Burlington County Marriage Record Search

Burlington County is the largest county in New Jersey by land area. Formed in 1694 from the West Jersey Province, it has a rich history that stretches back to the colonial era. The county seat is Mount Holly, and the County Clerk office is at 50 Rancocas Road. Burlington County has 40 municipalities, each with its own registrar who handles marriage records. This guide walks you through how to find, search, and obtain marriage records from across Burlington County.

Where to Find Burlington County Marriage Records

Marriage records in Burlington County are maintained by municipal registrars, not the County Clerk. County Clerk Joanne Schwartz has stated that the office at 50 Rancocas Road in Mount Holly does not maintain vital records. You can call the County Clerk at 609-265-5122 for direction, but they will refer you to the local registrar in the municipality where the marriage license was issued.

Burlington County has 40 municipalities. Each one keeps its own marriage records through a local registrar. Towns like Mount Holly, Burlington City, Moorestown, Medford, and Evesham each have registrars who process licenses and store records. To find a marriage record in Burlington County, you need to know which town issued the license.

The Burlington County Clerk office handles many other types of public records. You can visit their website for information about property records, notary services, and passport applications.

The Burlington County government website provides contact details for all county offices and can help you locate the right municipal registrar.

The County Clerk office in Mount Holly serves as a central resource for public records in Burlington County, though marriage records are routed to individual town registrars.

How to Search Burlington County Marriage Records

Start by figuring out the town. In New Jersey, marriage licenses are issued by the registrar in the town where one spouse lives. If the couple lived in Moorestown, try that registrar first. If you do not know the town, try the state office instead.

The New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics maintains records for all marriages in the state from 1848 to the present. They can search across all of Burlington County's 40 municipalities at once. Send a written request with the names, approximate date, and $25 fee. This is the most reliable way to find a Burlington County marriage record when you do not know the town.

For historical searches, the New Jersey State Archives holds original marriage books from Burlington County. Their online database lets you search names for free. Results show index entries that tell you where to get the full record. The Archives has Burlington County records going back to the 1670s.

The VitalRec website lists contact information for registrars in Burlington County and across New Jersey. This can help you identify the right office to call.

Resources like this help narrow your search across Burlington County's many municipalities.

Note: Always try the specific town registrar before contacting the state office, as local offices often process requests faster.

Historical Marriage Records in Burlington County

Burlington County has one of the longest record histories in New Jersey. Historical marriage records survive from 1676 to 1681, 1683 to 1705, 1707, and 1712 to 1719, with additional records continuing through the 1800s up to 1899. These records predate the formation of the United States and document marriages from the earliest European settlements in the region.

The county was formed in 1694 from the West Jersey Province. Before that, records were kept under the colonial government. Burlington was one of the original capitals of West Jersey, making it a center of record-keeping. Many of these early Burlington County records have survived and are now held at the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton.

Researchers studying colonial-era marriages in Burlington County will find handwritten entries in old ledgers. These records typically show the names of the couple, the date, and the person who performed the ceremony. Some include the names of witnesses. The handwriting can be hard to read, but Archives staff can help with difficult entries.

Quaker meeting records are a valuable source for Burlington County. The Religious Society of Friends had a major presence in the area from the late 1600s. Their meeting records document marriages in great detail, often including statements by the couple and signatures of those present. These records complement the civil records for Burlington County.

Marriage License Process in Burlington County

Couples planning to marry in Burlington County start at the local registrar. Both people must go together. You apply in the town where either person lives. If neither lives in New Jersey, apply in the town where you will hold the ceremony. The fee is $28 across all of Burlington County.

Bring valid photo ID. A driver's license or passport works. If either person was married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. The registrar in Burlington County will check these documents before accepting your application.

New Jersey requires a 72-hour waiting period after you apply. This is standard in Burlington County and statewide. A judge may waive this in urgent situations. The license stays valid for 30 days once the waiting period ends. After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the registrar in Burlington County. The registrar then creates the permanent marriage record.

• Apply at your local registrar in Burlington County
• Both applicants must be present
• Bring photo ID and $28 fee
• Provide divorce or death records if previously married
• Wait 72 hours before the ceremony
• Complete the ceremony within 30 days

Getting Copies of Burlington County Marriage Records

Contact the registrar in the Burlington County town where the license was issued. Most offices accept requests in person or by mail. You need the full names of both spouses and the marriage date. Fees vary slightly by municipality, but certified copies are typically $25.

The state Office of Vital Statistics also provides certified copies. Mail your request to P.O. Box 370, Trenton, NJ 08625-0370. Include $25 per copy and all required information. Allow several weeks for processing. This works for any marriage in Burlington County regardless of which town issued the license.

Transcripts cost less than certified copies. They contain the same basic facts but lack the official certification. A transcript is fine for personal use or genealogy. For legal matters, most agencies require a certified copy from Burlington County or the state office.

Note: If you need a record from before 1848, contact the New Jersey State Archives rather than the municipal registrar in Burlington County.

Related Resources for Burlington County

The Burlington County Historical Society in Burlington City preserves local history materials. Their collections include family papers, church records, and early municipal documents from across Burlington County. Genealogists find these materials helpful when civil marriage records are incomplete or unavailable.

The Burlington County Library System offers research support at several branches. Many branches provide free access to Ancestry and other genealogical databases. The Mount Holly branch has a local history collection that covers Burlington County extensively. Library staff can help you navigate online databases for marriage records and other vital records in Burlington County.

For questions about the marriage license process in Burlington County, the New Jersey Department of Health website has forms, instructions, and contact information for local registrars. Their site at nj.gov/health/vital is the authoritative source for vital records policies in New Jersey.

Accessing Burlington County Marriage Records

Marriage records in Burlington County are public. Anyone can request a copy regardless of their relationship to the people on the record. New Jersey treats vital records as open public records. This means researchers, attorneys, and members of the public can all obtain Burlington County marriage records.

To make a request, contact the appropriate registrar in Burlington County with the names and date. Pay the fee and allow processing time. Most offices respond within a few business days for in-person requests. Mail requests take longer. If you encounter a problem, you can file a formal request under the Open Public Records Act to ensure access to Burlington County records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Burlington County. If you are searching for a marriage record and are not sure which county applies, check the address of the municipality where the license was issued.