How to get a certified copy of a marriage certificate in Virginia
For earlier records, CDC identifies the Library of Virginia and the court that issued the license. The issuing county or city court clerk may hold records unavailable from either the state office or the Library. CDC links online, expedited, telephone and mailed ordering options. CDC source for Virginia.
For the Virginia marriage record service, CDC identifies Office of Vital Records P.O. Box 1000 Richmond, VA 23218-1000. Its listed charge is $15.00. (county/city) Varies.
| Field | CDC Where to Write | Current official evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Office | Office of Vital Records P.O. Box 1000 Richmond, VA 23218-1000 | Virginia Office of Vital Records Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Service charge | $15.00. (county/city) Varies | $15 per certified copy or search, effective July 1, 2026 Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Years held or service coverage | State office has records filed after June 14, 1912. The Library of Virginia or the court where the marriage license was issued may be in possession of records prior to 1912. | Uncollected. Official office |
| Ordering route | CDC entry | Use the office ordering instructions and identification requirements Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
Getting a marriage license in Virginia
Virginia lists the following for issuing office. Circuit court clerk or deputy in any county or city. Official source (checked 2026-11-11).
Virginia lists the following for issued-license validity. 60 days from issuance. Official source (checked 2026-11-11).
The fee and waiting period remain unverified here, so contact the Virginia official office for current requirements.
Searching Virginia marriage records
For marriage-record searches, consult the Virginia official records office. Public-search availability was unverified at the 2026-11-11 check.
Common-law marriage and community property
| Source scope | State entry |
|---|---|
| SSA common-law digest | Not recognized. 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 |
Virginia has this entry in SSA's state-law digest, effective 2023-05-30. Not recognized. Those conditions belong to the benefit-program guidance. The Virginia community-property classification follows the domicile-based federal-tax discussion in IRS Publication 555.
The numbers
| Measure | State | US or reporting-area benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage rate | 6.0 | 6.3 |
| Divorce rate | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, men | 30.8 | 30.8 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, women | 28.7 | 28.8 |
Virginia recorded 6.0 marriages per 1,000 residents in 2024. Its rate is below the nationwide 6.3 and uses marriages performed in Virginia, including those of visiting couples.
The Virginia divorce entry is 2.6 per 1,000 residents for 2024, above the reporting-jurisdiction rate of 2.3.
Virginia's median first-marriage age is 30.8 for men and 28.7 for women in ACS 2024. Its margins of error are 0.5 years for men and 0.5 for women, while the Virginia male-female median gap is 2.1 years.
Ordering state and DC first-marriage medians oldest first puts Virginia 20th for men and 21st for women. The Virginia male estimate is equal to the national 30.8, and its female estimate is below the US 28.8.
Virginia and Las Vegas
Virginia supplied 532 Las Vegas licenses by mailing address in 2025, the 24th state or DC total. The corresponding Las Vegas page has the available annual history. The county method page gives the reporting limits.
Virginia accounted for 0.75% of Las Vegas licenses in the 2021 to 2025 files, with 2,808 licenses by mailing address. The Virginia annual peak is 947 in 2007. The Virginia checkpoints are 2019 with 523, 2024 with 565, and 2025 with 532.
For Virginia, the latest Las Vegas figure fell 5.84% from 2024. Compared with 2019, Virginia is 1.72% above, and its latest total sits 43.82% below its annual peak.
Licenses carrying Virginia mailing addresses totaled 947 licenses in 2007, 781 licenses in 2008, 748 licenses in 2009, 767 licenses in 2010, 702 licenses in 2011, 606 licenses in 2012, 607 licenses in 2013, 586 licenses in 2014. County sources and coverage.
Licenses carrying Virginia mailing addresses totaled 583 licenses in 2015, 531 licenses in 2016, 520 licenses in 2017, 542 licenses in 2018, 523 licenses in 2019, 311 licenses in 2020, 598 licenses in 2021, 597 licenses in 2022 (through 22 December). County sources and coverage.
Licenses carrying Virginia mailing addresses totaled 516 licenses in 2023, 565 licenses in 2024, 532 licenses in 2025. County sources and coverage.
After a Clark County ceremony, Virginia couples can use the Nevada proof-of-marriage guide, which links online, mail and counter orders. The officiant must file within 10 calendar days, after which the certified certificate costs $20.