Find Somerset County Marriage and Divorce Records

Where to Get a Somerset County Marriage License

Marriage licenses in New Jersey are not issued by the County Clerk or by the Superior Court. They come from the local municipal registrar. If at least one applicant lives in New Jersey, both parties apply at the registrar in the New Jersey municipality where either one of them lives. The license, once issued, is valid throughout the state. It is not limited to Somerset County or to the town where it was issued.

If neither applicant is a New Jersey resident, the rule is different. In that case, the couple applies at the registrar in the municipality where the ceremony will occur. A license issued under that path is valid only in that municipality, not statewide. So the residency of the applicants controls which office they visit, and it also controls where the license works.

Somerset County has 21 municipalities. Each has its own registrar. If you are unsure which town to contact, the NJ Department of Health marriage license page lists the general process and can help you find the right local office. The County Clerk's office at 20 Grove Street in Somerville handles wedding ceremonies but does not issue licenses. Those two functions are separate in New Jersey.

The NJ Department of Health marriage license page covers eligibility, required documents, and the 72-hour waiting period for New Jersey applicants.

The screenshot above shows the state requirements page, which is the authoritative source for marriage license rules that apply across all New Jersey municipalities, including those in Somerset County.

Marriage License Requirements in Somerset County

Both applicants must be at least 18 years old and must not be a party to another marriage, civil union, or domestic partnership that New Jersey recognizes. You cannot sign the application before appearing in person before the issuing authority. The registrar takes the sworn statement at the time of filing. Once the application is filed, a 72-hour waiting period begins before the license becomes valid. The license then stays valid for six months. If it expires unused, a new application and a new fee are required. The registrar may extend validity up to one year in limited circumstances.

The table below shows the required documents from the state form inspection for the application, based on the state REG-77 form requirements.

Once you have the documents ready, the steps below cover how the application works from the first visit through the waiting period.

1. Confirm which New Jersey municipality you will apply in. Use the town where either applicant lives, or where the ceremony will occur if neither applicant is a NJ resident.
2. Contact that municipality's registrar to confirm office hours and whether an appointment is needed.
3. Bring proof of identity for both applicants, proof of residency for at least one NJ-resident applicant, Social Security numbers for U.S. citizens, and a witness who is 18 or older.
4. Appear in person before the issuing authority. Do not sign the application beforehand.
5. Pay the $28 fee at the time you file the application.
6. Wait the required 72 hours before using the license for the ceremony.
7. Use the license within six months, or the application must be refiled and the fee paid again.

Note: A remarriage applicant who can show proof of an existing prior marriage may qualify for an exemption from the 72-hour wait; confirm this with the local registrar when you apply.

Somerset County Clerk Wedding Ceremonies

Once you have a valid marriage license in hand, the Somerset County Clerk can perform the ceremony. County Clerk Steve Peter officiates weddings by appointment only, on Tuesdays and Fridays, at the Somerset County Administration Building, 20 Grove Street, Somerville. The office can conduct ceremonies in several languages, including Spanish. The ceremony itself carries no charge. The cost of the marriage license and any certified certificate copies are paid separately to different offices.

The room holds up to 20 people total, including the couple. Guests and witnesses are both counted in that cap. Couples must bring the issued marriage license. Two witnesses are welcome, but if witnesses are not available, the Clerk's office can supply them at no added cost. After the ceremony, the County Clerk files the completed license with the Borough of Somerville. About five days after filing, certified copies become available from Somerville Borough Hall at 908-725-2300, extension 1980.

To schedule a ceremony, contact the County Clerk at 908-231-7013. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesdays until 6 p.m. Parking is available in the parking deck at the Administration Building; take the stairs or elevator to the Green Level to enter.

Certified Marriage Certificates in New Jersey

After a marriage occurs in New Jersey, a certified certificate is filed with the state. The New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, maintains the state's vital records. Certified copies of marriage certificates are ordered through the state vital records system. The state charges a fee for the initial search and certified copy. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time cost much less per copy. Orders can be placed through VitalChek online, by mail, or in person at the state office.

The NJ Vital Records ordering page explains the process, what proof of eligibility is needed, and the accepted methods. It also covers who is eligible to receive a certified copy of a marriage record.

The NJ Vital Records ordering process page shows the current options for ordering a certified copy and the documents you need to submit with your request.

The screenshot above shows the NJ Vital Records ordering portal. Requests for certified copies of Somerset County marriage certificates go through this same state system, not through any county office.

For a ceremony performed by the Somerset County Clerk, the first certified copies come from Somerville Borough Hall roughly five days after the Clerk files the completed license. For other Somerset County marriages, the municipality that registered the license is the starting point for local copies, while the state archive holds the long-term record for older events.

Somerset County Divorce Records

Divorce cases in Somerset County are Superior Court Family Division records. They carry the FM docket prefix, which stands for matrimonial. The file can include the complaint, answer, confidential litigant information, financial certifications, parenting plans, custody and support orders, property settlement agreements, and the final judgment of divorce. Not all of these documents appear in the public online case jacket; many are restricted or visible only to parties and counsel.

The main tool for finding an open or recent Somerset County divorce case is NJ Courts Find a Case. That landing page routes you to separate search systems for civil, criminal, family, and other matter types. Divorce docket numbers begin with FM. If you know the docket number, that is the fastest path. If you know only the names of the parties, use the party-name search and select the Individual option. For NJ Courts self-help resources on divorce, including current forms and instructions, the NJ Courts Self-Help center is the main source.

For closed or archived divorce cases, a records request through NJ Judiciary Records Request Form CN 10200 is the correct route. Closed divorce matters and archived files are processed by the Superior Court Clerk's Office, commonly called SCCO. The form is submitted through JEDS, the Judiciary's electronic delivery system. The form asks for the case name, docket number, and the specific documents you need. Open cases pending at the Somerset County Family Division are processed at the courthouse.

Divorce Record Access Restrictions in Somerset County

Divorce records in New Jersey are not fully public. NJ Courts states clearly that divorce documents will be released only to a party to the case or to an attorney of record. A party must provide valid state ID when making the request. Anyone who is not a named party and is not the attorney of record must have a court order that directs the clerk to release the records. That order must come from a judge.

This limit covers the documents in the file, not just the case summary. The docket entries showing dates, filings, and case status may be searchable through the public online system. But copies of the complaint, the settlement agreement, financial disclosures, and similar documents are protected. The reason is that family files often contain sensitive financial and personal information that courts treat as private.

If you are a party to a Somerset County divorce case and need copies, bring your valid state ID and the docket number when contacting the court. The Family Division at the Somerset County Courthouse, 20 North Bridge Street, Somerville, handles active FM matters. The main court phone is 908-332-7700. If you are not a party, an attorney can help you file a motion for access and explain whether grounds exist to seek a court order.

Note: Juvenile records, adoption files, and guardianship records carry similar or stronger restrictions under New Jersey court rules and statutes, separate from the divorce access rules described here.

Filing for Divorce in Somerset County

Divorce filings go to the Superior Court Family Division. Somerset County cases are heard at 20 North Bridge Street, Somerville, which is part of the Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage. New Jersey requires that at least one party be a resident of the state for a minimum period before filing. The current residency period and the available grounds, including 18 months of separation and irreconcilable differences, are confirmed through the NJ Courts self-help materials or an attorney.

Filing is done through JEDS. Required forms include a complaint in divorce, a confidential litigant information sheet, a certification of insurance, and other family-division forms depending on whether children, property, and support are at issue. If paying the filing fee is a hardship, you can apply for a fee waiver at the time of filing by submitting a financial questionnaire with your complaint.

1. Review the NJ Courts Self-Help divorce and related issues page for current forms, instructions, and residency requirements.
2. Confirm residency and grounds. Common grounds include 18 months separation and irreconcilable differences.
3. Complete the complaint in divorce, the confidential litigant information sheet, the certification of insurance, and any other required family division forms for your situation.
4. File through JEDS or at the Family Division filing window at the Somerset County Courthouse, 20 North Bridge Street.
5. Pay the filing fee, or submit a fee waiver application with the financial questionnaire if eligible.
6. Serve the complaint on your spouse using a method the court accepts, then file proof of service with the court.
7. Move through case management, parenting education if children are involved, mediation or settlement, and any trial proceedings until the final judgment of divorce is entered.

Self-represented parties in Somerset County Family Division can use the NJ Courts Self-Help center for forms and instructions. The vicinage ombudsman through the Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage offices can also point you toward resources without giving legal advice.

Fees for Somerset County Marriage and Vital Records

Fees for marriage licenses and certified copies come from state law, not from Somerset County. The table below lists the current fees from the NJ Department of Health vital records fee schedule. Check the NJ Vital Records fee table directly before placing any order, since the legislature or the department can change fees by regulation.

The NJ Vital Records fee table page lists all current charges for marriage certificates, civil union licenses, domestic partnership registrations, and related vital records requests.

The screenshot above shows the current NJ Vital Records fee schedule, which applies to all Somerset County marriage and vital records orders placed through the state system.

The County Clerk ceremony has no charge for the officiant service. The marriage license fee is paid to the municipal registrar at the time the application is filed. Certified copies after a County Clerk ceremony come from Somerville Borough Hall, which may charge separately; call 908-725-2300, extension 1980, to confirm the current copy fee before ordering.

Requesting Somerset County Divorce Record Copies

Copies of Somerset County divorce records come through the NJ Judiciary, not through the county or the state vital records office. Divorce is a court matter, not a vital record in New Jersey. The request process starts with Judiciary Records Request Form CN 10200. That form covers Superior Court records across all divisions, including FM dockets in the Family Division. It is submitted through JEDS for most requests.

The form asks for the case name, the FM docket number, and the specific documents you want. If you do not know the docket number, search NJ Courts Find a Case by party name first, then record the FM docket number before you submit the form. Open divorce cases active in the Somerset County Family Division are processed at the courthouse division. Closed cases and archived divorce files go through SCCO at the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton. The form has a Processing Location section where you check the correct routing box; checking the wrong box can delay your request.

Because divorce records are released only to parties and attorneys of record, include valid state ID with every request. Attorneys should include their bar information. Anyone who is neither a party nor the attorney of record must attach a court order directing release. Requests that arrive without the required ID or court order will be returned or denied. The NJ Courts copies of court records page explains the copy types available, including certified copies with seal, certified copies without seal, and exemplified copies, and the payment methods accepted for each.

Related Somerset County Records

Marriage and divorce touch several other record systems in Somerset County. A divorce judgment that affects real property may generate a judgment lien or a deed transfer, both of which flow through the Somerset County Clerk's land records system at 20 Grove Street. Name changes from a divorce are part of the Family Division judgment and may need to be updated at other agencies after the final order is entered.

Estates of deceased spouses or property matters arising after a divorce sometimes move through the Somerset County Surrogate's Court, which probates wills and handles estate administration at 20 Grove Street, phone 908-231-7003. Guardianship of minor children in connection with an estate can also involve the Surrogate alongside the Family Division, depending on the circumstances.

Broader Superior Court records, including civil judgment records that can arise from property disputes during a divorce, are searched through Somerset County court records on NJ Courts Find a Case. For a wider look at county records and how to request them under the state's open records law, the Somerset County public records page covers the OPRA framework for county agency files and explains the distinction between county records and Judiciary records. Court files, including divorce, follow Judiciary rules under Court Rule 1:38, not OPRA.