Find Legal Topics > Marriage Laws > Marriage Certificate South Dakota

Marriage Certificate South Dakota

Marriage Certificate South Dakota

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Getting a Marriage Certificate in South Dakota

 

What is a marriage certificate?

 

A marriage certificate in South Dakota records that a marriage has taken place. It can be distinguished from a marriage license, which simply gives a couple the right to a marry but does not record the fact that it has occurred. Your original marriage certificate in South Dakota will likely be recorded on the same document as your marriage license, but it should only be signed after the marriage itself takes place.

 

Who can get a marriage certificate in South Dakota?

 

The requirements for obtaining a marriage certificate in South Dakota are explicitly stated in the state’s by-laws. They are:

 

• The couple is in possession of a marriage license from their local Register of Deeds Office;

• Both partners are either over seventeen or, alternatively, they are sixteen or seventeen but have parental consent;

• The marriage is solemnized within twenty days of the purchase of the marriage license;

• If one spouse was married before, proof of the legal end of the marriage through divorce, annulment or death is given;

• The marriage certificate is returned to the Register of Deeds office no later than ten days after the marriage itself takes place, so there is an official record of the marriage as early as possible.

 

How do I get a copy of a marriage certificate in South Dakota?

 

At any point after your marriage, you can request a copy of the marriage certificate in South Dakota. Simply visit your nearest Register of Deeds office and fill out their local application. You’ll need to show some photographic identification and possibly pay a fee. If you are one of the many residents of Minneshaha County, South Dakota’s most heavily populated county, then the fee will be $15.

 

If there is no record of the marriage at the local Register of Deeds office you visited, then your application will be forwarded to the Department of Health, who will conduct a conclusive survey for your marriage certificate in South Dakota. If no record is found, you will receive notification of this result, but you will not be able to get your fee back once you pay it.

 

Is there a waiting period?

 

Once you receive your marriage license, there is no required waiting time as with some states before you can become officially married. Indeed, you can begin to take the steps to turn your marriage license in to a marriage certificate in South Dakota immediately afterward. Furthermore, no blood tests are required to make the marriage legal.

 

Where do I get a marriage certificate in South Dakota?

 

The only place to receive a marriage certificate in South Dakota is at your local Register of Deeds Office. These should be located in the county seat of the South Dakota county in which you reside. 

Related Topics