Fairfax City Marriage Records

Fairfax City marriage records are handled by the Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk at 4110 Chain Bridge Road. The clerk issues all marriage licenses for the city and keeps completed marriage certificates on file. Certified copies of marriages from 1936 forward are available from the Virginia Department of Health. You can also request a copy of a marriage license directly from the clerk's office.

Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk

The Fairfax County Circuit Court is the largest circuit court in Virginia. It takes in over 25,000 new civil and criminal cases each year and has 15 judges on the full bench. Christopher J. Falcon serves as the Clerk of the Circuit Court. He is a constitutional officer elected to an eight-year term. His office carries over 800 statutory duties including issuing marriage licenses, recording deeds, and maintaining vital records.

The clerk's office is at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 116, Fairfax, VA 22030. Phone is (703) 246-4111. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Court Public Access Network (CPAN) gives 24-hour access to land records and nearly 48 million indices and digital images are searchable through it. For marriage records, you generally need to visit or call the clerk's office directly since marriage licenses are not part of the public land records system.

Getting a Marriage License in Fairfax City

Both applicants must appear in person at the Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk's office to get a marriage license. Bring a valid photo ID. If either party has been married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or a death certificate for the former spouse. Under Virginia Code § 20-14, the circuit court clerk issues all licenses. Virginia has no waiting period, and the license stays valid for 60 days from the issue date.

After the ceremony, the officiant signs and returns the completed license to the clerk. The clerk records the marriage and sends a copy to the Virginia Department of Health under Virginia Code § 32.1-267. If you need to change your name after marriage, you will need a certified copy of the marriage license. You can request one at the time of the ceremony or any time afterward from the clerk.

Copies of Fairfax City Marriage Records

To get a certified copy of a marriage license from the Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk, you can submit a request online, by mail, or in person. The fee is $2.50 per certified copy. Payment by cash or credit card (with a 4% transaction fee) is accepted in person. Cashier's checks and money orders are accepted by mail. No personal checks are accepted. Copies mailed to you typically arrive within two weeks of your request.

There is a special restriction on marriage licenses issued between July 1, 1997 and June 30, 2001. Social security numbers in those records were not configured to prevent disclosure, so access is limited. For licenses in that window, only the named parties with valid photo ID can get a copy. Exceptions require a court order, a lawful subpoena, written authorization from either applicant, or a request from law enforcement or child support enforcement.

For VDH-issued certified copies of marriages from 1936 onward, submit form VS6 to the Virginia Department of Health with a photo ID and the $12 fee under Virginia Code § 32.1-273. Mail to VDH at 2001 Maywill Street, Suite 101, Richmond, VA 23230. Under Virginia Code § 32.1-271, marriage records less than 25 years old are restricted to named parties and their immediate family.

Additional Fairfax City Marriage Resources

The Fairfax City website at fairfaxva.gov has city-specific information separate from Fairfax County. The city maintains its own government offices, but marriage records run through the Fairfax County Circuit Court. If you are unsure where to start, the city site can direct you to the right county court office.

The Library of Virginia holds older Fairfax County marriage records and other vital records from the 19th century. For genealogical research into marriages in the Fairfax area before 1936, the Library of Virginia is a useful starting point. Their online catalog lists what has been indexed and how to access each collection.

Fairfax City Government

The Fairfax City government portal provides links to local services and resources. It is a separate site from Fairfax County and covers city-specific departments and contact information.

For marriage licenses and records, the city portal will point you to the Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk since that office handles the work for both the city and county.

Virginia Vital Records

The Virginia Department of Health Vital Records portal handles certified copy requests for Fairfax City marriages from 1936 forward. Submit form VS6 with your ID and the $12 fee to request by mail or online.

VDH processes requests at their Richmond office and returns certified copies by mail. Check the VDH site for current processing times and online request options.

Virginia Laws That Apply

Fairfax City marriage records follow Virginia state law throughout. Virginia Code § 20-14 governs license issuance. Virginia Code § 32.1-267 covers state registration of all marriages. The 25-year access restriction is in Virginia Code § 32.1-271, and the $12 fee cap at VDH is in Virginia Code § 32.1-273. For FOIA guidance, contact the Virginia FOIA Council under Virginia Code § 2.2-3704.

Fairfax County Marriage Records

Fairfax City marriage licenses go through the Fairfax County Circuit Court, the largest circuit court in Virginia. Visit the county page for more details on the clerk's office, record access, and the court's marriage license copy request process.

View Fairfax County Marriage Records

Nearby Cities

These Virginia cities are near Fairfax and each has its own circuit court resources for marriage records.