Where Westchester County Marriage and Divorce Records Live
No single office keeps every record. A marriage license is issued by a town or city clerk, not by the Westchester County Clerk. The state then keeps the marriage record itself. Divorce is a court matter, so the divorce file sits with the County Clerk's Legal Division in White Plains. The state also issues a separate divorce certificate. Knowing this split saves time.
Marriage records and divorce records follow different access rules. A marriage record can be ordered by a spouse or by someone with a proper purpose. A divorce file is far more closed. New York law seals matrimonial details, so only the parties or their attorneys may pull the full court file. The sections below walk through each path, the fees, and the proof you must bring.
You can start a Westchester County marriage records search at the state health department or at the issuing clerk. A divorce records request starts with the County Clerk or the state, depending on whether you need the court file or just a certificate.
Marriage Licenses Issued by Town and City Clerks
In New York, town and city clerks issue marriage licenses. The Westchester County Clerk does not. A couple may apply at any city or town clerk in the state, and the license is good statewide. So a Westchester resident is not locked into a local office. The clerk who issues the license is also the clerk who later holds a copy of the marriage record.
The state Department of Health explains the rules for marriage records and how to apply. Read the official NYS DOH marriage license guide before you go. The state also says couples should contact the issuing clerk if the Certificate of Marriage Registration does not arrive within four weeks of the wedding.
Marriage in New York is governed by the Domestic Relations Law. The statute on the license itself is set out in Domestic Relations Law § 13, which requires a license before any marriage. Local clerks apply this law when they take an application.
The state's marriage license guide spells out who may apply and what to bring. The screenshot below shows that official guide.
That guide is the best source for current local steps, since each town or city clerk follows the same state rules.
How to Apply for a Westchester County Marriage License
The process is short once you pick a clerk. Both people apply together in person. Have your ID ready and know if a prior marriage ended. The steps run in this order.
- Choose a New York town or city clerk to handle the application.
- Bring required photo ID and any proof of a prior divorce or a spouse's death if the clerk asks for it.
- Both parties complete and sign the application in front of the clerk.
- Pay the local license fee set by that clerk's office.
- Get the license; New York licenses become effective after the statutory waiting period and stay valid statewide for the set period.
- Have the ceremony performed by an authorized officiant.
- The officiant returns the signed license to the issuing clerk for registration.
Note: if your Certificate of Marriage Registration does not arrive within four weeks of the wedding, call the clerk that issued the license.
Marriage License Application and ID
The clerk needs to confirm who you are and whether you are free to marry. To order a certified marriage record later, the state asks for set ID and proof of eligibility. The table lists what the state requires for a certified marriage record. Bring the same kind of proof when you apply.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse / eligible requester | Yes | A spouse, a person with a documented judicial or proper purpose, or a person with a New York State court order. |
| One photo ID | Yes (one option) | Driver license, state nondriver ID, passport, or U.S. military photo ID. |
| Two proofs of name and address | Yes (other option) | Used if no photo ID; for example a utility or phone bill or government letter dated within six months. |
| Passport copy | Sometimes | Required for foreign-country applicants who need a passport for travel. |
You may meet the ID rule with one photo ID, or with two proofs of name and address. Pick whichever set you can supply.
Westchester County Marriage Record Fees
The state Department of Health sets the fee for a certified marriage record. The cost depends on how you order. Online and phone orders cost more than mail and add a vendor processing fee. The table lists current state fees by order type.
| Order Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Online / phone NYS DOH order | $45 plus vendor processing fee per transaction |
| Mail NYS DOH order | $30 |
Payment rules differ too. Online and phone orders take MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express, or ACH. Mail orders take a personal check, a postal money order, or a certified check payable to the NYS Department of Health. No cash is accepted by mail.
Divorce filing fees are set by the court and the County Clerk, not by the health department. Plan to confirm those amounts with the Clerk before you file, since matrimonial filings carry their own court fees.
How to Look Up Westchester County Marriage Records
Marriage records since 1881 are held by the New York State Department of Health for licenses bought anywhere in the state except New York City. Copies are also available from the town or city clerk that issued the original license. So you have two paths for a Westchester County marriage records search: order from the state, or go back to the issuing clerk.
The state's vital records office runs the main order system. Start at the official NYS DOH marriage records page to see who may order and how. The screenshot below shows that official marriage page.
That page links the order forms and the fee and ID rules in one spot, which keeps a marriage record request clean.
To find a record you need the names of both spouses and the rough date and place of the marriage. The state asks for ID and proof that you are a spouse or have a proper purpose. Without that proof the order will not go through.
Correcting a Westchester County Marriage Record
Mistakes on a marriage record can be fixed. The state uses the DOH-1827 Affidavit for Correction of Marriage for many changes. A gender or name amendment may take a judgment, order, or decree, an amended birth certificate, or a notarized affidavit for a gender-only change.
For a gender or name change, you submit the proof to the town or city clerk that issued the original license. That clerk then issues the revised certificate. Keep a copy of any court order you rely on, since the clerk will want to see it.
Note: the correction affidavit and supporting proof go to the issuing clerk, not to the County Clerk, because that office holds the original license.
How to Find Westchester County Divorce Records
Divorce, separation, and annulment are Supreme Court matters in New York, not Family Court. The Westchester Supreme Court handles these cases, and the County Clerk Legal Division holds the files. So a divorce records search runs through the Clerk, not the health department, when you need the actual court file.
Access is tight. Domestic Relations Law restricts who can see a matrimonial file. The County Clerk says only the parties or attorneys of record may access divorce files and decrees, and they must show ID such as a valid driver license or passport. A stranger to the case cannot pull the file without a court order.
The matrimonial confidentiality rule is set out in Domestic Relations Law § 235. The statute keeps the pleadings and details out of public view. The screenshot below shows the official text.
That section is why the Clerk asks for proof of who you are before releasing a divorce file.
A related rule covers adoption orders, which are also sealed. The text of Domestic Relations Law § 114 shows how those orders are kept confidential. The image below shows that statute.
Adoption files are even more closed than divorce files, and most need a court order to open.
Filing a Divorce in Westchester County
An uncontested divorce can be done with the state's forms. The County Clerk's legal forms list includes the Certificate of Dissolution of Marriage, the Uncontested Divorce Procedures and Forms, the Uncontested Note of Issue, and the RJI with Matrimonial Addendum. The general path runs through the Supreme Court.
- Confirm your residency and grounds under New York law.
- Prepare the summons, the complaint or uncontested divorce packet, the RJI and matrimonial addendum, and the Certificate of Dissolution.
- File in Supreme Court, using NYSCEF if e-filing is required or available.
- Serve the other spouse.
- Complete the settlement, default, or contested litigation steps.
- Submit the judgment packet to the court.
- Obtain a certified judgment or decree only as a party or attorney of record, or by court order.
Note: even after the divorce is final, only a party, an attorney of record, or someone with a court order may get a certified copy of the decree.
New York Vital Records and Divorce Certificates
The New York State Department of Health is the central vital records office. It keeps marriage records since 1881 outside New York City. It also issues divorce certificates and keeps divorce certificates for both the state and New York City. A divorce certificate is not the same as the full court file; it confirms the divorce but holds far less detail.
To order a divorce certificate by mail, the state uses the DOH-4378 application. The general vital records hub links the forms, fees, and ID rules. Start at the official NYS DOH vital records page. The screenshot below shows that hub.
From that hub you can reach marriage record orders, the DOH-4378 divorce certificate form, and the contact details for the state office.
New York State Department of Health, Vital Records
Holds marriage records since 1881 (outside NYC) and divorce certificates statewide.
Order online, by phone, or by mail using DOH forms.