Search Talbot County Marriage License Records
Talbot County marriage license applications are handled by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Easton. The office is at Suite 16 of the Talbot County Courthouse, 11 North Washington Street. Walk-ins are accepted Monday through Friday. The license fee is $35.00 and processing is same day. This page covers how to apply, what documents you need, fees, how to get certified copies, and where to search Talbot County marriage records including historical collections going back to 1657.
Talbot County Overview
Talbot County Marriage License Clerk Office
The Talbot County Clerk of the Circuit Court operates out of Suite 16 on the ground floor of the Talbot County Courthouse. The address is 11 North Washington Street, Easton, MD 21601. To reach the Marriage License Department directly, call 410-822-2611 and press extension 2. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The office is closed on weekends and state holidays. Walk-in applications are accepted during all business hours. Civil ceremonies are by appointment only and must be scheduled through the clerk's office. Ceremony hours run from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
The license fee is $35.00. Payment is accepted by cash or credit card (Visa or Mastercard). The office does not accept bills larger than $50. Personal checks are not accepted for license fees. For non-resident applications, only money orders or certified checks are accepted. Civil ceremony fees of $25.00 must be paid in cash on the day of the ceremony. Certified copies of the marriage record cost $5.50 each and can be paid by cash, check, or credit card. The official Talbot County marriage license page at courts.state.md.us/clerks/talbot/marriage has the full requirements. The clerk homepage is at mdcourts.gov/clerks/talbot.
The screenshot below shows the official Talbot County marriage license page at courts.state.md.us, with requirements and fees for applying at the Easton courthouse.
The page is updated by the Maryland Courts system and is the best source for current Talbot County marriage license requirements before your visit.
| Office | Clerk of the Circuit Court, Talbot County, Suite 16 |
|---|---|
| Address | 11 North Washington Street, Easton, MD 21601 |
| Phone | 410-822-2611, Ext. 2 (Marriage License Department) |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| License Fee | $35.00 (cash or credit card; no bills over $50) |
| Civil Ceremony | $25.00 cash only, by appointment |
| Certified Copy | $5.50 per copy |
Note: The Talbot County clerk does not accept personal checks or bills over $50 for license fees. Bring cash or a Visa/Mastercard to the Easton courthouse.
Applying for a Talbot County Marriage License
At least one party must appear in person at the Talbot County courthouse to apply. The person who comes must bring photo ID for both parties. A driver's license, birth certificate, or passport are all acceptable forms of ID. Both parties must be over 18 years old. Under Maryland law, no one under 17 may marry. A 17-year-old requires a court order before they can apply for a Talbot County marriage license. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Maryland since January 1, 2013, and all couples who meet the age requirements are eligible to apply.
The application form at the Talbot County courthouse collects the full legal name, current street address (including county), age, state or country of birth, Social Security number, and current marital status for each person. Social Security numbers are required under Maryland law but will not be printed on the issued license. They stay on file with the clerk. If either party has been previously married, you must list the county, state, and exact date of each divorce or the death of the former spouse. This detail is required on the form. Have that information ready before you visit to avoid delays.
Processing takes about 15 minutes for walk-in applications. The license is issued the same day. After it is issued, a 48-hour waiting period applies. The license becomes effective at 6:00 AM on the second calendar day after the date of issue. You have six months to use the license, and the ceremony must take place within Talbot County. Maryland Family Law Section 2-401 sets the legal requirements for all Maryland marriage licenses. No blood test, witnesses, or residency requirements apply.
For couples who live outside Maryland, the non-resident form CC-FM-066 is available at mdcourts.gov. Both parties must sign the form before a notary or comparable official. One party still needs to appear in person at the Easton clerk office to submit it. Non-resident fees must be paid by money order or certified check, not personal check or cash.
Talbot County Marriage Records and Genealogy
Talbot County has marriage records dating to the colonial era. The Maryland State Archives holds several key collections for genealogy research. These include colonial records from 1657-1691, Marriage Licenses from 1794-1839 (MSA C1890) and 1794-1851 (MSA CM1012), Marriage Licenses from 1851-1867 (MSA CM970), Marriage Records from 1865-1920 (MSA CM1003), and a Marriage Record Index for 1966-1984 (MSA C2998). Most of these are available on microfilm at the Archives. Their guide at guide.msa.maryland.gov lists the full inventory and how to request records. On-site research access is free. Certified copies ordered through the Archives cost $25.00 each, while uncertified copies are $5.00.
One resource stands out for Talbot County: the Enduring Connections database from Salisbury University, which covers 474 marriage records from 1850 to 1875. The screenshot below links to this database, which lets you search for Talbot County marriages by bride or groom name from that period at no cost.
The Enduring Connections database at enduringconnections.salisbury.edu is free to use and provides direct access to indexed Talbot County marriage records from 1850 to 1875, which are hard to find elsewhere online.
FamilySearch also has indexed Talbot County marriage records. Their wiki page at familysearch.org lists available collections including colonial baptism and marriage records, Maryland Marriages 1658-1940, and specific Talbot County license sets from 1794 through 1850. Several published books also index Talbot County marriage licenses by decade, ranging from 1794-1810, 1794-1824, and 1825-1850. These may be found at the Maryland State Archives or through interlibrary loan. The State Archives local records guide for Talbot County is at msa.maryland.gov.
Note: Talbot County marriage records are not available through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search system. That portal covers civil and criminal cases only, not marriage license records.
Requesting Certified Copies of Talbot County Marriage Records
Certified copies of Talbot County marriage records cost $5.50 each. In-person requests are processed immediately during business hours. For mail requests, send the following to the Talbot County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 11 N. Washington St., Suite 16, Easton, MD 21601: the names of both parties as they appeared on the original license, the approximate date of the marriage, a check or money order for $5.50 per copy made payable to "Clerk, Circuit Court for Talbot County," and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail requests typically take 7 to 14 business days to process.
The Maryland State Archives can also provide certified copies for historical records at $25.00 each, or uncertified copies at $5.00. You can reach them by email at msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov or by fax at 410-974-2525. The Circuit Court for Talbot County page at mdcourts.gov/circuit/talbot has additional information about court services. The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org offers free guidance on the Maryland marriage process, including what the records contain and who can request them.
Nearby Counties in Maryland
Marriage licenses are county-specific in Maryland. Each county issues its own license, and your ceremony must be held in the county that issued it. If you plan to marry in a neighboring county, apply there instead.