Access Free Fort Bend County Marriage Records & Licenses

Search free Fort Bend County marriage records to reveal information about someone’s marital status.

Official record custodians and search tools are readily available to display relevant marital details and even allow people to obtain copies of marriage licenses.

The Texas Public Information Act (PIA) establishes that vital records information should be accessible to concerned citizens; that leads citizens to be more informed and aware, increasing transparency in the community.

This streamlined resource provides links to the lookup tools available to searchers in Fort Bend County, Texas, and explains how to effectively utilize them to find information about anyone’s marital status in the area.

How To Look Up Fort Bend County Marriage Records (Texas)

When searching for marriage records in Fort Bend, citizens can rely on a variety of tools and resources that allow them to uncover facts and obtain copies, depending on their individual concerns. The Fort Bend County Clerk is the official repository of marital records in that area, allowing citizens to retrieve licenses that go back as far as their foundation.¹

The state of Texas recognizes common-law marriages. Consequently, there are two different types of records an interested individual can obtain in Fort Bend: formal marriage licenses and declarations or registration of informal unions.²

When searching for Fort Bend County marital records, people can use the County Clerk Online Search Tool.³ This free platform offers insight into different types of records.

This system permits searches to be done by last name only (although full names usually lead to better results). It also allows users to add more criteria and narrow the search for an optimal outcome. For example, users can input a date range or choose what type of license status they wish to visualize:

• Issued – for licenses recently delivered, which can still be registered;
• Expired – which indicates an issued license wasn’t used (or, in other words, that the nuptials were never registered);
• Returned – for licenses that came back to the office, indicating the nuptials happened and have been properly registered.

The results will also show an image of the license. By clicking on ‘View’, users can see the license in detail, and by clicking on the case number, they can access all the details (along with the image of the record).

By clicking on the image, individuals can obtain a free unofficial copy of the records. Or, add that to the basket and purchase a certified copy. It’s very convenient.

According to the County Clerk’s fee schedule, certified copies of marriage licenses cost $1 per page, plus a $5 document certification fee.⁵ Unofficial copies may be retrieved from the online search tool for free.

Another way to obtain copies of marriage licenses is to work directly with the Clerk’s Office. They recommend searchers begin by looking the record up online (using the tool mentioned above) to get the record number. Then, they should complete a Request Form and bring it to the Clerk’s Office.⁶

Orders can be made in person, by mail, via email, or online. Searchers should be ready to pay up to $21 for a single certified copy of a marriage license, but prices may vary depending on what they need. Mail-in and email orders should be sent to the contact information below:

Fort Bend County Clerk
301 Jackson Street – Suite 101
Richmond, TX 77469-3108

Phone: (281)341.8685
Fax: (281)341.8669
Email: [email protected]

For requests placed in person, citizens can go to the address above, in Richmond, or visit one of the alternative locations available:

Fort Bend County Clerk
1422 Eugene Heimann Circle – Suite 11005
Richmond, TX 77469

Fort Bend County Clerk
22333 Grand Corner Dr – Suite 104
Katy, TX 77494

Fort Bend County Clerk
307 Texas Parkway – Suite 102
Missouri City, TX 77489

Fort Bend County Clerk
5855 Sienna Springs Way – Suite 118
Missouri City, TX 77459

To place an order online, searchers must work with VitalChek. For instances where the interest is in historical records, there are other tools that can be used and will be mentioned below.

How To See Fort Bend County Marital Records That Are Archived

In some instances, individuals are looking for historical records that can bring to light long-lost family information and help establish facts about that person’s ancestors. The Fort Bend Clerk Online Search Tool streamlines that search process, allowing citizens to search for marriage licenses issued since the county was founded.

Just like any other Fort Bend County marital records search, users can look up names and dates to uncover their family’s historical information. They can also request copies and see details involving any particular event.

The only thing to keep in mind is that the level of detail available will depend on what was registered at the time of the event. In some cases, all that’s available may be an image of the license, with no further information. Still, searching is free and accessible to all – and anyone who needs support can reach out to the County Clerk and obtain it:

Fort Bend County Clerk
301 Jackson Street – Suite 101
Richmond, TX 77469-3108

Phone: (281)341.8685
Fax: (281)341.8669
Email: [email protected]

The Fort Bend County Libraries also have resources that can help interested people uncover facts about historical marriages in the area.⁷ They offer in-house resources, as well as access to an array of databases that can bring to light valuable information.

For support, citizens can contact them online or in person at any of their locations. This is the main one:

Fort Bend County Libraries
1003 Gulfview Dr
Richmond, TX 74469

The Texas State Library & Archives Commission may be able to help with indexes that feature marriage information from 1838 to 1908. If anyone wishes to be helped by a librarian while working with those indexes, they can contact the George Memorial Library:

George Memorial Library
1001 Gulfview Dr.
Richmond, TX 77469

Phone: 281.341.2646

How To Find Texas Marriage Records That Occurred Outside of Fort Bend County

In general, marriage records in Texas are kept by the local Clerk’s Office that recorded the event. Nevertheless, the Vital Records Office can be a useful tool when searchers aren’t certain about which county they should contact for a record they need.⁸ This is useful when a Fort Bend County marital records search returns no result.

The Vital Records Office has indexes for marriages that happened between 1966 and 2019. They are available as lists that can be looked up at the searcher’s convenience. An index for 2020 is expected to be available in the Summer of 2024, while an index for 2021 should be released in the Summer of 2025.

The indexes contain the names of the husband and wife, the date of the marriage, the county where it was registered, and the file number.

All of those things are helpful when certified copies are needed – because those must be obtained from the local clerk’s office, and the indexes will point any searcher in the right direction. Still, searchers who have questions about the indexes can send inquiries to the department’s email at [email protected].

Although the Vital Records Office isn’t able to provide citizens with certified copies of marriage records, they can offer authorized persons a letter of verification for nuptials registered in Texas. Letters can’t be used for official purposes but provide detailed information about any wedding that happened on and after 1966.

Interested citizens can fill out a Mail Application for Marriage or Divorce Record and send it or bring it to the Vital Records Office.

Legal guardians and representatives are allowed to place a request but must show proof of connection to one of the parties involved in the wedding in order to be entitled to a verification letter. Each verification letter costs $20.

Orders can be placed by mail or in person. Mail requests must be sent to the following address:

Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040

To place an order in person, users can check the local Vital Records offices list or visit the main office in Austin:¹⁰

Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
1100 West 49th St.
Austin, TX 78756

Phone: 512.776.7111

It’s also possible to place an order online if the searcher considers it preferable. Online orders are delivered by mail, using the information provided while filling out the application. Extra fees may also apply.

How To Apply for a Fort Bend County Marriage License

Couples interested in getting married in Fort Bend must follow a few steps in order to apply for a marriage license.¹¹ The first step is to start the application online.¹² As they work on the application, the bride and groom must insert their personal information and pay $72.

After that step is completed and they receive confirmation, the couple must go in person to one of the Fort Bend County Clerk’s offices and finalize their application. The steps to follow are the same for a formal marriage license (so that a ceremony is officiated) or a declaration and registration of an informal marriage (for those who are in a common law relationship and want to make it official).

The Fort Bend County Clerk’s Office has one main office and three alternative offices people can visit, depending on what’s more convenient for them. Appointments are available but not required, and both parties must appear in person. Also, if the bride or groom are minors, they need special authorization to marry.

Those are the locations for the Fort Bend County Clerk:

Fort Bend County Clerk – Main Office
301 Jackson Street – Suite 136
Richmond, TX 77469

Phone: 281.341.8685

Fort Bend County Clerk – Katy Annex
22333 Grand Corner Dr. – Suite 11005
Katy, TX 77494

Fort Bend County Clerk – Missouri City Annex
307 Texas Parkway – Suite 102
Missouri City, TX 77489

Fort Bend County Clerk – Sienna Annex
5855 Sienna Springs Way – Suite 118
Missouri City, TX 77459

After being issued a marriage license, couples must wait 72 hours before getting married. On the other hand, the license remains valid for 90 days, allowing the couple to plan accordingly. A license issued in Fort Bend can be used anywhere in Texas, and after the nuptials, the couple has 30 days to return it and have their union recorded.

Marriage records are readily available because it’s important for everyone to be transparent regarding their marital status. Such information should always be accessible. Any concerned citizen should have no trouble using this resource to look up free Fort Bend County marriage records.