Wake County Marriage License
Wake County marriage licenses are issued by the Wake County Register of Deeds, not by the Clerk of Superior Court. Register of Deeds Tammy L. Brunner's office states that North Carolina requires a marriage license before a ceremony. Both applicants must appear in person to obtain the license. No appointment is needed, and applicants may walk in during the published marriage-license service window.
The main Register of Deeds office is inside the Wake County Justice Center at 300 S. Salisbury St., Suite 1700, Raleigh, NC 27601. Wake also lists regional marriage-license service locations in Wake Forest, Fuquay-Varina, Zebulon, and Raleigh's Departure Drive location. Several regional centers are cash only for license payments, so the payment method should be checked before choosing a location.
The Wake marriage license instructions are the source for the local checklist, fee, service locations, and magistrate ceremony details.
The license page is the starting point for couples because it explains what to bring before the in-person visit.
Apply for Wake Marriage License
A Wake County marriage license requires both parties to appear, show valid government-issued identification, provide proof of Social Security number or ITIN, and pay the license fee. If no Social Security number was issued, the office can complete an affidavit in lieu of Social Security electronically. Applicants ages 16 to 20 need a certified birth record. If a divorce was finalized within the last 30 days, bring a certified copy of the divorce.
- Complete the online application before arrival if desired; it does not need to be printed.
- Choose the downtown Register of Deeds office or one of the listed regional service centers.
- Both applicants appear in person with valid government-issued ID and Social Security or ITIN proof.
- Bring a certified birth record if either applicant is age 16 to 20.
- Bring a certified divorce copy if a prior divorce was finalized within the last 30 days.
- Pay the $60 license fee using a payment method accepted at that location.
- Use the license for a ceremony in North Carolina within 60 days of issuance.
Wake Marriage Checklist Fields
The research captures a checklist rather than a full form printout. The required information still translates into a practical field inventory. The Register of Deeds needs identity, Social Security or ITIN proof, age support when applicable, and recent divorce proof when applicable. Both applicants must be present because the online application alone does not issue the license.
| Field / Item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full legal name | Yes | Must match the identity documents presented. |
| Valid government-issued ID | Yes | Required for both applicants. |
| Social Security number or ITIN proof | Yes, if issued | An affidavit can be completed if no Social Security number was issued. |
| Age / certified birth record | Required for ages 16 to 20 | Applicants in this age range need a certified birth record. |
| Prior divorce proof | Conditional | Certified divorce copy required if finalized within the last 30 days. |
| Both applicants present | Yes | Both parties must appear to obtain the license. |
| North Carolina ceremony timing | Yes | The ceremony must take place in North Carolina within 60 days of issuance. |
Wake Marriage Divorce Fees
Wake County research gives exact amounts for the marriage license, magistrate ceremony, and certified marriage certificate copy. Divorce filing and certified divorce judgment costs should be verified with the Clerk of Superior Court because the research states that fees apply but does not provide a single amount for every divorce service. State vital-record certificate orders have a separate state search fee.
| Item | Amount | Office / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60 | Wake County Register of Deeds; cash or credit card at main office, several regional centers cash only. |
| Magistrate civil ceremony | $50 cash, exact change | Wake County Justice Center, Room 901. |
| Certified Wake birth, death, or marriage certificate | $10 | Wake Register of Deeds certified copy. |
| N.C. Vital Records state search fee | $24 | State vital-record order route. |
| Divorce judgment copy | Fee applies, verify with clerk | Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted. |
Wake Marriage Service Locations
Wake County lists five marriage-license service locations. The downtown location also houses the Register of Deeds main office. Regional centers help many residents avoid a downtown Raleigh trip, but payment limits differ. The main office accepts cash or credit cards for the marriage license, while the research notes that several regional centers are cash only.
| Location | Address | Payment Note |
|---|---|---|
| Register of Deeds Office | Wake County Justice Center, 300 S. Salisbury St., Suite 1700, Raleigh | Cash or credit cards accepted for license fee. |
| Northern Regional Center | 350 E. Holding Avenue, Wake Forest | Cash only per research. |
| Southern Regional Center | 130 N. Judd Parkway NE, Fuquay-Varina | Cash only per research. |
| Eastern Regional Center | 1002 Dogwood Drive, Zebulon | Cash only per research. |
| Departure Regional Center | 5809 Departure Drive, Raleigh | Cash only per research. |
The Register of Deeds hours and location page is the source for office location, mailing address, email, public hours, and parking or direction links.
The location page helps separate marriage license service from courthouse divorce and court-file business.
Wake Magistrate Marriage Ceremony
Wake County civil marriage ceremonies are available through magistrates at the Wake County Justice Center, 300 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27601, 9th Floor, Room 901. The published ceremony hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. No appointment is needed. The ceremony fee is $50 cash, exact change, and the couple must bring two witnesses age 18 or older.
Magistrate Civil Ceremony
Wake County Justice Center
300 S. Salisbury St., Room 901
Raleigh, NC 27601
$50 cash, exact change
The N.C. divorce and marriage help topic gives statewide marriage and divorce context that supports Wake County's local license process.
The state court help topic is useful when a Wake County marriage question overlaps with statewide marriage requirements or divorce forms.
Search Wake Marriage Records
Wake County marriage certificates are issued by the Register of Deeds. Certified copies cost $10. The fastest route is in person at one of the five locations. The downtown office accepts cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card, but Apple Pay and Google Pay are not accepted. Regional centers list cash, check, or money order only for certificates.
Eligible requesters include the person on the certificate, immediate family members, someone seeking information for a legal determination of personal or property rights, and authorized agents, attorneys, or legal representatives. Online requests are available and may take up to two days to process. Mail requests require a signed application, a copy of a driver's license or passport, and a $10 check or money order.
The Wake vital certificates page is the source for certified copy fees, eligible requesters, online and mail routes, and payment types.
Certificate-copy rules matter because a public search result is not the same as a certified copy for legal use.
Wake Register Search Portal
The Wake Register of Deeds self-service records search is an official public records search portal for Register of Deeds records. Marriage certificate users should still follow the vital certificate request process when a certified copy is needed. The ROD record search portal is best read as a self-service records tool, while certified marriage certificate requests follow the certificate page rules.
For court-file records, use the court system instead. A divorce case, divorce judgment, or divorce-related order is not a Register of Deeds marriage certificate. It is a court record held by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was filed or granted.
Find Wake Divorce Records
Wake County divorce records are different from marriage licenses and certificates. Divorce case files and divorce judgments are court records maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was filed or granted. The Judicial Branch says a copy of a divorce judgment can be obtained from the clerk of court's office in the county where the divorce was granted for a fee.
N.C. Vital Records has divorce certificates from 1958 to present, but a divorce certificate is not the same as a judgment. A certificate generally confirms certificate-level facts such as names, plaintiff and defendant, marriage and separation dates, and related facts. For source documents, signed court orders, and case-file detail, use the Wake County Clerk of Superior Court when the divorce was granted in Wake County.
The N.C. Vital Records marriage certificate page explains the state role for marriage certificates and confirms that licenses are issued by county Registers of Deeds.
State vital-record pages are helpful for certificates, while county offices remain the source for the local license and court judgment.
Wake Divorce Judgment Process
A divorce filing begins by confirming North Carolina residency and whether Wake County is the proper county. The filing party prepares the state divorce packet or forms, files with the Clerk of Superior Court, pays required fees or requests a fee waiver if eligible, serves the other spouse, waits the required response time, and requests judgment or hearing as allowed. Certified copies are obtained from the clerk after entry.
Child custody, child support, equitable distribution, and domestic violence orders may involve separate filings and deadlines. Those records can have different access rules and may include redactions or restricted information. For court case search and certified court copies, the Clerk of Superior Court is the correct path, not the Register of Deeds.
North Carolina Vital Records
N.C. Vital Records is the state-level office for certain marriage and divorce certificates. The state divorce certificates page states that divorce certificates from 1958 to present are held by Vital Records, while divorce judgments come from the county Clerk of Court. The state ordering page lists certificate ordering routes and a $24 state search fee.
A practical distinction controls the request. Use Wake Register of Deeds for Wake County marriage licenses and certified marriage certificates. Use Wake Clerk of Superior Court for divorce judgments and court case files. Use N.C. Vital Records when a state-level certificate is enough for the purpose or when the event falls under state certificate coverage.
The N.C. Vital Records divorce certificate page is the source for the state certificate distinction from county divorce judgments.
The state divorce certificate route is useful for certificate proof, but a judgment copy still comes from the clerk where the divorce was granted.