Review Free Auglaize County Marriage Records (Ohio)

Look up free Auglaize County marriage records using a vast collection of online databases and resources.

This resource helps individuals find out if someone is married in Auglaize County, Ohio, and get official copies of the desired record — such as a marital certificate or license — as seamlessly as possible. Below, links to search tools, record custodians, required forms, and more will be provided for convenient and seamless lookups.

How To Access Auglaize County Marriage Records at No Cost

Under Section 3101.051 of the Ohio Revised Code, anyone can access and inspect marriage license records created and maintained in Auglaize County.¹ However, certain details, like the social security numbers, are not open for public inspection in general.

A marriage license officially allows a couple to get married. On the other hand, a marriage certificate confirms the authenticity of a marital union. A marriage record (certificate or license) can be sought for a variety of reasons: to satisfy personal curiosity or to fulfill a legal requirement (e.g., changing name after marriage, tracing family history etc.).

Auglaize County marital records can be found through the county’s probate court, an agency that maintains records of the marital unions that took place within the county since 1848.²

Certified copies serve as legal proof of a marriage. There are two options to obtain a certified copy of a marriage record through Auglaize County probate court — in person or by mail, at a cost of $3 for each copy.

By Mail — Interested persons can send a written request by including the following:

• Names of the spouses at the time they obtained the marriage license
• The year or range of years in which they were married
• The number of certified copies requested
• $3.00 (check, exact amount of cash or money order, made payable to the “Auglaize County Probate Court”) for each certified copy
• Applicant’s name and contact details (address and phone number)
• Reason for the marriage certificate request
• The applicant’s relationship with the parties to the marriage
• A self-addressed, stamped envelope for the delivery of the certified documents

Next, the certified marriage record request may be mailed to the following address:

Auglaize County Probate Court
201 S. Willipie Street, Suite 119
Wapakoneta, OH 45895

Phone: 419-739-6778

In Person — To inquire about access to marriage records in person, people may visit the office during regular office hours (Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., as mentioned in the FAQs section) at the above address.³

Generally, only certain persons (the parties or their legal representatives) are authorized to obtain certified copies of a marriage certificate or a license.

Those wishing to obtain only informational copies or non-certified copies, may contact the probate office to get details regarding the process and fees.

The marriage record request process is the same across the county of Auglaize, OH.

The probate court keeps records of all marriages that have taken place in the county e.g., the city of Wapakoneta, village of New Bremen or the Saint Mary’s Township.

However, there is no option to search through the available probate court marriage records to find someone’s marital status or request a copy online. Even the government-endorsed third-party site VitalChek does not provide marriage records for Auglaize County.

If a marriage occurred in a neighboring county or another place in the state, the Auglaize County probate court may not be able to retrieve that record. In that case, a statewide public marriage records search may be required.

The statewide system of vital statistics is not open to the public and marriage records are not made available by the Ohio Department of Health’s Office of Vital Statistics.⁴ An alternative method is to look up Ohio marriage records that are already made publicly accessible by other county governments.

For example, some Ohio counties that share boundaries with Auglaize County, such as Van Wert County and Hardin County, provide online probate court case search options (that include records of marriages) on their respective websites.^{5, 6}

To get online access to recent marriage records in Auglaize County, people may consider utilizing third-party providers. Third-party search sites compile public data from various sources, e.g., online family history records, social media etc. So, users can discover information that otherwise might not be found through official government agencies.

Those wishing to study family history and genealogy may seek older marriage records that in Auglaize County that can be traced back as far as the 1800s. Several local and state archives can be used for this purpose, as outlined below.

How Do You Find Historical Marriage Records in Auglaize County for Genealogical Purposes?

Early marriage records can be found through local public libraries and historical societies such as St. Mary’s Community Public Library and Auglaize County Public Library.^{7, 8, 9}

Before visiting a library in person, users can begin to search for resources and place a request online.¹⁰

For records of Auglaize County marriages that were held between 1848–1921, as well as marital consent records for the period 1906–1926, Ohio residents may make a trip to the Wright State University Libraries’ Special Collection & Archives.^{11, 12}

The State Archives’ Ohio History Connection maintains many statewide genealogical resources allowing citizens to research old records of marriages.¹³ To check if they have the materials of interest, users can access their Online Record Collections Catalog and search with the keyword: Auglaize County Probate Marriage.¹⁴

The materials at this archive are stored as reels of negative microfilm, which is not meant for public use. Copies can be made available to the public upon request. Record seekers may request a research appointment to visit the reading room in person.¹⁵

Some records of marriages may not be available if they involve the kinds of marital relationships not supported by the public policy of the state. For example, common law marriages are not valid in Ohio except for the ones that occurred before 1991.¹⁶

Although same-sex marriages are legal across the country following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision, the state of Ohio has not yet passed a law recognizing the marriage or civil unions of same-sex couples.¹⁷

To increase the likelihood of finding a specific record, people can expand their research beyond Auglaize County and search for records filed across the state.

To locate marriages that occurred prior to 1830, two valuable resources can be found in the state archives: Ohio Marriages Recorded in County Courts through 1820: an Index (Volume I & II) offered by the Ohio Genealogical Society.¹⁸ Some local county marriage records are kept by the Ohio Network of American History Research Centers.¹⁹

The State Library of Ohio is another agency that may hold relevant historical marriage records compiled by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).^{20, 21, 22} Those wishing to get a library card can use the Ohio Public Library Information Network — also known as OPLIN’s Find a Library portal — to locate the nearest Ohio public library branch.²³

However, the aforementioned agencies do not provide any online public access portal to do a county-wide marriage record search by name or year. Plus, the availability of records may vary by time period and location.

So, it is advisable to connect with the respective librarian/support team for information on available databases and resources. Each of the websites (links provided above) contain “Contact Us” sections to encourage researchers to reach out to them in person, by phone, email and also guide them on how to plan a trip during normal reading hours.

How Do You Get a Marriage License in Auglaize County?

Those wishing to apply for a marriage license in Auglaize County must meet certain criteria as outlined below. The requirements include:

• Both persons should be at least 18 years of age. However, 17-year-old applicants can be allowed to marry only after receiving a Juvenile Court consent.
• At least one of the parties must be a resident of Auglaize County. In that case, the license is valid anywhere within the state of Ohio.
• If both spouses are out-of-state residents, they can receive a marriage license as well, but it can be used to get married only in Auglaize County.
• Applicants who were previously married are required to show a copy of their divorce decree.
• No birth certificates or blood tests are required for the issuance of a marriage license. However, details such as date, location of birth and parents’ names (including the applicant’s mother’s maiden name) should be correctly listed on the application.

Eligible couples may visit the Auglaize County Probate Court, which is the only authorized agency allowed to issue a marriage license in the county. The fee for an Auglaize marriage license is $63.00, accepted through credit cards, cash or check.²⁴

There is no option to pre-register for a marriage license or apply online. So, both applicants must appear in person together while carrying a valid government-issued photo identification (ID), e.g., a driver’s license, passport with them.

Unlike many states in the U.S., Auglaize County, Ohio does not mandate a waiting period to receive a marriage license; it can be issued on the same day as the application and will be valid for 60 days.

This resource provides guidance on finding all information required to search for Auglaize County marriage records, in the most streamlined and cost-effective manner possible.