Obtain Free Hays County Marriage Records Seamlessly

Find free Hays County marriage records today; uncover relevant information about anyone’s spouse, marital history, and other details.

There are free online resources and local agencies that support citizens who need to uncover accurate data about marriages within the county. The Texas Public Information Act (PIA) sets the rules that determine how public records are supposed to become available to residents; access to those records should be granted and, if possible, free of cost.

This resource covers all the free tools for searching marriage records in Hays County, Texas. It also explains who can obtain them and how to obtain a marriage license locally.

How To Find Hays County Marriage Records for Free

When searching for marriage records in Hays County, it’s important to know that the Clerk’s Office is the official repository for any licenses registered in the area since its foundation.¹ The Hays County Clerk’s Office has a free online search tool, the Self Service Web platform, that allows any concerned citizen to make inquiries and uncover facts.²

The Self Service Web system allows any individual to run searches by name. Users must start by clicking on ‘Marriage Index Search’ and then input a name to run. Although partial names will work, the more accurate the name, the better the results will be.

It’s also possible to narrow down the search by establishing a date range to be searched, as well as choosing to search only for a particular type of marriage record. The Hays County system will show official marriage certificates as well as informal marriage applications. This is quite useful, considering that Texas recognizes common-law marriages, and it’s convenient to have a tool that will show all types of relationships.

If it becomes necessary to request a certified copy of a marriage license with the Hays County Clerk’s Office, users can do it online.⁴ It’s necessary to be entitled to the copy by being connected to the parties named on the license. Each certified copy of a marriage record costs $20.

If placing an order online isn’t comfortable, searchers can also do it in person at one of the Clerk’s Office locations. Besides their main location at the government center, the Clerk’s Office has three substations to help those running a Hays County marital records search. Those are their addresses:

Hays County Clerk’s Office
Government Center
712 South Stagecoach Trail – Suite 2008
San Marcos, TX 78666

Phone: 512.393.7730
Fax: 512.393.7735
Email: [email protected]

Hays County Clerk’s Office
Wimberley Substation
200 Stillwater – Suite 101
Wimberley, TX 78676

Hays County Clerk’s Office
Kyle Substation
5458 FM 2770
Kyle, TX 78640

Hays County Clerk’s Office
Dripping Springs Substation
195 Roger Hanks Parkway
Dripping Springs, TX 78620

How To Look Up Historical or Archived Marriage Record in Hays County Texas

The Hays County Clerk’s Office Self Service Web platform allows users to search for records that date as far as its founding in 1848. This is very convenient when a local family is trying to run a historical search or working on their genealogy.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that in order to obtain a copy of the records shown on the Marriage Index Search, it might be necessary to visit the Clerk’s Office in person or place an order online. How to accomplish those things has been described in detail in the previous section of this article.

The Texas State Library & Archives Commission is a valuable resource for people performing historical searches in Hays County and can help bring to light relevant information about a family’s ancestors. Among other things, they have a list of resources available for Hays County residents, which includes marriage indexes dating as far as 1848.⁵

Likewise, the Archives Commission has resources to help uncover historical information about people in most counties in Texas. Their collection includes records and indexes with genealogical information, as well as many databases and more. Those resources are particularly valuable when a Hays County marriage search doesn’t lead to the desired records and a deeper search becomes necessary.

For those who prefer to be more hands-on, it’s also possible to contact the Archives Commission and work with them in person. This is how citizens performing a Hays County marital records search can reach the Archives:

Texas State Library & Archives Commission
1201 Brazos Street
Austin, TX 78701

Phone: 512.463.5474
Email: [email protected]

How To Track Down Records of Marriages Elsewhere in Texas

In some instances, it may be tricky to find a marriage record in Texas. The reason for this is the marriages are recorded in the county that originally issued the license, which isn’t necessarily the same county where the nuptials were held.

If that’s the case, a Hays County marriage record search may come back empty, leading the searcher to start looking at other counties in the state.

The Texas Vital Records Office can often be a useful tool when a broader search becomes necessary.⁶ For example, the Vital Records Office offers letters of verification of marriages to individuals who are eligible to obtain one.

Those letters aren’t the same as certified copies of marriage licenses and can’t be used for official purposes. However, they contain relevant information that may be very helpful to concerned citizens. Those eligible to place a request are the parties in the couple who are named on the license, their parents or children, current spouses, as well as legal guardians and representatives (those last ones must show proof of their relationship with the parties).

To place an order, interested citizens must fill out an application and pay $20 for each letter they request.⁷ With a ready application, they can complete their order by mail or in person. If searchers decide to order by mail, it’s important to send in the application, a money order, and proof of connection with the records that are being requested.

This is where this packet must be sent to:

Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
P.O. Box 12040
Austin, TX 78711-2040

For those who prefer to work with the Vital Records office in person, they can conveniently choose any of the local offices available throughout Texas. The Vital Records main office is in Austin and can be visited using the following information:

Texas Vital Statistics
Department of State Health Services
1100 West 49th St.
Austin, TX 78756

Phone: 512.776.7111

Also, concerned citizens can place orders online using the Texas Department of State Health Services application. This convenient tool permits people who are allowed to obtain records to request documents from the comfort of their homes with no hassle.

There’s an alternative for those individuals who are interested in obtaining information but aren’t entitled to request a letter of marriage verification. The Vital Records Office makes yearly indexes available online that show plenty of information about marriages that took place between 1966 and 2019.

Those indexes are free and will show information about marriages in every county in Texas. They contain relevant data: the names of the bride and groom, the date of the marriage, where it was registered, and the document number (which can help if contacting the local Clerk’s Office is needed).

If anyone has questions about those indexes, they can email their doubts and concerns to [email protected]. When searching for Hays County marital records isn’t productive, people shouldn’t hesitate to contact them.

How To Get a Hays County Marriage License

To obtain a marriage license in Hays County, couples must work with the Clerk’s Office.⁸ It’s possible to apply remotely, online, using the Marriage License Application Form – all users need to do is follow the instructions on each step of the form.⁹

They can also apply in person, but both parties must appear in person at one of the locations of the Clerk’s Office. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and bring a valid form of government ID. For individuals who are at least 16 years old, it’s possible to obtain authorization to marry if there’s parental consent.

Applicants must also pay the license fee, which may vary depending on some variables. Texas residents pay $82 but are allowed to pay only $22 if they show proof they did counseling with the agency recommended by the government. If none of the applicants can show proof of residency in Texas, the license will cost them $182.

Those are the Hays County Clerk’s Office locations:

Hays County Clerk’s Office
Government Center
712 South Stagecoach Trail – Suite 2008
San Marcos, TX 78666

Phone: 512.393.7730

Hays County Clerk’s Office
Wimberley Substation
200 Stillwater – Suite 101
Wimberley, TX 78676

Hays County Clerk’s Office
Kyle Substation
5458 FM 2770
Kyle, TX 78640

Hays County Clerk’s Office
Dripping Springs Substation
195 Roger Hanks Parkway
Dripping Springs, TX 78620

Couples getting ready to marry should consider that marriage licenses remain valid for 90 days, and there’s a mandatory 72-hour waiting period before the nuptials can be officiated.

There’s a lot of value in being able to access public records, and citizens should never take that privilege for granted. Anyone interested in someone’s marital status can run a Hays County marriage records search whenever they feel the need to.