Where St. Louis City Marriage and Divorce Records Live
St. Louis is an independent city. It does the work a county would do elsewhere, so its own offices hold these records. Two offices matter here. The Recorder of Deeds Marriage Department issues marriage licenses and keeps the marriage records. The Circuit Clerk keeps the divorce case files because a divorce is a court case in the 22nd Judicial Circuit.
The Marriage Department sits in City Hall, Room 128, at 1200 Market Street. It holds St. Louis City marriage records from 1932 to the present. For a marriage that took place before 1932, the department points people to the Archives Department instead. Divorce records, by contrast, run through the court and are searched in Missouri Case.net first, then copied at the courthouse.
So the rule of thumb is short. License or marriage copy means the Recorder. Divorce decree means the Circuit Clerk. The St. Louis City Recorder of Deeds page covers the marriage side in full, and the Circuit Clerk page covers the court side.
Finding St. Louis City Marriage Records
Marriage records are public for the years the city holds. Coverage runs from 1932 to today. A search returns the names of the parties and the marriage date. The Marriage Department can then issue a certified or uncertified copy. You search by the name of one or both parties. The office says to enter the names and run the search.
The Recorder's official page explains the search process for city marriage records and links to the online tool. You can start a St. Louis City marriage record search from there.
The page makes clear that the city holds marriage records from 1932 forward, and that older records route to the Archives Department.
Here is what a marriage record search asks for and shows.
| Field | What It Asks or Shows |
|---|---|
| Party name(s) | Enter the name of one or both spouses to run the search. |
| Search button | Click Search or press Enter to return matches. |
| Record coverage | St. Louis City marriage licenses from 1932 to present. |
| Pre-1932 records | Contact the Archives Department for older marriage records. |
St. Louis City Marriage Copy Fees
Copies of a marriage record cost a flat amount per copy. A certified copy is $12 each at the walk-in window. An uncertified copy is $3 each. If you ask for a copy by mail and do not send a self-addressed stamped envelope, the office adds a small mailing surcharge. That surcharge is $0.50 for U.S. mail and $2 for international mail.
The Recorder's copy request page lists the process and the copy fees.
The page sets out the per-copy cost and the mailing rules for marriage records ordered by mail.
| Service | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license application | $60 nonrefundable |
| License fee component | $48 |
| Certificate copy included in license fee | $12 |
| Certified marriage copy, walk-in | $12 each |
| Uncertified marriage copy, walk-in | $3 each |
| Mailing surcharge if no SASE | $0.50 U.S. / $2 international |
Note: A certified copy carries an official seal for legal use, while an uncertified copy is for personal reference only.
St. Louis City Marriage License Requirements
A marriage license has rules. Both applicants must come to the Marriage Department together and in person. There is no mail-in license. Each person brings a driver's license, a state ID, or a passport that shows their full legal name. Each applicant must be at least 18, or have legal guardian consent. If either person was divorced, they must wait at least 30 days from the date the divorce was final before they apply.
The license fee is $60 and it does not refund. You pay by Visa, MasterCard, or cash. The office does not take checks. The $60 breaks into a $48 license fee and a $12 certificate copy fee. That certificate copy is mailed to the couple after the license is recorded.
Once issued, the license has a clock on it. The ceremony must happen in Missouri within 29 days of pickup. The officiant must be a U.S. citizen who is either clergy in good standing with a Missouri congregation or a judge of a court of record. Two witnesses sign the license. Within 15 days after the ceremony, the officiant completes, signs, and returns the license to the Recorder of Deeds. The official marriage license page spells out each rule.
The page covers ID, age, the divorce waiting period, the fee, and the ceremony timeline for a St. Louis City marriage license.
Marriage License Application Fields
The application itself is short. You can fill it out online before you visit or complete it at the office. Either way, both applicants must appear in person to finish and pick up the license. The name fields must match the ID exactly. The fields below come from the city's marriage license application.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 full legal name | Yes | Must match the ID shown at the office. |
| Applicant 2 full legal name | Yes | Must match the ID shown at the office. |
| Mailing address | Yes | The city says to make sure this is filled out. |
| Identification | Yes | Driver's license, state ID, or passport, shown in person. |
| Divorce status / date | Conditional | A divorcee must wait 30 days from the date it was final. |
| Fee / payment | Yes | $60 by Visa, MasterCard, or cash; no checks. |
You can review the field set on the city's marriage license application portal before you go.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
The path from application to recorded certificate is a set series of steps. The whole process starts at the Marriage Department and ends with a copy in the mail. Follow these steps in order.
- Confirm both applicants meet the age rule and the 30-day divorce waiting rule.
- Complete the online request or plan to fill out the form at the office.
- Bring both applicants together to City Hall Room 128 with valid ID.
- Pay the $60 fee by Visa, MasterCard, or cash. No checks.
- Receive the license during the visit.
- Hold the ceremony in Missouri within 29 days of pickup.
- Have the officiant and two witnesses sign the license.
- The officiant returns the signed license to the Recorder within 15 days.
After the license is recorded, the $12 certificate copy is mailed to the couple. If you need more copies later, you order them through the Recorder's copy process.
The St. Louis City Marriage Records Portal
The city runs an online portal for marriage records. It lets you search by name from a browser without a trip downtown. The same portal hosts the license application request. For a record search, you enter the name of one or both parties and run the search. The tool covers the same 1932-to-present window the office holds.
You can reach the St. Louis City marriage records search portal directly online.
The portal returns matching marriage records so you can confirm a name and date before you order a copy.
Note: A portal match confirms a record exists, but a certified copy for legal use must still come from the Recorder of Deeds Marriage Department.
Finding St. Louis City Divorce Records
Divorce records are not vital records held by the Recorder. They are court records. A divorce, called a dissolution in Missouri, is a family court case in the 22nd Judicial Circuit. So the Circuit Clerk keeps the file. The Recorder's own page sends divorce copy requests to the Circuit Clerk's Office, where copies are available on the 3rd floor of the Civil Courts Building.
To find a divorce case, search Missouri Case.net. Pick "City of St. Louis - 22nd Judicial Circuit" in the court dropdown, then search by litigant name or case number. Choose the family or dissolution case type to narrow the results. The same portal that holds civil and criminal cases holds divorce filings, so the process matches a general St. Louis City court records search.
Some parts of a divorce file are public, like the docket and the final judgment. Other parts can be sealed or redacted, such as financial details and information about children. The public records page covers what stays open and what does not under Missouri law.
How to File for Divorce in St. Louis City
Filing a divorce is a court process, so it runs through the Circuit Clerk and the family court forms. The steps below cover the basic path. People who cannot afford the filing fee can ask the court for a waiver. The full forms library lives on the court website.
- Use the St. Louis Circuit Court and Missouri family court forms.
- File in the 22nd Judicial Circuit if jurisdiction and residency are proper.
- Pay the family court filing fee, or ask for a fee waiver if you qualify.
- Serve the respondent with the petition and summons.
- Track filings and hearing dates through Case.net.
- Get certified copies from the Circuit Clerk after the judgment is entered.
The court charges a deposit to start a family case. The 22nd Circuit fee order lists family court matters at $177.50, plus a $36 sheriff service fee per respondent served by the City Sheriff. These are filing costs, not copy fees, and amounts can change, so confirm with the clerk before you file. Estate and guardianship matters route to the probate records office instead.