Search Prince George's County Marriage Records
Prince George's County marriage records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 14735 Main Street in Upper Marlboro. The clerk's office handles license applications, certified copy requests, and civil ceremony bookings for the county.
Prince George's County Marriage Records
Prince George's County Circuit Court Clerk
The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County is located at 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can reach the office by phone at 301-952-3318 for questions about applications, copy requests, or ceremony scheduling. The Prince George's marriage license page is the primary source for current requirements and procedures. The court records page covers broader public records access.
Prince George's County has one of the higher marriage license fees in Maryland at $70. That is worth knowing before your visit. Payment methods are not as varied as some other Maryland counties, so confirm accepted forms of payment with the clerk's office before you go. The fee must be paid at the time of application. There is no way to reserve a license without paying the full amount in person.
The county seat is Upper Marlboro. The courthouse there serves all of Prince George's County for marriage license purposes, regardless of which city or town you live in or where your ceremony will take place within the county.
How to Apply for a Prince George's County Marriage License
Both applicants must appear together at the clerk's office. You cannot apply online or submit a standard application by mail. Bring a valid photo ID and your Social Security number. Under Md. Code, Family Law § 2-401, a marriage license is required before any ceremony in Maryland. SSN disclosure is required statewide. If either applicant was previously married, bring proof of how that marriage ended.
The license fee is $70. That is the second highest in Maryland. Plan for it. Under Md. Code, Family Law § 2-405, a 48-hour waiting period applies to all Maryland marriage license applications. Your license activates 48 hours after you file, then stays valid for six months. If your wedding date falls outside that six-month window, you will need to apply again. Missing the expiration date is an easy mistake; check the date on your license when you receive it.
Non-resident applications are accepted at Prince George's County. If both applicants live outside Maryland, you can still apply here. Non-residents must complete a sworn affidavit before a comparable official in their home jurisdiction and then mail the form to the clerk's office with payment. The completed form and a check or money order payable to "Clerk of the Circuit Court" should be mailed to: Clerk of the Circuit Court, Attn: Marriage License, 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. Processing time for mail requests is roughly two to three weeks.
Requesting Prince George's County Marriage Record Copies
Certified copies of Prince George's County marriage records cost $5.00 each. You can request them in person or by mail. For mail requests, use the fillable PDF request form available on the Prince George's courts website. The certified copy request page at princegeorgescourts.org has current instructions and links to the form.
The form asks for the first, middle, and last names of both parties. The date of marriage is required in full, including month, day, and year. The office cannot process requests without a complete date. Names must appear exactly as they do on the original marriage license. If you are unsure of the exact name spelling, try to verify before submitting. Include the number of copies you need, the total amount enclosed, and your name, address, and phone number. Mail the completed form and payment to: Clerk of the Circuit Court, Attn: Marriage License, 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. Make checks or money orders payable to "Clerk of the Circuit Court."
Certified copies carry the court seal. That seal is what makes them acceptable for legal use. Most government agencies will not accept a plain copy or a printout from a third-party site. If you need proof of marriage for a name change, passport application, or court filing, get the certified copy from the clerk's office directly. Processing by mail takes two to three weeks.
Civil Marriage Ceremonies in Prince George's County
The Circuit Court offers civil marriage ceremonies for $25. Appointments are required; call 301-952-3318 to book. You must have a valid, active marriage license before you can schedule a ceremony. Do not call to book until your 48-hour waiting period has passed and the license is valid. Bring your license to the ceremony.
You must obtain your license at least two days before the ceremony date. That rule exists specifically because of the 48-hour waiting period. In practice, it means the earliest you can have a civil ceremony at the Prince George's County courthouse is two full days after you apply for the license. Plan your timeline carefully if you are working toward a specific date.
Historical Prince George's County Marriage Records
Prince George's County was established in 1696, making it one of the oldest counties in Maryland. It was named for Prince George of Denmark. The county's records stretch back over three centuries, and marriage records from that early period have been preserved at the Maryland State Archives. Marriage licenses from 1777 to 1851 and from 1851 to 1886 are held at the Archives. For marriages before those periods or for records not held at the county courthouse, the Archives is the place to start.
The Maryland State Archives marriage records guide explains what records exist for Prince George's County, which years are indexed, and how to request specific documents. Some of the older indexes have been digitized, which makes searching for specific names faster. For unindexed years, researchers typically need to request a manual search or visit the Archives in person.
Maryland legalized same-sex marriage effective January 1, 2013, under the Civil Marriage Protection Act. Under Md. Code, Family Law § 2-201, all marriages between two people meeting the legal requirements are valid in Maryland. Prince George's County marriage records from 2013 onward reflect that change.
The Archives guide is updated periodically as new records are digitized. If you searched previously and did not find a record, it is worth checking again, since coverage continues to expand.
What Prince George's County Marriage Records Show
A Prince George's County marriage license lists the full legal names of both parties, the date the license was issued, the date of the ceremony, and the officiant's name. Witnesses appear on the completed, returned license. Older records often include more biographical detail, such as ages and birthplaces. More recent records follow a standardized Maryland format with less supplemental information.
The officiant is legally required to return the signed license to the clerk's office after the ceremony. That return is what creates the official marriage record. Without it, the marriage may not appear in the county's records. If you are trying to obtain a certified copy and the clerk cannot locate the record, one possibility is that the completed license was never returned. In that case, the clerk can advise you on next steps for establishing the record.
The Prince George's County court records page and the Maryland Judiciary Case Search are useful for tracking related court actions, such as divorce filings or civil case information connected to a marriage. Neither gives direct access to marriage license records, but both can help with related legal matters. For confirmed certified copies of Prince George's County marriage records, go to the clerk's office directly.
Researchers working with Prince George's County records sometimes use the Reclaim the Records project as a starting point to understand what digitized records are publicly available before deciding which official sources to contact.
Other Resources for Prince George's County Marriage Records
The Maryland Court Records Prince George's County page and the Prince George's County Records Page aggregate public records data and can help locate marriage information when you are not sure which official source to try first. These sites pull from multiple databases and can be useful for broad searches. They are not official sources and cannot issue certified copies.
The Maryland State Archives marriage records order page lets you order copies of older records directly from the Archives. For marriages held at the county courthouse within the past few decades, you will go to the clerk's office instead. The Archives is primarily useful for older records, roughly pre-1990, depending on the county and the specific record series involved.
If you need help navigating the process or have a complicated records situation, the People's Law Library has free legal resources available online. For records questions specific to the clerk's office, call 301-952-3318 during business hours. Staff can tell you what records are on file and what you need to do to obtain them.
Nearby Counties
Prince George's County borders several Maryland counties. Each has its own courthouse and clerk's office for marriage license applications and certified copy requests.
Cities in Prince George's County
One qualifying city in Prince George's County has a page on this site. It is served by the same Circuit Court clerk in Upper Marlboro for all marriage license matters.