Search Tazewell County Marriage Records

Tazewell County marriage records are on file with the Circuit Court Clerk in Tazewell, Virginia. You can search these records to confirm a marriage, get a certified copy for legal use, or find historical documentation for genealogy research. The clerk handles all marriage licenses for the county and keeps the official register. This page covers where to go, what to bring, what records contain, and how to find older documents that predate the state vital records system.

Tazewell County Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk's Office in Tazewell County is the official keeper of all marriage records for the county. The clerk issues licenses, records them once the ceremony is done, and provides certified copies when requested. This office serves as the local source for any marriage that took place in Tazewell County.

Tazewell County was formed in 1800 from Russell and Wythe Counties. Marriage records go back to the county's early years, though older records from the 19th century may require a search at the Library of Virginia in addition to what the local clerk holds. The county seat is Tazewell, in the heart of Southwest Virginia's coalfields region. The clerk's office is in the courthouse at 253 Chamber Drive. Staff can look up records by party name and year and can issue certified copies the same day for in-person requests.

The Tazewell County website at tazewellcounty.org provides department contacts and general county information. Reach the clerk directly at (276) 988-7541 for questions about marriage records or license applications.

Requesting Tazewell County Marriage Records

You can request Tazewell County marriage records in person at the courthouse, by mail to the clerk's office, or through the Virginia Department of Health for marriages from 1936 forward. In person is the fastest option.

To get a certified copy in person, go to the Tazewell County Courthouse at 253 Chamber Dr. Bring valid photo ID and the names of both parties along with an approximate year of the marriage. The fee is $5.00 for the first certified copy of a marriage certificate. If you need more than one copy of the same record at the same time, each additional copy costs $2.00. Plain copies cost less but are not accepted by courts or government agencies for legal proceedings.

Mail requests take longer but work well if you cannot visit in person. Write a letter with the names of both parties, the year, your return address, and a check or money order for the fee. Mail to the clerk at 253 Chamber Dr., Tazewell, VA 24651. Allow one to two weeks for processing. For records from 1936 to the present, the Virginia Department of Health Vital Records office also holds copies. VDH charges $12 per certified copy and offers online ordering through their website. VDH copies carry the state seal and are accepted by federal agencies.

The Virginia Department of Health Vital Records office provides certified copies of Tazewell County marriage records for marriages registered with the state from 1936 to the present.

VDH certified copies cost $12 each and can be ordered online or by mail. These documents are accepted by passport offices, the Social Security Administration, and most courts.

How to Get a Marriage License in Tazewell County

Both people must go to the Circuit Court Clerk's Office together to apply for a Tazewell County marriage license. You cannot send someone else in your place. Each person needs a valid government photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport. You also need your Social Security number. The clerk fills out the application with both of you present and collects the $30 license fee.

Under Virginia Code Section 20-14, a marriage license is valid for 60 days. The ceremony must take place before the license expires or you will need to apply again. There is no waiting period in Virginia. You can get the license and hold the ceremony on the same day.

After the ceremony, the officiant must return the completed license to the Tazewell County Circuit Court Clerk within 5 days. The clerk records it in the county register and sends a copy to the state as required by Virginia Code Section 32.1-267. That is how marriages end up in both the local record and the VDH statewide database.

What Tazewell County Marriage Records Contain

A certified Tazewell County marriage certificate shows the full names of both parties, the date and place of the ceremony, the officiant's name, and the county of issuance. It also notes prior marriage history for both parties. This is the document you need for legal tasks like changing a name on a Social Security card, updating a passport, or naming a spouse as a beneficiary.

The marriage license application itself has more background information. For recent records, this means dates of birth, home addresses, and Social Security details. For older records from the 1800s, it often includes parents' names, occupations, ages, and in some cases the name of the bondsman who guaranteed the license. These details make Tazewell County marriage records a useful resource for genealogy researchers tracing families through Southwest Virginia over several generations. The records show connections between households, confirm dates, and often reveal maiden names that would otherwise be hard to find.

Under Virginia Code Section 32.1-271, marriage records become public after 25 years from the date of the event. Before that, they are restricted to the parties to the marriage or their legal representatives. Under Virginia FOIA Section 2.2-3704, public records are accessible to any person without restriction.

Note: Marriage records are not criminal records and are not part of the court case database at vacourts.gov.

Tazewell County Historical Marriage Records

Tazewell County's records start from 1800. Marriages from that era through the mid-20th century are part of the county's historical archive. The most complete modern records run from 1936 forward, since that is when the state began consistently collecting marriage data through VDH. Records between 1912 and 1935 were required to be submitted to the state but compliance varied widely by county.

The Library of Virginia holds historical marriage records for Tazewell County including microfilmed registers from the 1800s and early 1900s. Their collection is searchable online through the Library's catalog. Indexes and digitized records are available for some periods. Researchers can also visit the Library in Richmond for direct access to microfilm and manuscript collections. The Library has made Tazewell County marriage data available as part of its broader effort to index and preserve local records from across Virginia.

For records between roughly 1853 and 1936, the clerk's office is the primary local source. The state did not maintain a reliable centralized system before 1936 for most Southwest Virginia counties. Contact the Tazewell County Circuit Court Clerk at (276) 988-7541 to ask what local records are available for a given period before making a trip or submitting a written request.

The Library of Virginia maintains historical marriage records for Tazewell County from the 19th century, including microfilmed registers and indexes that are not available through VDH or the local clerk's current holdings.

Search the Library's online catalog or visit their Richmond reading rooms to find Tazewell County marriage records from the 1800s and early 1900s.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or are near Tazewell in Southwest Virginia. Marriage licenses were issued where the couple lived, so check adjacent counties if you cannot find a record here.