Marriage records in New York City do not come from the Health Department — they come from the City Clerk’s Marriage Bureau, and they take a different route than birth records from the same city. Getting this wrong is the single most common reason a New York marriage apostille comes back unprocessed.
Three sources, three routes
New York State Department of Health. A marriage certificate issued by NYS DOH and signed by the Director of Vital Statistics or the NYS Registrar goes directly to the Department of State with no County Clerk step.
A town, city or county clerk outside New York City. Marriage records issued by a local official must first be certified by the County Clerk of the county where the record was issued, then submitted for the apostille.
New York City. Marriage records for the five boroughs come from the City Clerk’s Marriage Bureau. The certified copy must then be certified by the County Clerk’s Office before the Department of State will process it. Note the difference from NYC birth records: birth and death certificates require a Letter of Exemplification, marriage records do not — they need the City Clerk’s original signature and the County Clerk’s verification of it.
The Department of State fee is $10 per document, plus a few dollars for County Clerk certification and whatever the issuing office charges for the certified copy. Walk-in same-day service is available at five counters and capped at ten documents per customer.
What will not be accepted
The certificate handed to the couple by the officiant is not a certified record. Neither is a photocopy, nor a copy attested by a notary — New York will not apostille a notarized photocopy of a vital record, because the apostille would then be certifying the notary rather than the record, and the receiving country is asking for the record.
Divorce records are different
New York City divorce certificates follow the state route rather than the NYC route, and the underlying judgment of divorce is a court record certified by the County Clerk of the county where the case was heard. Both are covered on our New York divorce decree page.
Where these go
Spousal visas and residency, foreign property purchases, name change recognition, church and civil registry filings, and pension claims. The heaviest destinations from New York are Italy, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Ecuador, Israel and China.
How we handle it
- Tell us where the marriage was registered — the borough, town or county. That determines the route before anything else.
- We order the certified copy from the correct office, or review the one you hold.
- We obtain the County Clerk certification where required, then file at the Department of State counter in person.
- Certified translation runs alongside where the destination requires it.
- The apostilled original returns by trackable courier.
Where do I get a certified copy of a New York City marriage certificate?
From the City Clerk’s Marriage Bureau, not from the Health Department. It must then be certified by the County Clerk’s Office before the Department of State will process the apostille.
Does a marriage certificate need a Letter of Exemplification?
No. That requirement applies to New York City birth and death certificates. Marriage records need the City Clerk’s original signature verified by the County Clerk instead.
How much is it?
$10 per document to the Department of State, plus County Clerk certification of a few dollars where required, plus the issuing office’s fee for the certified copy.
Can I apostille the certificate from the ceremony?
No. The keepsake certificate is not a certified government record. You need a certified copy from the issuing office.
We married in New York but live abroad — can you do this remotely?
Yes. We can order the certified copy, obtain the County Clerk certification, file the apostille in person, arrange translation and courier the result to any address worldwide.
New York documents, filed at the counter
Tell us the document and the destination country. We confirm the certification chain before anything is filed, quote the exact total, and present it in person.
Start an order Ask a question firstCall (760) 469-2997 or email submissions@federalapostille.org.
