Durham Marriage And Divorce Offices
Durham County marriage records begin with the Durham County Register of Deeds. That office issues marriage licenses, records returned licenses, and provides certified or uncertified marriage certificates. The Register of Deeds is separate from the court clerk. It is also the office tied to local vital records and land records, so marriage certificate work should not be routed to the criminal, civil, family, or probate counters at the courthouse.
Durham County divorce records are court records. Divorce filing is listed under Family Court, while older and newer divorce decrees are routed by age to different Clerk departments. The Durham records access page states that a divorce judgment copy can be obtained from the Durham County Clerk of Superior Court for a fee if the divorce was filed in Durham County. Use the Register of Deeds for the marriage certificate. Use the Clerk of Superior Court for the divorce decree.
| Record | Durham office | Best first step |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license application | Register of Deeds | Complete the online application and schedule the appointment. |
| Certified marriage certificate | Register of Deeds | Order through Permitium or contact vital records. |
| Divorce filing | Clerk of Superior Court, Family Court | Contact Family Court for filing and case process questions. |
| Recent divorce decree | Clerk of Superior Court, Civil | Use Civil for decrees less than 10 years old. |
| Older divorce decree | Clerk of Superior Court, Judgments | Use Judgments for decrees more than 10 years old. |
Apply For Durham Marriage License
The Durham County marriage license process is appointment based. The official marriage page says licenses are issued Monday through Friday, except holidays, during the posted license window. Both applicants should be present, should complete the online marriage application before the appointment, and must not already be married. The license must be used in North Carolina within 60 days after it is issued. If it is not returned for recording within that period, it is deemed expired and the applicants must apply again and pay again.
Applicants need valid, unexpired, legible photo identification and proof of Social Security. Acceptable photo identification includes a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. Acceptable Social Security proof includes a Social Security card, a legal document with full name and full Social Security number, a recent W-2 printed within the last two years, an insurance policy, or a bank letter on bank letterhead. Applicants age 18 to 21 must also provide a certified birth certificate. Underage applicants under 18 are told to contact the Register of Deeds for requirements.
The Register of Deeds office page is the source for the local marriage-record function.
That office context matters because Durham marriage certificates are vital records, not divorce case records.
Durham Marriage License Steps
A Durham County marriage license application has two parts: the online application and the in-person appointment. The online form prepares the Register of Deeds record, but the appointment is still where identity, eligibility, documents, signatures, and payment are handled. Names on proof documents must match, so applicants should resolve name or ID issues before the scheduled visit.
- Complete the online marriage application before the appointment with the Durham County Register of Deeds.
- Schedule the required appointment during the marriage-license issuance window.
- Bring valid photo identification, Social Security proof, and a certified birth certificate if age 18 to 21.
- Appear together unless the Register of Deeds has approved another lawful process.
- Pay the marriage license fee in cash, then use and return the license within the 60-day period.
The Durham marriage license rules page is the local source for appointment, document, and expiration rules.
The license rules show why a Durham marriage record search should track both issuance and later recording.
Durham Marriage Application Fields
Durham County uses the Register of Deeds online application before the appointment. The research source captured the Permitium vital records order fields in detail and the marriage-license requirements identify the proof that must be matched to the application. The application record should be treated as an identity-sensitive vital record workflow, not a general web search.
| Field or proof item | Required | Durham notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant names | Yes | Names must match valid, unexpired, legible photo ID and Social Security proof. |
| Photo identification | Yes | Driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID are listed examples. |
| Social Security proof | Yes | Card, qualifying legal document, recent W-2, insurance policy, or bank letter may be used. |
| Certified birth certificate | Conditional | Required for applicants age 18 to 21. |
| Appointment details | Yes | The online application must be completed before the scheduled appointment. |
| Eligibility statement | Yes | Applicants must not already be married and must marry in North Carolina. |
Durham Marriage Divorce Fees
The Register of Deeds publishes a local vital records fee schedule through the marriage and Permitium sources. Durham divorce copy fees are handled by the Clerk of Superior Court, but the research did not locate an exact official local amount for certified divorce decree copies. For that reason, the table lists the confirmed Durham marriage and vital records fees and flags the divorce copy channel without inventing a dollar amount.
| Item | Fee or payment note |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60, in office only, cash only on the marriage page |
| Certified marriage certificate | $10 |
| Uncertified marriage certificate | $1 |
| Marriage license correction | $10, in office only |
| Online service and credit card processing | Additional nonrefundable $4 |
| Vital Verify delivery orders | Additional nonrefundable $1 |
| Divorce judgment copy | Available from the Clerk for a fee if the divorce was in Durham County; confirm amount with the Clerk. |
The Durham Permitium vital records portal is the online ordering source for marriage certificate and other vital records fees.
Permitium is useful for certificate orders, but it does not replace the Clerk for a Durham divorce decree.
Search Durham Marriage Records
Durham County marriage records can be searched through Register of Deeds tools when the record has been returned and indexed. The Register of Deeds online public records search provides public search access, while the self-service system offers index-style access for land and vital index records. Certified status still matters. An online index entry can help identify a marriage record, but a certified certificate for legal use must come through the Register of Deeds process.
The Durham Register of Deeds self-service search is the direct search point captured in the research inventory.
The self-service search supports record discovery, while certificates still depend on the office's certified-copy rules.
For online vital orders, the Permitium inventory shows record type selection, applicant and order information, identity verification questions, delivery option, and payment fields. Communications for order, payment, progress, and delivery are sent by email. If identity cannot be determined, an identity-dependent request may be denied.
Find Durham Divorce Records
Durham County divorce records are not Register of Deeds records. Divorce filing is handled by Family Court at the courthouse, and divorce decrees are divided by age for copy requests. Divorce decrees less than 10 years old route to Civil at 919-808-3003, 1st Floor Room 1500. Divorce decrees more than 10 years old route to Judgments at 919-808-3008, 1st Floor Room 1400. Family Court is listed at 919-808-3075, 6th Floor Room 6500 for divorce filing.
Use the North Carolina eCourts Portal or public clerk terminals to identify the case when available, then request the decree through the Durham County Clerk of Superior Court. Divorce files may include pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, party names, filing dates, and related domestic case events. Sensitive details may be sealed or redacted, especially when minors, protected addresses, financial identifiers, or sealed exhibits are involved.
The Register of Deeds online search page is useful for Durham marriage index work.
That office-specific search makes the split clear: marriage records stay with the Register, while divorce decrees stay with the Clerk.
Note: A certified divorce judgment copy should be requested from the Clerk, not from the Register of Deeds.
Certified Durham Record Copies
Certified copies are used when a record must prove legal status. For Durham County marriage records, request the certified marriage certificate from the Register of Deeds through Permitium, in person, or another current office channel. For Durham County divorce records, identify the case and request the certified divorce judgment from the Clerk of Superior Court. The Clerk's records access material warns that users performing background checks should use the county clerk's office rather than relying only on Portal results.
Keep the record type, full names, date range, and case number or certificate details ready before contacting either office. Durham's split is practical: the Register of Deeds can certify the marriage certificate, while the Clerk can certify the court judgment ending the marriage. A marriage certificate does not prove divorce, and a divorce judgment does not replace the marriage certificate.