Roanoke Marriage Records

Roanoke City marriage records are handled by the Roanoke City Circuit Court, an independent city court in southwest Virginia. The clerk's office at 315 Church Avenue SW maintains marriage licenses, land records, probate records, and all official court filings for the city. If you need to apply for a license or get a certified copy of a marriage record, start at the clerk's office. The Virginia Department of Health also holds statewide marriage records from 1936 forward and accepts mail-in requests for certified copies.

Roanoke City Circuit Court

Roanoke City is an independent city with its own circuit court, separate from Roanoke County. The circuit court handles serious civil cases, felony criminal cases, appeals from lower courts, and all probate and land record matters. The clerk's office provides access to land records, marriage licenses, and probate records for the city. The court is in the 23rd Judicial Circuit.

The circuit court clerk's office is at 315 Church Avenue SW in downtown Roanoke. Phone is (540) 853-2361. You can find general court information at the Virginia Courts portal, which offers case search tools covering Roanoke City along with other Virginia courts. For city-specific services and contact details, the Roanoke city government website has links to court and clerk information.

Keep in mind that Roanoke City and Roanoke County are separate jurisdictions. If a marriage took place in Roanoke County rather than Roanoke City, the Roanoke County Circuit Court in Salem would hold that record. The Roanoke County Circuit Court is at a different address and phone number than the city court. Confirm which jurisdiction issued the license before submitting a records request.

Marriage Licenses in Roanoke City

Both applicants must appear in person at the Roanoke City Circuit Court clerk's office. Each person needs a valid government-issued photo ID. No Virginia residency is required, and there is no waiting period. Under Virginia Code Section 20-14, the circuit court clerk is the only official in Virginia authorized to issue marriage licenses.

The license fee is $30. It is valid for 60 calendar days and must be used for a ceremony performed within Virginia. After the ceremony, the officiant must return the completed license to the clerk within five days. The clerk then sends the record to the Virginia Department of Health for central filing. Unused or expired licenses must be returned to the clerk's office.

Certified copies of marriage records from the circuit court typically cost around $2.50 each. For records from 1936 forward, VDH charges $12 per certified copy, as established by Virginia Code Section 32.1-273. Call (540) 853-2361 to confirm the clerk's current fees before your visit.

Certified Copy Requests in Roanoke

You can request certified copies of Roanoke City marriage records from the circuit court clerk or from the Virginia Department of Health. The circuit court holds records for all marriages licensed in the city. VDH holds records from 1936 forward for all Virginia jurisdictions.

For the circuit court clerk, visit 315 Church Avenue SW during regular business hours or call (540) 853-2361 to ask about mail-in procedures. Bring photo ID and payment. Staff can search by name and date and provide copies while you wait or by mail.

For VDH, submit Form VS6 with $12 per copy to: Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000. Include a photo ID copy. Walk-in requests are at 2001 Maywill Street, Richmond. VDH phone is 804-662-6200. Under Virginia Code Section 32.1-271, records less than 25 years old are restricted to the parties and authorized individuals. Older records are public under Virginia FOIA rules in Virginia Code Section 2.2-3704.

Historical Roanoke marriage records can also be found through the Library of Virginia, which holds microfilm and digitized records from Virginia localities going back well before the modern records system. Staff there can help you trace marriages in the Roanoke Valley area using older county records predating the city's incorporation.

Roanoke Records and Vital Records Resources

The Roanoke city government portal provides information about local departments and services, including the circuit court. The screenshot below shows the city's main web portal.

From the Roanoke city portal, you can find links to the circuit court clerk for marriage license applications and record requests for Roanoke City.

The Virginia Department of Health vital records portal serves Roanoke residents and all other Virginians for marriage record requests going back to 1936. The VDH screenshot below shows the main vital records page.

VDH certified copies cost $12 per record. Requests can be made by mail or in person at 2001 Maywill Street in Richmond.

Roanoke City vs. Roanoke County Records

One of the most common points of confusion for people searching Roanoke marriage records is the split between Roanoke City and Roanoke County. These are two completely separate jurisdictions. Roanoke City is an independent city with its own circuit court on Church Avenue. Roanoke County is a separate county government with its own circuit court in Salem.

If you are not sure whether a marriage license was issued in the city or the county, check both offices. The city court handles licenses issued to people who lived in or applied from Roanoke City. The county court handles licenses from Roanoke County, which includes communities like Vinton, Hollins, and Cave Spring. The Virginia Courts portal can help you search case records across both jurisdictions from one search interface.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Roanoke in southwest Virginia. Each has its own circuit court or shares one with a nearby county.