Marriage Licenses in Camden County
New Jersey does not run marriage licenses through the county. The license is issued by a municipal registrar, the local registrar of vital statistics in the town or city where the couple lives. If neither party lives in New Jersey, the application is made in the town where the wedding will take place. So a couple in a Camden County borough applies at their own town hall, not at a central county counter. The Camden County Clerk's public services cover passports, notary work, trade name filings, veteran services, property records, and elections. Issuing marriage licenses is not on that list.
An official Camden County marriage license page was not located during research. The honest answer is to contact the municipal registrar where you live, or where you plan to marry. That office takes the application, sets the rules, and collects the fee. Each town runs its own counter, and hours vary, so call ahead before you go.
Note: The Camden County Clerk does not issue marriage licenses, so apply through the municipal registrar in the town where you live or plan to marry.
Wedding Ceremonies and the County Surrogate
The county does play one direct role in marriage. Camden County Surrogate Michelle A. Gentek-Mayer performs wedding ceremonies for Camden County residents. The Surrogate's functions page lists this among the office duties. That is the ceremony, not the license. A couple still gets the license from the municipal registrar first, then can have the Surrogate officiate.
The Surrogate's main job is probate, estate administration, guardianships, and adoptions. For estate filings and the Surrogate's records, see the Camden County Surrogate's Court page. To learn more about the office and its services, the county posts details on the Functions of the Surrogate page. Couples should reach out to the office to ask about scheduling and any requirements.
Where Camden County Divorce Records Live
Divorce in New Jersey is a Superior Court matter. The case is heard in the Chancery Division, Family Part. Camden cases run through the Camden Vicinage, which is Vicinage 4. The court holds the file, not the county clerk and not a town hall. That means a divorce records search points you to the Judiciary, the same body that handles other Superior Court case files.
Divorce records carry strict release limits. Divorce documents are released only to a party in the case or to an attorney of record. A party who asks for the record must include a valid state ID with the request. Anyone else, a relative, a researcher, a member of the public, must provide a court order that directs the release. That rule sets divorce files apart from most other court records, which are open under Court Rule 1:38. For the full picture of what is open and what is sealed, see the Camden County court records page. The restricted-records framework is also covered on the public records page.
Important. A divorce file is not open to the general public. Only a party or an attorney of record can get a copy without a court order, and a party must show valid state ID. Anyone else needs a court order directing release. Plan for this before you request a Camden County divorce record, since a request without proof of standing will be turned away.
How to Request a Camden County Divorce Record
Getting a divorce file is a request process, not an online lookup. First you figure out the case status, then you pick the right office, then you file the Judiciary records request form. Open cases and closed or archived cases route to different places. Have the case details and your ID ready before you start, since missing facts slow everything down.
- Find out whether the divorce case is open, closed, or archived. The status decides where the request goes.
- If the case is open, choose the Family Division and Camden County on the NJ Judiciary records request form.
- If the case is closed or archived, the request goes to the Superior Court Clerk's Office (SCCO), as NJ Courts directs.
- Provide the case name, the docket number if you know it, the party names, and the exact record you want, such as the final judgment of divorce.
- Include proof of identity if you are a party. An attorney of record can request. A non-party must supply a court order.
- Submit the form through the Judiciary Electronic Document Submission system, or mail it if you have no computer access.
The Judiciary spells out the steps and forms on its copies of court records page. That page also lists the copy fees and the release rules for divorce files.
Divorce Record Request Form Fields
The NJ Judiciary records request form asks for a set of details so staff can find the file and reach you. The fields below come from the form used for marriage-related and divorce record requests. Filling each one in fully cuts back-and-forth and speeds delivery.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred delivery | Yes | Email delivery is commonly used for records. |
| Requestor name, address, phone, email | Yes | Needed for delivery and any fee contact. |
| Processing location | Yes | Family Division and Camden for open divorce; SCCO for closed or archived. |
| Case Name | Yes | The divorce caption, such as both party names. |
| Docket Number | Yes if known | Strongly recommended; it opens the file fastest. |
| Records Requested | Yes | Name the document, like final judgment, certificate, or settlement agreement. |
| Copy type | If copies | Plain, certified, seal, or exemplified. |
| Named party or attorney? | Yes | This answer decides whether the divorce file can be released. |
Camden County Divorce Record Copy Fees
The Judiciary sets copy fees statewide, so a Camden divorce file costs the same as one from any other vicinage. A certified copy of the final judgment of divorce runs more than a plain certificate, because the clerk attests to it. Plain copy fees can apply to a property settlement agreement when it is not attached to the judgment. The table lists the published divorce-related fees.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified copy of final judgment of divorce | $25.00 |
| Certificate of divorce | $10.00 |
| Plain copy, letter size, per page | $0.05 |
| Plain copy, legal size, per page | $0.07 |
| Seal of the Court | $10.00 |
Settlement agreements often fall under plain copy fees, charged by the page, when they sit in the file as separate documents. Certified, sealed, and exemplified fees can be paid by credit card. The full fee list and request steps appear on the Judiciary copies page noted above.
Divorce Files Versus Marriage Records
The two record types do not share an office, and they do not share a search tool. A marriage record traces back to the town registrar and to state vital records. A divorce file traces to the Superior Court and the Judiciary. People often expect both to sit at one county counter, but New Jersey splits them. Mixing them up is the most common reason a request lands at the wrong place.
The terms below clear up what each record is and where it comes from.
- Marriage license
- The local permit to marry, issued by the municipal registrar in the couple's town. The county clerk does not issue it.
- Final judgment of divorce
- The court order that ends the marriage, signed by a Superior Court judge in the Family Part.
- Certificate of divorce
- A short certified document confirming the divorce, available at a lower fee than the full judgment.
- Property settlement agreement
- The deal that divides assets and sets support terms; plain copy fees may apply if it is a separate document in the file.
Searching for a Camden County Divorce Case
Before you request a copy, you may want to confirm the case exists and pull the docket number. The Judiciary posts a public case search portal that covers Superior Court matters. Use it to verify the caption and the docket before filing the request form. A docket number makes the request faster and cuts the chance of a wrong match.
Public case lookup starts at the NJ Courts find a case page. That page links the civil and family case systems and the records request tools. Keep in mind that the divorce document itself stays restricted even when the case shows up in a search. Seeing the docket is one thing; getting the file is another, and the release rules still apply. For copy ordering and the request form, the copies of court records page is the official source.
If a record turns out to be closed or archived, the request shifts to the Superior Court Clerk's Office. Older Camden divorce files often sit in that statewide archive rather than at the local courthouse. Ask the clerk's office about retention and how far back the records reach.