Virginia Beach Marriage Records

Virginia Beach marriage records are kept by the Virginia Beach Circuit Court, an independent city court in the 2nd Judicial Circuit. With more than 450,000 residents, Virginia Beach is the most populous city in Virginia. The clerk's office at 2425 Nimmo Parkway handles marriage licenses, certified copy requests, land records, and probate filings. For marriages from 1936 onward, the Virginia Department of Health also holds statewide records and accepts mail-in requests.

Virginia Beach Circuit Court

The Virginia Beach Circuit Court is in the 2nd Judicial Circuit and serves the city's more than 450,000 residents. The clerk of the circuit court maintains all official marriage records, land records, probate records, and court filings for Virginia Beach. The court is located at 2425 Nimmo Parkway in the Courthouse area of Virginia Beach. Phone is (757) 385-4181.

Virginia Beach was incorporated as an independent city on January 1, 1963, when it merged with Princess Anne County. Before that date, records for the area were kept under Princess Anne County. Marriage records for Virginia Beach proper begin in 1822, though records from 1822 to 1852 were destroyed in a fire. The clerk's office can tell you which records survived and how to access them. The Virginia Beach Circuit Court Clerk website has contact details and service information.

For the statewide case search tool, visit the Virginia Courts portal. This lets you look up public case records for Virginia Beach and all other Virginia courts from one search interface. It is useful for confirming that a record exists before requesting a certified copy.

Marriage Licenses in Virginia Beach

Both people must appear in person at the Virginia Beach Circuit Court clerk's office to apply for a marriage license. Each applicant needs a valid government-issued photo ID. Foreign identification is acceptable if it is legible in English. No Virginia residency is required. There is no waiting period. Under Virginia Code Section 20-14, the circuit court clerk is the only official authorized to issue marriage licenses in Virginia.

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

Certified copies of Virginia Beach marriage records are available from the circuit court clerk at about $2.50 each. For records from 1936 to the present, VDH charges $12 per certified copy, as specified under Virginia Code Section 32.1-273. Virginia Beach is a popular destination for weddings, so the clerk's office handles a high volume of marriage license applications year-round.

Certified Copies of Virginia Beach Marriage Records

You can get a certified copy of a Virginia Beach marriage record from the circuit court clerk or from the Virginia Department of Health. The circuit court holds records for all marriages licensed in Virginia Beach, including the records from the Princess Anne County era before 1963. VDH holds records for all Virginia marriages from 1936 forward.

For the circuit court, visit 2425 Nimmo Parkway in person during business hours or call (757) 385-4181 to ask about mail-in procedures. Bring photo ID and payment. Staff can search by party names and approximate date. Certified copies cost approximately $2.50 each from the court.

For VDH, complete 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, records within 25 years are restricted to the parties and authorized individuals. Older records are public under Virginia FOIA rules in Virginia Code Section 2.2-3704.

Virginia Beach Marriage Records Resources

The Virginia Department of Health vital records office serves Virginia Beach residents and all other Virginians for statewide marriage record requests from 1936 onward. The screenshot below shows the VDH vital records portal.

Virginia Beach residents can request certified VDH copies for $12 per record by mail or in person at the Richmond office at 2001 Maywill Street.

Virginia Beach Historical Marriage Records

Virginia Beach has a layered history when it comes to local records. The city was incorporated as a town in 1906, became a city in 1952, and merged with Princess Anne County on January 1, 1963. Records before 1963 are filed under Princess Anne County rather than Virginia Beach. Land records for Princess Anne County start in 1691, and court records go back to that same year. Probate records also start in 1691. Divorce records begin in 1814.

Marriage records for the area start in 1822. The gap from 1822 to 1852 is due to a fire that destroyed records from that period. Researchers looking for marriages from that time frame should contact the circuit court clerk, who may be able to suggest alternative records such as church registers, newspaper announcements, or related probate documents that reference marriages indirectly.

The Library of Virginia holds historical materials from Princess Anne County going back to the colonial era. Their collections include microfilm of marriage bonds, registers, and other early documents that can supplement the circuit court records. Staff at the Library can help researchers navigate the transition from Princess Anne County records to Virginia Beach records after 1963.

Nearby Cities

These cities are in the Hampton Roads region near Virginia Beach. Each has its own independent city circuit court for marriage records.