Broome County Marriage Records Search

Broome County marriage records are managed at the town and city clerk level, not by the Broome County Clerk. The county clerk's office in Binghamton handles land records, court documents, and other filings, but marriage licenses and certificates belong to the local municipal clerks. If you need a marriage record from Broome County, you should contact the specific town or city clerk where the couple obtained their license. The county seat of Binghamton has its own city clerk who handles a large share of these records.

Where to Find Broome County Marriage Records

Marriage records in Broome County stay with the town or city clerk who issued the license. The Broome County Clerk, Aaron Martin, has an office at 60 Hawley Street, 3rd floor, Binghamton, NY 13901. You can reach them at (607) 778-2255 ext 6 or by email at clerkinfo@BroomeCountyny.gov. However, this office does not issue marriage licenses or keep marriage certificates. Its role is recording deeds, mortgages, and court documents.

The county clerk's office has managed records since 1806. They have an online document search at www.gobcclerk.com, which includes land records from 1935 and court documents from 1986. Marriage records are not part of that online system. For marriage records, you must go directly to the local clerk.

The Binghamton City Clerk is the busiest issuer of marriage licenses in Broome County. Other town clerks across the county also handle licenses. The key thing to know is that marriage records in Broome County are decentralized. There is no single office that holds all of them. Each clerk keeps records only for licenses they issued.

Searching Broome County Marriage Records

Start by figuring out where the couple got their license. If you know they lived in Binghamton, the city clerk there is the first place to check. If you are not sure, you have two options. You can call the individual town clerks in Broome County, or you can go through the state.

The New York State Department of Health holds copies of marriage certificates from 1881 to the present for all areas outside New York City. A mail order costs $30, and online orders are $45 plus processing. The state can search without knowing the exact municipality, which is helpful when you lack details. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602, and take 8 to 10 weeks.

For genealogy research, the New York State Archives has marriage indexes starting from 1881. Records over 50 years old are open to the public. These indexes can help you confirm whether a marriage took place in Broome County and narrow down which clerk to contact for the actual certificate.

How to Get a Marriage License in Broome County

Both people must appear in person at a town or city clerk's office in Broome County. Bring valid photo identification and proof of age. The license fee is $40, set by state law. Under Domestic Relations Law Section 15, a 24-hour waiting period applies after the license is issued. The license remains valid for 60 days.

If either person was previously married, you need documentation showing how that marriage ended. A certified copy of a divorce decree works, or a death certificate if the former spouse died. Both parties must be 18 or older. New York has no residency requirement for marriage licenses, so people from out of state can get a license in Broome County and use it anywhere in New York.

Broome County Towns and Municipal Clerks

Broome County has 16 municipalities, each with a town or city clerk. The largest is Binghamton, the county seat. The towns of Vestal and Union are also sizable communities with active clerk offices. Other municipalities include Barker, Chenango, Colesville, Conklin, Dickinson, Fenton, Kirkwood, Lisle, Maine, Nanticoke, Sanford, Triangle, and Windsor.

Each of these clerks can issue marriage licenses. The license is valid statewide. You can buy a license in Union and get married in Binghamton, or the other way around. The officiant must return the signed certificate to the issuing clerk within five days of the ceremony. That clerk then files it and keeps the record permanently.

Hours vary widely among Broome County's town clerks. Binghamton keeps regular weekday hours. Smaller towns like Nanticoke, Lisle, and Triangle may have part-time clerks with limited schedules. Call ahead before visiting any of the rural town offices. The phone numbers are listed on the Broome County government website.

State Resources for Broome County Marriage Records

When local clerks cannot help, the state has backup options. The NY.gov marriage page explains the statewide process. The state health department can search their database for any record from 1881 onward. Priority handling is available for $15 extra, cutting the wait from 10 weeks to about two weeks if you use overnight delivery both ways.

The state archives in Albany hold indexes to marriages but not the actual certificates. Their online catalog can help you find what is available. For Broome County records specifically, the county historian's office may also have information about older marriages and can direct you to relevant local resources.

When applying for a license, both people need to bring valid photo ID and proof of age. A driver's license or passport works for both. If either person was married before, a certified divorce decree or death certificate for the former spouse is required. Hospital birth certificates will not be accepted. Only the official version from a state health department counts. These requirements apply at every clerk's office in Broome County. Showing up without the right paperwork means the clerk cannot process your application.

There is a meaningful price difference between local and state copies. A Broome County town clerk charges $10 for a certified marriage record. The state Department of Health charges $30 by mail or $45 online. Local is cheaper and faster. But the state search does not require knowing which municipality issued the license, which can save time in a county with 16 different clerks. Under Domestic Relations Law Section 15 and Section 20-B, the state keeps copies of all marriage records filed outside New York City. Records over 50 years old are public. Newer records have restricted access.

Cities in Broome County

The Town of Union is the largest community in Broome County with a dedicated page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Broome County shares borders with these neighboring counties.