Marriage Certificate — Adams County

Who can request this record

Either spouse named on the marriage record, an adult child of the couple, a parent of either spouse, or a legal representative acting on behalf of one of the spouses may obtain a certified copy. Other parties may be limited to non-certified informational copies, or to a certified copy after the restricted-access window has expired under Wisconsin law.

Where the record is held

Certified marriage certificates for events that occurred in Adams County are issued by the Wisconsin Vital Records Office, located at P.O. Box 309, Madison, WI 53701-0309. The state office maintains the official register of marriages from approximately 1907 onward. Statewide vital records since October 1907. County registers of deeds also keep records of events occurring in their county.

In Wisconsin, the original marriage license is filed with the county office that issued the license. If the marriage took place in Adams County, the county clerk, probate judge, or county recorder of Adams County may also be able to issue a certified copy directly — often faster and at a slightly different fee than the state office.

Common reasons people order this certificate

• Adding or removing a spouse from health insurance or a pension plan
• Filing for a name change at the Social Security Administration or DMV
• Sponsoring a spouse for an immigration or visa petition
• Filing joint state or federal tax returns
• Submitting evidence of marital status for divorce or estate proceedings

Step-by-step procedure

1. Confirm you are an eligible requester. Re-read the eligibility section above and gather any documents that establish your relationship to the registrant — for example, a copy of your own birth certificate, a marriage license, or a power of attorney.
2. Download the official application form. Visit the Wisconsin vital records website at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/vitalrecords/index.htm and download the current application for a marriage certificate. Print and complete every required field. Forms with missing fields are returned unprocessed.
3. Make a clear photocopy of your government-issued photo ID. A driver license, state ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, or permanent resident card is typically required. Some counties require a notary acknowledgement on the application instead of, or in addition to, the ID copy.
4. Prepare payment. The base state fee for a certified marriage certificate in Wisconsin is $20.00 per copy. Payment is normally accepted by personal check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to the issuing office. Online portals accept credit and debit cards with an additional service surcharge.
5. Submit your request. Mail the completed application, ID copy, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to Wisconsin Vital Records Office, P.O. Box 309, Madison, WI 53701-0309. Walk-in service is also available at the state office during business hours, and most counties accept walk-in requests at the county office that holds the original record.
6. Track your order. Mail-in requests are typically processed within 2 to 6 weeks of receipt. In-person requests can usually be filled the same day. Online orders through a state-approved vendor are usually delivered in 5 to 10 business days.

Cost summary for Adams County

The base state fee is $20.00 per certified copy. Many requesters need more than one copy:

• Order at least two copies if the certificate will travel through different agencies in parallel.
• Keep one certified copy for the Social Security Administration and one for the DMV when changing names.
• Immigration filings (USCIS, NVC, or consular) routinely demand a certified original within the last 12 months.

What to do if your record cannot be located

If the issuing office returns your request as “no record found,” the most common cause is a name spelling, date, or place-of-event mismatch. Resubmit with: alternate name spellings, a year range rather than an exact date, the parents’ or spouses’ full names, and the city or town within Adams County where the event was registered. For events that pre-date statewide registration in Wisconsin (around 1907), contact the county clerk, register of deeds, or local archive for the original parish, town, or church record.