ask the New York official records office about marriage-record search options, which remain unverified here as of 2026-11-11.
Common-law marriage and community property
| Source scope | State entry |
|---|---|
| SSA common-law digest | Recognized before 01/01/1902. Not recognized from 1902 through 1907. Recognized from 1908 through 04/28/1933. Not recognized on or after 04/29/1933, unless the common-law marriage was validly contracted in a different state or country, and so long as the marriage does not violate New York positive law or natural law. SSA GN 00305.075. Digest effective 2023-05-30, checked 2026-11-11 |
| IRS community-property list | Outside the listed community-property states IRS 555, checked 2026-11-11 |
For New York, the Social Security state-law digest says Recognized before 01/01/1902. Not recognized from 1902 through 1907. Recognized from 1908 through 04/28/1933. Not recognized on or after 04/29/1933, unless the common-law marriage was validly contracted in a different state or country, and so long as the marriage does not violate New York positive law or natural law. This is SSA benefit-program guidance, effective 2023-05-30. The IRS community-property entry applies to married taxpayers domiciled in New York. Its federal-tax scope is set out in Publication 555.
The numbers
| Measure | State | US or reporting-area benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage rate | 6.7 | 6.3 |
| Divorce rate | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, men | 31.9 | 30.8 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, women | 30.4 | 28.8 |
In 2024, New York had 6.7 marriages per 1,000 residents, above the US 6.3. CDC counts marriages performed in New York, including visiting couples.
New York's divorce rate was 2.3 per 1,000 residents in 2024, equal to the reporting-area 2.3.
The 2024 ACS first-marriage medians for New York are 31.9 years for men and 30.4 for women, with respective margins of error of 0.3 and 0.2 years. The male and female New York medians are 1.5 years apart.
From oldest to youngest across states and DC, New York ranks ninth for the male first-marriage median and fourth for the female median. Its male estimate is above the US 30.8, and the New York female estimate is above the US 28.8.
New York and Las Vegas
Couples with a New York mailing address took out 1,105 Las Vegas marriage licenses in 2025, ranking ninth among states and DC. New York Las Vegas data links to the available history. The method gives address and issue-date definitions.
Over 2021 to 2025, New York mailing addresses appeared on 6,282 Las Vegas licenses, 1.67% of the countywide statistical-file total. The highest annual New York count in the acquired history was 2,001 in 2007. The New York 2025 figure of 1,105 compares with 1,213 in 2024 and 1,029 in 2019.
The latest New York Las Vegas total fell 8.90% from 2024. It is 7.39% above the 2019 level and 44.78% below the series maximum for New York.
New York mailing addresses appeared on 2,001 licenses in 2007, 1,745 licenses in 2008, 1,658 licenses in 2009, 1,594 licenses in 2010, 1,449 licenses in 2011, 1,305 licenses in 2012, 1,202 licenses in 2013, 1,100 licenses in 2014. County sources and coverage.
New York mailing addresses appeared on 1,090 licenses in 2015, 1,102 licenses in 2016, 1,009 licenses in 2017, 1,060 licenses in 2018, 1,029 licenses in 2019, 816 licenses in 2020, 1,493 licenses in 2021, 1,354 licenses in 2022 (through 22 December). County sources and coverage.
New York mailing addresses appeared on 1,117 licenses in 2023, 1,213 licenses in 2024, 1,105 licenses in 2025. County sources and coverage.
For a New York couple with a Clark County license, the Nevada certificate guide links the Clerk's online, mailed and in-person ordering routes. Its officiant filing deadline is 10 calendar days after the ceremony, and a filed certified certificate costs $20.