How to get a certified copy of a marriage certificate in North Dakota
CDC links to the state's marriage-record ordering instructions and supplies no county-specific holdings range or copy price. CDC source for North Dakota.
North Dakota's CDC listing gives the office contact as North Dakota Department of Health, Vital Records - Ordering a Certified Copy of a Marriage Record, with a service charge of Varies.
| Field | CDC Where to Write | Current official evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Office | North Dakota Department of Health, Vital Records - Ordering a Certified Copy of a Marriage Record | County where the license was purchased and filed Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Service charge | Varies | Fees vary by county Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Years held or service coverage | As of January 1, 2008, the ND Department of Health no longer issues certified copies of marriage records. | Uncollected. Official office |
| Ordering route | CDC entry | Contact the county through the official directory Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
Getting a marriage license in North Dakota
The issuing office rule acquired for North Dakota says County recorder, or another official designated by the county commissioners (Official source (checked 2026-11-11)).
The fee rule acquired for North Dakota says Up to $30 for the license plus a $35 domestic-violence supplement (Official source (checked 2026-11-11)).
The issued-license validity rule acquired for North Dakota says License issued no more than 60 days before the marriage (Official source (checked 2026-11-11)).
Consult the North Dakota official office for the waiting period left unverified in this comparison.
Searching North Dakota marriage records
The North Dakota official records office supplies the contact route for marriage searches. Search availability remains unverified as of 2026-11-11.
Common-law marriage and community property
| Source scope | State entry |
|---|---|
| SSA common-law digest | Not recognized. However, North Dakota recognizes common-law marriages validly entered into in other states or nations. 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 |
The common-law entry for North Dakota is Not recognized. However, North Dakota recognizes common-law marriages validly entered into in other states or nations. SSA's digest is effective 2023-05-30 and applies to benefit decisions. IRS Publication 555 supplies the property classification for married taxpayers domiciled in North Dakota, with its qualifications linked in the table.
The numbers
| Measure | State | US or reporting-area benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage rate | 5.2 | 6.3 |
| Divorce rate | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, men | 28.3 | 30.8 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, women | 26.0 | 28.8 |
At 5.2 marriages per 1,000 residents, North Dakota's 2024 occurrence-based rate sits below the US 6.3. Marriages performed in North Dakota can include visitors.
CDC gives North Dakota 2.6 divorces per 1,000 residents in 2024, above the benchmark of 2.3 for reporting jurisdictions.
ACS 2024 gives North Dakota first-marriage medians of 28.3 for men and 26.0 for women, a gap of 2.3 years. The North Dakota margins of error are 1.6 years for men and 0.5 years for women.
North Dakota is 42nd for men and 46th for women in an oldest-first ordering of state and DC first-marriage medians. Its male median is below the national 30.8, while the North Dakota female median is below the US 28.8.
North Dakota and Las Vegas
In 2025, 155 licenses issued in Las Vegas carried a North Dakota mailing address, putting it 41st among states and DC. Explore the Las Vegas figures, with address definitions on the method page.
Across the recent 2021 to 2025 Las Vegas files, 817 licenses carried North Dakota mailing addresses. The North Dakota share is 0.22% of the countywide total for those files. The annual North Dakota maximum was 281 in 2014, compared with 171 in 2019, 163 in 2024 and 155 in 2025.
The annual North Dakota Las Vegas count fell 4.91% relative to 2024, leaving North Dakota 9.36% below the 2019 count. The latest North Dakota volume is 44.84% below its series high.
For North Dakota, the earlier Las Vegas figures were 204 licenses in 2007, 182 licenses in 2008, 224 licenses in 2009, 214 licenses in 2010, 259 licenses in 2011, 264 licenses in 2012, 255 licenses in 2013, 281 licenses in 2014. County sources and coverage.
For North Dakota, the earlier Las Vegas figures were 226 licenses in 2015, 217 licenses in 2016, 191 licenses in 2017, 173 licenses in 2018, 171 licenses in 2019, 122 licenses in 2020, 193 licenses in 2021, 163 licenses in 2022 (through 22 December). County sources and coverage.
For North Dakota, the earlier Las Vegas figures were 143 licenses in 2023, 163 licenses in 2024, 155 licenses in 2025. County sources and coverage.
North Dakota couples using a Clark County license can order the Nevada record through the Clerk's certificate service for $20 after filing. The officiant has 10 calendar days after the ceremony to file, and the guide covers postal, online and in-person orders.