Honolulu County Marriage Records

Honolulu County marriage records are kept by the Hawaii Department of Health Vital Records office in downtown Honolulu. Whether you need a certified copy of a marriage certificate or want to look up a past record, the state office on Punchbowl Street handles all requests for Oahu. You can search and request records online, by mail, or in person at the main office. Historical marriage records for Oahu go back to the mid-1800s and are available through the Hawaii State Archives and affiliated libraries.

Honolulu Vital Records Office

The Hawaii Department of Health Vital Records office serves all of Oahu. It is located at 1250 Punchbowl Street, Room 103, Honolulu, HI 96813, at the corner of Beretania and Punchbowl Streets on the first floor of the DOH building. This is where you go to get certified copies of marriage certificates or pick up marriage license applications. The office is open Monday through Friday, 7:45 AM to 2:30 PM, though they prefer appointments for certified copy requests. Walk-in service is available. The Marriage License Office at the same address is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Metered parking is available nearby at $2 per hour, and you can pay by cash or card.

The main contact for marriage records and licenses is Makamae Caballero at (808) 586-4544. For general questions, you can also reach the office at (808) 586-4539 or by email at doh.issuanceQuery@doh.hawaii.gov. The full overview of Vital Records services is available at health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords.

The office handles all vital records for Honolulu County and the island of Oahu. That includes birth, death, and marriage records. For marriage records specifically, you can request certified copies in person, by mail, or through the online portal.

The Hawaii Vital Records office also handles requests sent by mail. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 3378, Honolulu, HI 96801. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for mailed orders. Online requests are processed through the state portal at vitrec.ehawaii.gov/vitalrecords. In-person pickup is available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 7:45 AM and 2:30 PM.

The image below shows the Vital Records Office page where you can find current hours, request forms, and contact information for obtaining Honolulu County marriage records.

The Vital Records Office at 1250 Punchbowl Street processes certified copy requests for marriage records going back many decades.

Getting Certified Marriage Record Copies

Certified copies of Honolulu County marriage certificates cost $10 for the first copy. Each additional copy of the same record is $4. There is also a $2.50 portal administration fee for online requests. All fees are non-refundable. You can get certified copies online, by mail, or in person at the Punchbowl Street office. The online portal at vitrec.ehawaii.gov/vitalrecords is the fastest option for most people.

Not everyone can request a certified copy. Under Hawaii law, access to vital records is restricted to protect privacy. Hawaii Revised Statutes section 338-18 sets out who has the right to request a certified copy. You must have a direct and tangible interest in the record. Eligible people include the person named in the record, their spouse, parents, children, grandchildren, siblings, legal guardians, and personal representatives. Records older than 75 years are open to the public without a showing of direct interest. If you are not sure whether you qualify, contact the Vital Records office directly before submitting a request.

For in-person pickup, you can come to 1250 Punchbowl Street on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday between 7:45 AM and 2:30 PM. Bring a valid photo ID. If you are requesting on behalf of someone else, bring documentation showing your authority to act for them.

Honolulu County Marriage License Agents

Getting a marriage license in Honolulu County works through a network of licensed agents appointed by the state. Both people who want to marry must complete the online application first at emrs.ehawaii.gov, then contact an agent to finish the process in person. Both applicants must appear together with valid government-issued photo ID. There is no waiting period once the license is issued. It is valid for 30 days and can be used anywhere in Hawaii.

The state DOH main office in Honolulu handles appointments through Makamae Caballero at (808) 586-4544. For Urban Honolulu, private agents include Judith Brown, Tomoko Yamauchi, Kamy Arakawa, Courtney Edwards, Glory Hashimoto, Sunnita Jensen, and Theresa Sharman, reachable at (808) 468-8455. In the Kapolei area, agents include Nicole Tam at (808) 674-6397, Kimberly Ross at (808) 674-6785, Kristine Palaualelo at (808) 468-9996, and Lindsay Louise at (808) 679-3266. Lucy Cao and Tori Honda also serve the Kapolei community. Agents are available in Kahuku, Laie, Mililani, Wahiawa, and other parts of Oahu as well.

The full and current list of licensed marriage agents on Oahu is published by the Department of Health. You can review all agents, their contact numbers, and the areas they serve on the DOH marriage license agent directory. Agents work by appointment only, so contact them ahead of time. The image below shows the DOH page where agents for Honolulu County are listed with their contact information.

The agent directory is updated by the state and includes current phone numbers for all licensed agents serving Oahu communities.

There is no residency requirement to get a marriage license in Hawaii. You do not need to be a citizen. If either person was previously married, they may need to show a divorce decree or death certificate if the prior marriage ended fewer than 30 days before applying. Birth certificates are required for anyone who is exactly 18 years old.

Marriage License Requirements in Honolulu

The total cost for a marriage license in Honolulu County is $65. This breaks down as a $60 application fee and a $5 online portal fee. The fee is paid when you submit the online application and is not refundable. Both people must be at least 18 years old. No one under 18 may obtain a license under current Hawaii law.

To complete the process, both applicants start at emrs.ehawaii.gov to fill out the online form. After finishing the online portion, you contact a licensed agent to set up an in-person appointment. At the appointment, you both show up at the same time with government-issued photo ID. The agent reviews your documents, verifies your information, and issues the license. The license becomes valid right away. No waiting period applies after the agent issues it. You have 30 days to use it anywhere in the state of Hawaii.

• Both applicants must be 18 or older
• Valid government-issued photo ID required from each person
• Both must appear together at the agent appointment
• Complete online application at emrs.ehawaii.gov before the appointment
• If previously married less than 30 days ago, bring divorce decree or death certificate
• License is valid for 30 days anywhere in Hawaii

There are no residency or citizenship requirements. You can be from anywhere in the world and still get a marriage license on Oahu. Hawaii is a popular place to marry, and the state has made the process fairly simple for couples who plan ahead.

Historical Honolulu Marriage Records

Honolulu County was created in 1907. It is the most populous county in Hawaii, covering the entire island of Oahu and serving over one million residents. The county seat is the city of Honolulu. Historical marriage records for Oahu go back much further than the county's formal creation. The Hawaii State Archives holds Oahu marriage records from 1832 through 1929. These include First Circuit Court marriage indexes and certificates spanning the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Marriage certificates for Oahu covering 1900 to 1949 are available on microfilm under the designation MFL 70. These records are arranged alphabetically by the groom's name. Marriage announcements from 1850 to 1950 have been indexed and are available on microfilm MFL 111. Both microfilm collections can be accessed at the Hawaii State Library, located at 478 South King Street in Honolulu. The library holds vital records microfilm indexes and is open to the public. Family History Centers on Oahu also hold copies of these records. Centers are located in Honolulu, Kalihi, Kaneohe, Laie, Mililani, and Waipahu.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa Library has published a genealogy guide that covers how to find marriage records and related historical documents for Oahu. The image below links to that research guide, which is a useful starting point for anyone doing genealogy research in Honolulu County.

The UH Manoa guide covers historical records sources including the State Archives, Hawaii State Library, and microfilm collections for Oahu marriage records.

Digital versions of some historical records are also available through the Hawaii State Archives online portal at digitalarchives.hawaii.gov. This site lets you search scanned documents and indexes without visiting in person. For older records not yet digitized, a visit to the State Archives or the Hawaii State Library is the best approach.

Legal Help in Honolulu County

The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii provides free civil legal services to people with low incomes in Honolulu and across the state. They handle a range of family law matters. You can submit a legal aid application at 1250 Punchbowl Street, Room 103, during pickup hours on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:45 AM to 2:30 PM. More information about their services is at legalaidhawaii.org. If you need help understanding how to access marriage records, name change procedures after marriage, or other related legal matters, Legal Aid may be able to help.

For those who do not qualify for free legal aid but still need guidance, the Hawaii State Bar Association offers referral services. A family law attorney can help with questions about obtaining records, understanding Hawaii marriage statutes, or navigating the license process when your situation is more complex. Legal help is worth looking into if you face delays or complications with a record request.

Cities in Honolulu County

All cities and communities on Oahu fall within Honolulu County. Marriage licenses and certified copies of marriage records for any of these areas are handled through the Hawaii Department of Health Vital Records office in downtown Honolulu.

Nearby Counties

Hawaii's other counties each have their own marriage license agents and vital records access points. If you need records from another island, check the county that covers that island.