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Births, Marriages & Deaths
Vital Records
Birth and death certificates are available for anyone who was a Chelmsford resident at the time of the event. Marriage certificates are available for couples who filed their notice of intention of marriage in Chelmsford. If you need a copy of a birth, marriage, or death certificate, fill out this Vital Records Request Form or call the Town Clerk's Office prior to coming into the office. We will let you know when it is ready for pick up. You can also send a request with a check and self addressed, stamped envelope to the Town Clerk's Office and a copy will be mailed to you. You MUST include the name of the party and the date of the event when sending in payment.
Certified Copy of Birth
If the parents were living in Chelmsford and the child was born in a Lowell, Boston, Winchester, or other Massachusetts hospital, then Chelmsford should have a copy of this record, as well as the city or town where the birth occurred.
Certified Copy of Marriage
If the couple filed their Notice of Intention of Marriage (applied for a marriage license) in Chelmsford, then Chelmsford should have a copy.
Certified Copy of Death
If the deceased was a Chelmsford resident at the time of death, or if the death occurred in Chelmsford, then Chelmsford would have a copy as well as the city or town where the hospital is located.
Filing For a Marriage License
Effective October 26, 2022:
Please be prepared to show Proof of Age to the Clerk's office, as mandated by MGL Ch. 207 S.33A. Bring ONE from the following list of acceptable proof: license or Real ID; an original or certified copy of a record of birth; an original or certified copy of a baptismal record; a passport; a life insurance policy; an employment certificate; a school record; an immigration record; a naturalization record; a court record.
Good information to know or have with you when you apply for a marriage license includes: date of the wedding; name, address and phone number of the person performing the marriage; social security numbers for both parties; the complete names and maiden names of each party's mother and father; and the city town where each party was born.
After using the on-line portal to fill out the required forms and in order to finalize a marriage license, a couple must appear together to sign the Notice of Intention of Marriage. Both parties must be 18 years of age or older when filing and there is a three-day waiting period from the date of filing until the license may be picked up. If a couple files on a Monday then the license can be picked up any time on Thursday or later. If a couple files on a Tuesday then the license can be picked up any time on Friday or later. A marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date you file the notice.
Couples can file anywhere in Massachusetts for a marriage license. We advise couples to file where they are getting married. If you need copies of your marriage certificate, you will be more likely to remember where you got married then where you filed for the license. If a couple wants to file here in Chelmsford, regardless where they are getting married, that is wonderful. If either party or both parties are divorced, no paper work is required, however the divorce must be finalized before they can file an intention. The couple is signing under the pains of perjury that the divorce is final.
The Town Clerk's Office is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Tuesday from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm to apply for a marriage license. It typically takes a couple 15 to 20 minutes to complete a marriage license application. Please plan accordingly.
Justice of the Peace
The Chelmsford Town Clerk is also a Justice of the Peace and performs marriages for couples who wish to marry at the Town Offices. Please contact Town Clerk, Patricia Dzuris directly to arrange a date and time. Couples may select any Solemnizer (person who performs the marriage ceremony) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from the: List of Massachusetts Justices of the Peace
Legal Age
The legal age to marry is 18. Effective October 26, 2022, individuals under the age of 18 are prohibited from getting married.
See the Town Clerk Fees for cost of filing for a marriage license and obtaining certified copies of marriage certificates.