Search DuPage County Marriage Records

DuPage County marriage records go back to 1839. The County Clerk in Wheaton keeps all marriage certificates and licenses for this part of Illinois. With more than 930,000 residents, DuPage County is one of the largest counties in the state. People search these records for many reasons. Some need a copy of a marriage certificate for a name change. Others look up old records for family tree work. You can get copies in person, by mail, or through an online service. The DuPage County Clerk staff can help you find what you need from their vital records files.

DuPage County Clerk Vital Records

The DuPage County Clerk is where marriage records are kept for all of DuPage County. This office sits at 421 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton. Staff handle marriage license requests, issue certified copies of marriage certificates, and keep the county's vital records on file. The office has been keeping these records since the county was formed in 1839.

Walk-in hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can visit the DuPage County Clerk in person to search for marriage records and pick up copies the same day. Bring a valid form of ID with you. The office accepts an Illinois driver's license, Illinois state ID, US military ID, US passport, or an out-of-state driver's license. If you plan to go in person, call the DuPage County Clerk at (630) 407-5500 first to make sure the record you want is on file. The fax number is (630) 407-5501.

How to Get DuPage County Marriage Certificates

There are three ways to get a marriage certificate from DuPage County. Each method has its own steps and costs. The fee for a certified copy is $14 for the first one. Each extra copy of the same record costs $2. These fees apply no matter how you request the record. The DuPage County Clerk can help you pick the best method for your needs.

The fastest way is to go in person. Visit the DuPage County Clerk office in Wheaton during business hours. Fill out a request form at the front desk. You will need the full names of both spouses and the date of the marriage, or at least a close guess on the year. Staff will search the index and pull the record for you. Most requests take just a few minutes. You walk out with your certified marriage certificate from DuPage County that same day. Under 410 ILCS 535, the Illinois Vital Records Act, county clerks must keep and give out certified copies of all vital records in their files.

You can also request DuPage County marriage records by mail. Send your request to P.O. Box 1028, Wheaton, IL 60187. Include the names of both spouses, the date of the marriage, your own name and address, a phone number, and a check or money order for $14 made out to the DuPage County Clerk. The County Clerk has a Marriage Certificate Request Form you can download from their site. Mail requests take about one to two weeks to process, though busy times of year may add a few days.

Note: All mail requests must include a copy of your valid photo ID along with payment.

DuPage Marriage Records Online

You can order DuPage County marriage certificates online through VitalChek. This is a third-party service that works with county clerk offices all over the country. The DuPage County Clerk uses VitalChek as its official online vendor for vital records.

The DuPage County vital records page has a link to the VitalChek portal for ordering marriage certificates. You fill out the form, pay with a credit or debit card, and VitalChek sends your request to the DuPage County Clerk for processing. The base fee is still $14, but VitalChek adds a service charge of about $10 on top of that. Shipping costs also apply. Most orders ship within five to seven business days once the DuPage County Clerk fills them. Rush processing and overnight shipping are available for an extra fee if you need the record fast.

The DuPage County Clerk website shows how the VitalChek ordering system works for marriage certificates and other vital records in DuPage County.

VitalChek gives you a tracking number so you can check on your order. This is a good choice for people who live far from Wheaton or can't visit the DuPage County Clerk during office hours.

DuPage County Marriage Records for Genealogy

DuPage County has a long history of marriage records. The files start in 1839 when the county was first set up. That gives you close to 190 years of records to search through. People doing family history work use these records all the time. A marriage record from the 1800s can help you trace names, dates, and family ties that are hard to find in other places.

The cost for old records is lower than for new ones. Under Illinois law, specifically 410 ILCS 535/25, records that are 75 years old or more can be released as genealogy copies. The DuPage County Clerk charges just $1 per record for these older copies. That is much less than the $14 fee for a standard certified copy. Genealogy copies are not certified, so they can't be used for legal matters. But they work fine for family tree research. If you need a lot of old DuPage County marriage records, this lower price makes it much more doable.

To get genealogy copies from DuPage County, ask the clerk for records older than 75 years. You will still need the names and a rough date. The older the record, the less info you may have to work with, but the staff are used to helping with these kinds of searches. Some early DuPage County marriage records may be handwritten and harder to read, but the clerk can usually find what you need.

Marriage Record Laws in DuPage County

Marriage records in DuPage County follow state law. Illinois sets the rules for how these records are kept, who can get them, and what they cost. The County Clerk must follow these rules for all vital records in DuPage County.

The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (750 ILCS 5) covers marriage license rules in the state. This law sets the age rules, waiting times, and what you need to get a marriage license in DuPage County. Couples must apply for a license at the County Clerk office before the ceremony. After the wedding, the person who performed the ceremony sends the signed license back to the DuPage County Clerk. That record becomes the official marriage certificate on file.

The Illinois Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) tells county clerks how to store and release vital records. This includes marriage certificates in DuPage County. Under 410 ILCS 530/3, the county clerk collects fees set by law for copies of these records. The act also says that certified copies of marriage records carry the same legal weight as the original document. This matters when you need a DuPage County marriage certificate for a court case, a passport, or any other legal use.

Note: Illinois does not have a statewide online search tool for marriage records, so DuPage County is the best place to look for marriages that took place here.

Illinois State Marriage Records

The Illinois Department of Public Health also keeps marriage records for the whole state. This is a second place to look if you need a DuPage County marriage record. IDPH has records from January 1962 to the present. For marriages in DuPage County before 1962, the County Clerk in Wheaton is the only source.

The IDPH Division of Vital Records is at 925 E. Ridgely Avenue in Springfield. They charge $10 for a search and one certified copy. You can order from IDPH by mail or through VitalChek online. The state office takes longer to process requests than the DuPage County Clerk. Most state requests take four to six weeks. If you need a DuPage County marriage certificate fast, going straight to the county clerk is the better choice.

The IDPH website shows the state's vital records search and ordering system for marriage records from across Illinois, including DuPage County.

One reason to use IDPH is if you are not sure which county the marriage took place in. The state office can search all of Illinois at once. If the marriage was in DuPage County, they will find it and send you a certified copy. This can save time when you don't know the exact location of the marriage.

What DuPage County Marriage Certificates Show

A certified marriage certificate from DuPage County has a set list of facts. These details come straight from the marriage license that was filed with the County Clerk. The certificate is proof that the marriage took place and was recorded by the county.

Each DuPage County marriage certificate shows the full names of both spouses, their dates of birth, the date and place of the marriage, the name of the person who performed the ceremony, and the names of any witnesses. It also shows the marriage license number and the date it was filed with the DuPage County Clerk. Certified copies have the county seal and the clerk's signature, which makes them valid for legal use. You might need this for a name change at the Social Security office, for a passport, for insurance, or for other legal steps that call for proof of marriage in DuPage County.

Older DuPage County marriage records may have less detail. Records from the 1800s and early 1900s sometimes lack birth dates or witness names. But they still show the core facts: who got married, when, and where in DuPage County.

Cities in DuPage County

DuPage County has many cities and villages. All marriages in these places are filed with the DuPage County Clerk in Wheaton. The same office handles marriage licenses and certified copies for every city in the county. No matter where in DuPage County the marriage took place, the records end up at the same clerk office.

Other communities in DuPage County include Lombard, Glen Ellyn, Addison, Carol Stream, and Elmhurst. Marriage records for all of these places are kept at the DuPage County Clerk office in Wheaton.

Nearby Counties

These counties border DuPage County. If the marriage took place near the county line, check which county handles the record. The marriage license is filed in the county where it was issued, not where the ceremony was held.