Salem Marriage Records Lookup

Salem marriage records are handled by the Roanoke County Circuit Court, which is located in Salem and serves both the independent city of Salem and Roanoke County. The clerk's office at 305 East Main Street maintains marriage licenses and related records for both jurisdictions. If you need a new marriage license or a certified copy of a past marriage record in Salem, this is the courthouse to contact. The Virginia Department of Health holds statewide records from 1936 onward and offers a mail-in option for certified copies.

Roanoke County Circuit Court in Salem

Salem is one of Virginia's 39 independent cities but shares its circuit court with Roanoke County. The Roanoke County Circuit Court is physically located in Salem at 305 East Main Street. This makes Salem residents and Roanoke County residents use the same courthouse, even though they are in different jurisdictions. The clerk's office handles marriage licenses, land records, probate records, and all civil and criminal filings for both the city and county.

The contact number for the Roanoke County Circuit Court is (540) 387-5530. For court information and online resources, check the Virginia Courts portal. The Salem city government page at salemva.gov can also direct you to the right contacts for court services. The address for the clerk is 105 E Calhoun St., Salem, VA 24153.

Because Salem and Roanoke County share this court, marriage records for both jurisdictions are held at the same office. If you are not sure whether a marriage took place in the city or the county, the clerk's staff can help you search across both sets of records. This shared arrangement also means residents from either jurisdiction pay the same fees and follow the same procedures.

Marriage Licenses in Salem

Both applicants must appear in person at the Roanoke County Circuit Court in Salem. Each person needs a valid government-issued photo ID. No residency requirement applies, and there is no waiting period. Under Virginia Code Section 20-14, the circuit court clerk issues all marriage licenses in Virginia. Salem residents and Roanoke County residents both apply at this same clerk's office.

The fee is $30. The license is valid for 60 calendar days and the ceremony must take place in Virginia. After the ceremony, the officiant must file the completed license with the clerk within five days. The clerk sends the record to the Virginia Department of Health. Certified copies from the court typically cost $2.50 each. VDH charges $12 per certified copy for records from 1936 forward, as provided by Virginia Code Section 32.1-273.

The clerk's office also maintains land records, marriage licenses, and probate records for the area. Staff can search records by name and date. For older records, the Library of Virginia in Richmond has extensive collections covering Roanoke County and surrounding areas.

Getting Certified Copies of Salem Marriage Records

You have two main options for getting certified copies of Salem marriage records. The first is the Roanoke County Circuit Court clerk in Salem, which holds records for marriages licensed in both Salem and Roanoke County. The second is the Virginia Department of Health in Richmond, which holds records from 1936 to the present for all Virginia jurisdictions.

To request from the circuit court, visit the clerk in person at 105 E Calhoun St. or call (540) 387-5530 to ask about mail-in procedures. Bring photo ID and payment. Staff can look up records by party names and approximate date. Copies cost around $2.50 each for certified records.

To request from VDH, use Form VS6 and mail it with $12 per copy to: Division of Vital Records, P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000. Include a copy of your photo ID. Walk-in service is at 2001 Maywill Street in Richmond. VDH phone is 804-662-6200. Under Virginia Code Section 32.1-271, marriage records are restricted for 25 years. After that they are public. Virginia FOIA under Virginia Code Section 2.2-3704 applies broadly to public government records.

Salem Records Resources

The Salem city government portal links residents to local services and provides contact information for courts and other departments. The screenshot below shows the Salem city portal.

From the Salem city portal, you can find links and contacts related to the circuit court that serves Salem residents for marriage license and record services.

The Virginia Department of Health vital records page serves Salem residents and all other Virginians for statewide marriage record requests. The VDH page is shown below.

VDH certified copies cost $12 each for records from 1936 onward. Requests can be mailed or submitted in person at the Richmond office.

Historical Marriage Records for Salem

Salem was incorporated as an independent city in 1968, before which it was a town in Roanoke County. For marriages before Salem became an independent city, records would be in Roanoke County files. The Roanoke County Circuit Court clerk at the same Salem courthouse can help you search those older records. For earlier historical materials, the Library of Virginia holds microfilm and digitized records from Roanoke County going back into the 19th century.

The Library of Virginia is particularly useful for genealogical research that spans the transition from county to city jurisdiction. Staff there can guide you through old marriage bonds, registers, and related documents. Many older Virginia marriage records have been preserved in microfilm format and are searchable online or in person at the Library.

Roanoke County Marriage Records

Salem shares its circuit court with Roanoke County. Marriage records for both the city and the county are held by the same clerk's office in Salem. For more information on the broader Roanoke County records system, visit the county page.

View Roanoke County Marriage Records

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Salem in the Roanoke Valley area. Each has its own circuit court or shared court for marriage records.