Registrar of Vital Statistics

When Applying for a Marriage License

MARRIAGE APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE FOR AVAILABILITY. Appointment hours to apply for a marriage license are from 9am – 3 pm. In order to apply for a marriage license, at least one of the applicants MUST reside in the Township of Springfield, County of Union. If BOTH applicants live out of state, they must apply in the municipality where the ceremony will take place.

Required documents when applying for a marriage license:

• Proof of identity by presenting your driver’s license, passport or state/federal I.D.

• Proof of residency by presenting your driver’s license, utility bill or bank statement dated within the past 90 days

• Social Security Number

• A witness, 18 years of age or older (must also present ID)   NOTE: The witness CANNOT be the wedding officiant 

*** Your social security number is required by law for US citizens and will be kept confidential.

Any documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

There is a 72 hour waiting period from the time of application to receipt of license. Couples are advised to make application no later than two weeks prior to the wedding date. At the time of application, the couple must be present and accompanied by one witness at least 18 years of age or older and they MUST speak English. You may apply up to 6 months in advance. There is a $28 fee that must be paid at this appointment, only cash or check is accepted. 

When Requesting Marriage, Death, and Birth Certificates 

NOTE:PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU SELECT THE CORRECT APPLICATION (NON GENEALOGICAL/GENEALOGICAL) WHEN APPLYING FOR A CERTIFIED COPY.

Certified copies of marriage, death or birth certificates must be obtained where the event took place.  The fee for this service is $8 for each death certificate and $10 for each marriage, birth, civil union or domestic partner certificate. CASH OR CHECK ONLY

For all requests, the following must be with your application:

• all required copies of ID for proof of identity
• the correct fees (CASH OR CHECK ONLY)
• copies of documents proving your relationship to the person named on the record

***Your application will not be accepted if you do not have all required documentation.***

You must be able to fully identify the record by providing all of the information listed below on the application form. Your request cannot be accepted unless you provide the information below.

• Full name on the record
• City where the event occurred
• Exact date of the event  (month, day and year)
• Mother’s maiden name
• Father’s name (if recorded on the record)
• For Marriage, Civil Union or Domestic Partnership– Instead of parents’ names, YOU MUST PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND YOUR SPOUSE’S NAME.

You must provide acceptable ID in order to get a copy of any vital record. If applying by mail, copies of vital records MUST and WILL be mailed to the address listed on your ID.. 

The following are acceptable forms of ID:

• A current, valid photo driver’s license or photo non-driver’s license with current address
• A current, valid driver’s license without photo and one alternate form of ID, both with current address
• Two alternate forms of ID, both of which must have current address.

Alternate forms of ID are:

• Vehicle registration
• Vehicle insurance card
• Voter registration
• US/Foreign Passport
• Immigrant Visa
• Permanent Resident Card (Green card)
• Federal/State ID
• County ID
• School ID
• Bank Statement (within previous 90 days)
• Utility bill(within the previous 90 days)
• W-2 for current/previous tax year   

Please do not send in original documents. Only copies are required. 

If you want to have your order mailed to a different address than what is listed on your identification, your application must include a notarized letter that authorizes the order to be mailed to a different address.

PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP:

To get a certified copy of a person’s vital record, you must provide proof of your relationship to the person listed on the record and the proof must establish you are one of the following:

• The subject of the record
• The subject’s parent, legal guardian or legal representative
• The subject’s spouse/civil union partner; child, grandchild or sibling, if of legal age
• A state or federal agency for official purposes
• Pursuant to court order

If you are looking for a certified copy of

• your own birth certificate and you have assumed your spouse’s/civil union partner’s surname you must provide a copy of the certified copy of your marriage/civil union certificate to link the name on your current ID to the name on your birth certificate.  
• your child’s birth certificate you don’t need any additional documents.
• your spouse’s/civil union partner’s birth certificate you must provide a copy of your marriage/civil union certificate.
• your parent’s or sibling’s vital record you must provide a copy of your birth certificate.
• your grandparent’s vital record you must establish that you are the person’s grandchild by providing proof that links the name on your ID to the name of the grandparent. For example, if you changed your last name after marriage/civil union and want a grandparent’s vital record, you must:

1. Provide your marriage/civil union certificate to show your name at birth,
2. Provide your birth certificate to identify your parent, and
3. Provide the parent’s birth certificate to identify the grandparent.

If you are not a person qualified to get a certified copy of a record BUT you are helping a person receive a certified copy of a vital record they are eligible to receive you must show your valid ID and a notarized, written release authorizing you to get the record on that person’s behalf including their proof of relationship to the subject of the record.

If you are an attorney:

• who is executor of an estate you must supply proof of appointment as the executor.

• who is the legal representative of the executor of an estate you must supply proof of legal retainer by the executor and proof of the appointment of the individual as the executor.

• who is the legal representative of an individual eligible to receive a certified copy of a vital record you must supply proof of legal retainer by the eligible individual and their proof of relationship.

• who needs a certified copy of a vital record and you are not the legal representative of an eligible person, you must obtain a court order directing the Local Registrar to issue a certified copy of the record. A subpoena is not sufficient to issue a copy of a vital record.

When Registering Your Dog and/or Cat

In order to register your dog or cat, you must fill out and complete the entire application. Renewal is required EVERY calendar year by January 31st with applicable late fees of $1 each month thereafter. (Licenses expire December 31st of the year the license is obtained.) 

Along with the application, proof of rabies is a requirement. The State of New Jersey mandates that the duration of immunity for rabies vaccines extend through the first 10 months of the licensing period (11/01/2024). 

Proof of spay/neuter (if applicable) is also required. If your dog or cat is spayed/neutered, the fee is $10. The fee for a non spayed/neutered animal is $15. (CASH OR CHECK ONLY)

Failure to provide fees and documents will result in the delay of registration.

Application can be found in the Forms section below.