Worcester County Marriage License Records
Worcester County marriage license applications are filed at the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Snow Hill, Room 104 of the county courthouse. Many couples come to Worcester County specifically to get married in Ocean City, which is part of this county. The license fee is $35.00 and must be paid in cash. Walk-ins are accepted Monday through Friday. This page covers how to apply for a Worcester County marriage license, what the cash-only policy means, the three-copy process, Ocean City wedding details, certified copy requests, and how to search historical marriage records.
Worcester County Overview
Worcester County Marriage License Office
The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Worcester County is located at One West Market Street, Room 104, Snow Hill, MD 21863. The mailing address is P.O. Box 40, Snow Hill, MD 21863. The clerk is Susan Braniecki. You can reach the office by phone at 410-632-5500. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Marriage license applications are accepted through 4:00 PM. Civil ceremony hours run from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM and require advance scheduling by phone. The office is closed on weekends and all state holidays.
Worcester County has a strict cash-only policy for marriage license and civil ceremony fees. The $35.00 license fee and the $25.00 civil ceremony fee must both be paid in cash when you visit. No credit cards or personal checks are accepted for these services. For certified copies, you can pay by check or money order made payable to "Clerk of Court." For non-resident applications submitted by mail, money order is the required payment method. Plan accordingly before making the trip to Snow Hill.
The official Worcester County marriage license page at courts.state.md.us/clerks/worcester/marriage shows the cash-only requirement and three-copy policy. The screenshot below links to that official page for applicants who want to review requirements before visiting Snow Hill.
This page is the authoritative source for current Worcester County marriage license fees and application rules maintained by the Maryland Courts system.
The Worcester County Clerk of Circuit Court homepage is at courts.state.md.us/clerks/worcester. The screenshot below shows that homepage for the Snow Hill office, which links to all clerk services and contact details.
The clerk homepage is the main entry point for court services in Worcester County, including marriage license applications, certified copy requests, and general office information.
| Office | Clerk of the Circuit Court, Worcester County |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Susan Braniecki |
| Address | One West Market Street, Room 104, Snow Hill, MD 21863 |
| Phone | 410-632-5500 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| License Fee | $35.00 (CASH ONLY) |
| Civil Ceremony | $25.00 cash only, by appointment (call 410-632-5500) |
| Certified Copy | $5.50 per copy (check or money order for mail requests) |
Note: Worcester County accepts cash only for marriage license and ceremony fees. There are no ATMs inside the courthouse, so bring enough cash before you arrive in Snow Hill.
Applying for a Worcester County Marriage License
One party must appear in person at the Worcester County courthouse to apply. Both parties need to provide ID, but only one person needs to be present. The applicant must bring government-issued identification for both people. Acceptable IDs include a driver's license, birth certificate, or passport. Both parties must be 18 or older. Maryland law has not permitted anyone under 17 to marry since October 2022. A 17-year-old requires a court order before applying for a Worcester County marriage license. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Maryland since January 1, 2013.
The application form asks for the full legal name, place of residence, state or country of birth (with province if applicable), age, Social Security number, and marital status for each person. Social Security numbers are required by state law and kept secure. They do not appear on the issued license and are not for public inspection. If either party was previously married, you must list the exact date and place of each death or judicial dissolution that ended the prior marriage. If a prior marriage ended in divorce, bring a copy of the final divorce decree if you have it. This can speed up the process and confirm the dates required on the form.
One feature unique to Worcester County is the three-copy system. When you apply, you receive three copies of the marriage license. Your officiant uses these at the ceremony, completes the certificate portions, and signs them. The officiant then returns the completed certificates to the Worcester County Clerk within five days of the wedding. The clerk keeps the official record. Having three physical copies provides backup documentation and is part of Worcester County's standard process. After the license is issued, the 48-hour waiting period applies. The license becomes valid at 6:00 AM on the second calendar day after it is issued. The ceremony must take place in Worcester County.
For non-resident couples, the CC-FM-066 form is available at mdcourts.gov. Note that Worcester County does not use notaries for the non-resident form. Instead, you need a comparable official such as a Clerk of Court, Recorder of Deeds, or Prothonotary to complete the form. One party still needs to appear in person or make other arrangements with the clerk's office to file it. Non-resident fees must be paid by money order. Maryland Family Law Section 2-401 governs the requirements for all Maryland marriage licenses.
Getting a Worcester County Marriage License for Ocean City Weddings
Ocean City is located in Worcester County. Many couples plan beach weddings there and need to know that the marriage license must come from Worcester County, not from any other county. Since the ceremony happens in Ocean City, and Ocean City is in Worcester County, you get your license from the clerk's office in Snow Hill. The license is valid only within Worcester County, which covers Ocean City and the surrounding area. You apply in Snow Hill and marry in Ocean City. The process is the same as for any other Worcester County marriage license.
The screenshot below links to the Ocean City Beach Wedding guide for getting a Worcester County marriage license, which is specifically written for couples planning ceremonies in Ocean City.
The guide at oceancitybeachwedding.com walks couples through the steps for getting a Worcester County marriage license specifically for an Ocean City beach ceremony and covers common questions about the process.
For Ocean City beach weddings, remember that the 48-hour waiting period still applies. Apply for your Worcester County marriage license at least two full calendar days before your planned ceremony. The license is valid for six months after it is issued, giving you flexibility if your wedding date changes. The officiant must be eligible under Maryland law. Maryland does not have justices of the peace. Your officiant must be an ordained minister or a judge or clerk of a court of record. The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org provides a clear summary of who may legally perform a marriage in Maryland, which applies to Ocean City ceremonies just as it does anywhere else in Worcester County.
Note: No witnesses are required for the ceremony. The officiant must return the completed marriage certificate to the Worcester County Clerk within five days of the wedding date, whether the ceremony happened in Snow Hill, Ocean City, or anywhere else in the county.
Certified Copies of Worcester County Marriage Records
Certified copies of Worcester County marriage records cost $5.50 each. In-person requests are handled the same day during business hours. For mail requests, send your written request or completed form to: Clerk of the Circuit Court, Circuit Court for Worcester County, Marriage Records Department, One West Market Street Room 104, Snow Hill MD 21863. Include the names of both parties as they appeared on the original record, the date of the marriage, a check or money order for $5.50 per copy payable to "Clerk of Court," and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail requests typically take several business days.
The screenshot below shows the Worcester County FAQ page, which includes answers to common questions about county services including those related to marriage license applications and records.
The FAQ page at co.worcester.md.us/faq is a useful starting point for couples with general questions about Worcester County services before visiting the Snow Hill clerk office.
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us does not include marriage license records. These are kept confidential under Maryland court rules. To get a certified copy of a Worcester County marriage record, go through the clerk's office or the Maryland State Archives for older records.
Worcester County Marriage Records and Genealogy
Worcester County has marriage records on file at the Maryland State Archives going back to 1866. The key collection is the Worcester County Circuit Court Marriage Record 1866-1917, identified as MSA T3709. Additional collections cover various time periods through the twentieth century. Their guide at guide.msa.maryland.gov gives the full inventory of what is available and how to request records. On-site microfilm access at the Archives in Annapolis is free. Certified copies ordered from the Archives cost $25.00 each, and uncertified copies are $5.00.
FamilySearch has indexed Worcester County marriage records as part of broader Maryland collections. The FamilySearch Worcester County genealogy page at familysearch.org lists the available record sets and how to search them. FamilySearch is free to use and covers Maryland marriages spanning several centuries. The Enduring Connections database at enduringconnections.salisbury.edu from Salisbury University may also have Worcester County records for specific time periods. Check the site to see which counties and years are indexed there.
For recent marriage records, the Division of Vital Records at 410-764-3038 can provide records from January 1, 2007 onward. However, the Worcester County Clerk remains the primary and most efficient source for certified copies of records from Snow Hill. The clerk's office can process in-person requests the same day and can assist with both recent and older records held at the county level.
Nearby Counties in Maryland
Worcester County shares a border with Wicomico County to the west. Marriage licenses issued in Worcester County are valid only within the county. If your ceremony will be in another county, apply there for your license.