Vital Records:
Marriage Licenses:
You may apply for a marriage license in either your town of residence or the town where the marriage will occur. If you choose to apply in Stafford and plan to use the license to marry in another town, you will need to provide documentation with a Stafford address.
Marriage License Requirements:
- The Bride and Groom must both appear in person (although it need not be at the same time) with current identification such as a drivers license or picture ID. Be prepared to answer a series of questions concerning your personal facts and the anticipated date, place of marriage and who will perform the ceremony. Filling out the Marriage License Worksheet Form* prior to coming in will help expedite the process.
- After completion of the application the Town Clerk will issue the license. The fee for the license is $30.00.
- The marriage must take place not more than sixty-five days after the date of application.
- You will need to present the license to the person performing the marriage. After the ceremony, the officiator will sign and return the license to the town where the marriage occurred.
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Certified copies of the license may be obtained by filing a Request for Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate Form* with the Town Clerk's Office of town of occurrence or the town of residence after it has been received for record. The fee for a certified copy is $10.00. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for mail requests. |
Civil Unions:
A civil union is a legal union between two people of the same sex which grants the parties all the same benefits, protections and responsibilities under state law, whether derived from the general statutes, administrative regulations or court rules, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, as are granted to spouses in a marriage.
Civil Union Requirements:
- Both parties must appear in person (although it need not be at the same time) with current identification such as a drivers license or picture ID. Be prepared to answer a series of questions concerning your personal facts and the anticipated date, place where the union will occur, and who will perform the ceremony. Filling out the Civil Union Worksheet Form* prior to coming in will help expedite the process.
- There is no residency requirement for Connecticut Civil Unions
- To be eligible to enter into a civil union, a person must be:
- Over 18 or an emancipated minor
- Of the same sex as the other party to the civil union
- Not a party to another civil union or marriage
- Not the parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew of the other party to the civil union
- Not under the supervision of a conservator, unless written consent is provided by the conservator
- The union must take place not more than sixty-five days after the date of application.
- You will need to present the license to the person performing the union. After the ceremony, the officiator will sign and return the license to the town where the union occurred.
- Persons who are already joined in a Vermont civil union or California domestic partnership may not enter into a Connecticut civil union since they are already joined in a relationship which is legally recognized in Connecticut.
- Persons who are already joined in a Massachusefts same-sex marriage are eligible to enter into a Connecticut civil union, since the same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in Connecticut.
- Any person eligible to officiate a marriage ceremony in this state is granted the authority to perform a civil union ceremony. The law expressly states that any authorized person who refuses for any reason to join persons in a civil union is not subject to any fine or other penalty.
- A civil union is dissolved through a court proceeding similar to a dissolution of a marriage.
- After completion of the application the Town Clerk will issue the license. The fee for the license is $30.00.
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Certified copies of the license may be obtained by filing a Request for Certified Copy of Civil Union Certificate Form* with the Town Clerk's Office of town of occurrence or the town of residence after it has been received for record. The fee for a certified copy is $10.00. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for mail requests. |
Birth Certificates:
Birth Certificates are on file in the Town Clerk's Office of the town in which the birth occurred and in the town in which the child's mother lived at the time of birth.
Birth Certificate for individuals under the age of 100 years old are confidential in Connecticut and are available only to the individual (18 years or older), his or her spouse, parent, adult child, grandparent, or legal guardian.
| Certified copies of a birth certificate may be obtained by filing a Request for Certified Copy of Birth Certificate Form* with the Town Clerk's Office. The fees for a certified copies are as follows: Wallet Size - $5.00 Full Size - $10.00 Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for mail requests. |
Death Certificates:
Death Certificates are on file in the Town Clerk's Office of the town in which the death occurred and in the town in which the individual lived at the time of death.
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Certified copies of a death certificate may be obtained by filing a Request for Certified Copy of Death Certificate Form* with the Town Clerk's Office. The fee for a certified copy is $10.00. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for mail requests. |
| * | Downloadable forms are in PDF format. You must have Acrobat® Reader® installed to view the forms. |