Bristol County Rhode Island Marriage Records

Searching For Marriage Records in Bristol County

Marriage Records in Bristol County, Rhode Island are considered public information. A copy of the original is kept at the Department of Public Health under the custody of the registrar of records and is made available to the public upon payment of a nominal fee. However, the fee is only collected if the request is made personally or by mail. Any person requesting an official record must state the reason for wanting the information and pay the required fee. The fee applies to records of marriages, divorce, legal separation, annulment, withdrawal of consent and certificate of marriage, as well as births, deaths, and birth and death records.

Records pertaining to marriages are maintained separately from those pertaining to divorce, legal separation or annulment, and withdrawal of consent because they are considered confidential documents. To access the marriage records in Bristol County, you will have to contact the Department of Public Health or the Vital Recording Registry. The office in Providence is the only place that holds the vital records of people who have been married, divorced, terminated and or annulced. In addition to marriage licenses, the office may also hold other records of marriage.

The above mentioned information regarding marriage is taken from the records of the Rhode Island Vital Records Office. It is advisable that when you plan on marrying, you obtain a record of your own marriage license so that there is no question as to whether or not your marriage license is current or not. These records are not only considered public record, but they are a legal document for all to view and use.

You can locate marriage records in Bristol County by searching the internet. Many sites allow you to access their records, which may take some time depending on the volume of records that you need. Some sites require that you pay a fee for this service. Others allow you to perform as many searches as you would like for a one-time fee. In addition to searching online, some records are also found in the courthouse or local phone book. If all else fails and you still do not find what you are looking for, then it is time to consult the local clerk.

Many people want to search for marriage records in Bristol County because they are curious about their family history. Perhaps they are interested in tracing the direct lineage back to when they were married. Or maybe you met your future spouse on an online dating site and would like to research who they are and where they came from. There is no better way to begin to investigate a person than by looking at their marriage records. As stated before, they are considered public record and are widely available.

While it is possible to access marriage records online, it is strongly advised that you visit the courthouse personally to verify the information. Ask for the record number and verify from there. If you are unable to locate the records you are seeking, then consider hiring a professional that specializes in this area. Most counties have a designated official that maintains these records and can be contacted directly for assistance.