Bexar County Marriage Record Search

The Bexar County marriage record search process involves querying the Clerk's Office to inspect or obtain copies of spousal documents. Bexar County has different types of marriage records, including marriage licenses and marriage certificates. Marriage records are obtainable through the Bexar County Clerk's Office. They are useful for the following reasons:

• They may be required as proof of relationship during visa or residency applications.
• A person might need a marriage record to claim inheritance or settle estate matters when their spouse dies.
• A marriage license may be necessary to initiate a divorce process or resolve alimony, child custody, or property division disputes in the court. The Court Clerk may include the marriage information provided during this process in the Bexar County court records.
• Marriage records may be required as part of the documentation for changing a last name or updating other official records, such as tax filings, passports, and driver's licenses.

Are Marriage Records Public?

Yes. The Bexar County Clerk's Office makes marriage records available to members of the public in compliance with the Texas Public Information Act (PIA). Therefore, anyone can obtain copies of marriage records from 1837 to the present day from the Clerk's Office. However, a Declaration and Registration of Informal Marriage Certificate is not a public record in Bexar County. The Clerk only issues such certificates to the applicants listed on them.

Types of Marriage Records in Bexar County

Bexar County residents can obtain the following types of marriage records from the county's custodians:

• Marriage verification letter: This letter simply verifies that a marriage has been recorded in Texas since 1966. The Texas Vital Statistics issues them online through a third-party vendor, by mail, and at the local offices. The cost of this record is $20 per verification.
• Marriage license: This document is maintained by the Bexar County Clerk's office. Before a marriage license is recorded by the Clerk, it is first issued to the couple upon application, and it has a 90-day validity period (Texas family code 2.001). To apply for the license, both applicants must meet certain eligibility criteria and must visit the Clerk's Office in person. However, if the other party is unavailable, one party can come to the office with a completed and notarized Affidavit of Absent Applicant for Marriage License. Once the license is issued, the applicants must wait for 72 hours before the wedding ceremony can occur except in certain circumstances. The couple must return the marriage license to the Clerk's Office in person or by mail after the ceremony.
• Informal marriage license: This is only issued to couples who have agreed to be married and plan to live together in Texas after the agreement. They must be willing to present themselves to others as married, and an absent affidavit application cannot be used to obtain the license.
• Declaration and Registration of Informal Marriage Certificate: This document is considered confidential in Bexar County. It is only open to the couples listed on it. Requests for this document can only be made in person at the Bexar County Clerk's Office.

How to Find Marriage Records in Bexar County

Individuals should consider the following options when finding marriage records in Bexar County:

• Use the Texas Vital Statistics' Marriage Indexes for free
• Use third-party vendor online databases
• Use the Texas Vital Statistics' online portal for a fee
• Send a completed Request Form to the Texas Vital Statistics by mail
• Use the links on the Texas State Library and Archives Commission's website
• Mail the appropriate form to the Bexar County Clerk's Office or visit the office during business hours

Bexar County Marriage License Lookup

Interested persons can conduct marriage license lookups at the Bexar County Clerk's Office. The Clerk provides a Marriage License Copy Request Form that must be completed to retrieve copies of the marriage licenses. Plain copies of marriage licenses cost $2 per copy, and certified copies cost $8 per copy. The Clerk accepts requests by mail and in person. Mail-in customers must send a check or money order alongside the completed form. The acceptable forms of payment for in-person requesters are check, cash, money order, or debit/credit. Record seekers can also view informal marriage license information for free on the Bexar County Clerk's Office's online database. The search criteria are name, date, document type, book, volume, or page.

Where Do I Get A Certified Copy Of My Marriage Certificate

Couples can obtain certified copies of a Declaration and Registration of Informal Marriage Certificate in person at the Bexar County Clerk's Office. The office accepts requests on Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. and on other weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at:

Bexar County Clerk's Office
101 West Nueva
Suite B110
San Antonio, TX 78205

Get a Marriage Certificate Online in Bexar County

There is no official government online database where individuals can get certified copies of marriage certificates in Bexar County. The only available option is to make in-person requests at the Bexar County Clerk's Office. However, record seekers can view some public marriage information online using the Clerk's Official Records Search portal. The search criteria are name, date, document type, book, volume, or page. The Texas Vital Statistics also provides downloadable Marriage Indexes on its website. All information retrieved from the portal or indexes are not legal documents so they may contain data entry errors or misreported data.

Find Public Marriage Records Free Online

The Bexar County Clerk's Office provides public marriage records freely online through its Official Records Search portal. Users can perform a quick or advanced search by selecting the appropriate department and then searching by party names, application date range, marriage date range, document type, book, volume, or page. Note that any information retrieved from this portal is informal and should not be used for official purposes.

Members of the public can perform supplementary public marriage records searches for free using third-party sites. However, free searches only return limited information that users might find insufficient. Those interested in obtaining detailed reports would have to pay a small fee.