Find Marriage Records in Kalawao County

Kalawao County marriage records are handled through the Maui County judicial district, since Kalawao has no active civilian government of its own. The county sits on the Makanalua Peninsula on the north shore of Molokai and has no permanent civilian population today. If you need to search for Kalawao County marriage records, request a marriage license, or get a certified copy, you will work through the Maui County court system and the Hawaii State Department of Health. This page explains where to go, who to contact, and how to find older historical records tied to this unique county.

Kalawao County Marriage Records and Administration

Kalawao County is the smallest county in the United States by both area and population. It was created on April 22, 1903, carved out of Maui County to manage the Kalaupapa Leprosy Settlement on the Makanalua Peninsula. The name Kalawao means "mountain-side wild woods" in Hawaiian. The county seat is Kalaupapa, a settlement that is now a National Historical Park. There are no permanent civilian residents today, which means there is no local government operating in the traditional sense.

All court services for Kalawao County, including anything tied to marriage records, go through the Maui County judicial district. The courthouse handling Kalawao matters is the Maui County Courthouse, located at 200 S. High St., Kalana O Maui Building, Wailuku, HI 96793. The phone is 808-323-4881. If you have any court-related questions about Kalawao records, that is the office to call.

Vital records, including marriage certificates and certified copies, are maintained by the Hawaii State Department of Health, just like every other county in the state. There is no separate Kalawao County vital records office. The statewide system handles all requests.

Historical Kalawao County Marriage Records

The screenshot below is from the Hawaii State Archives Digital Collections, which holds historical records related to Molokai, including records from the Kalawao period. The digital collection is accessible online and includes documents covering the county from its early years.

The Hawaii State Archives Digital Collections at digitalarchives.hawaii.gov holds Molokai Island records that cover the Kalawao area. You can browse by collection or search by keyword.

Known Kalawao County marriage records start around 1905, which aligns with when the county was formally established. Earlier Molokai marriage records go back to 1850 and are held in the State Archives. The digital archives include Molokai marriage records from 1850 to 1877 under collection M511.1.4.2.1, and a second set covering 1909 to 1919 under M511.1.4.2.2. Kalawao County marriage records are included in the broader Molokai Island indexes rather than being listed separately, which reflects the small population and the county's unusual administrative history.

The Hawaiian Genealogy Indexes at Ulukau also have Molokai marriages covering 1850 to 1910 and 1911 to 1929. These are some of the best tools for tracing marriages that took place on Molokai during those decades. Because Kalaupapa was a settlement with strict isolation rules, recording practices there were sometimes different from the rest of the island. Records from within the settlement itself are sparse and may not show up in standard indexes.

Marriage Licenses for Kalawao County

Getting a marriage license tied to Kalawao County follows the same statewide process used across Hawaii. Both applicants fill out the online application at emrs.ehawaii.gov first, then meet in person with a licensed agent who checks IDs and issues the license. Both people must be present at the same time and must each show valid photo ID. The license fee is $65 statewide.

For Molokai residents, the main contact is Tiffany Rapanot at the Molokai District Health Office. She handles appointments and can be reached at (808) 553-7870. The office is appointment-only, so call ahead before you go. There is also a private agent on Molokai, Linda Napoleon, who can be reached at (808) 336-0213 for people whose schedules don't align with the health office hours.

The screenshot below shows the statewide marriage license agent directory, which lists agents serving Molokai and the Kalawao County area.

The full agent list is at health.hawaii.gov. This page is updated when agents change, so check it directly if you are not sure who is currently active for Molokai.

Once the license is issued, the ceremony can take place anywhere in the state. Hawaii does not require the ceremony to happen in the county where the license was issued. The officiant returns the signed license to the state, and it becomes part of the permanent vital records file maintained by the Department of Health.

Certified Copies of Kalawao County Marriage Records

Certified copies of marriage records connected to Kalawao County are ordered the same way as all other Hawaii vital records. The state runs one centralized portal at vitrec.ehawaii.gov. The first certified copy costs $10. Each additional copy ordered at the same time is $4. There is also a $2.50 portal fee per order. These fees are non-refundable once submitted.

Orders placed online are typically mailed out within 6 to 8 weeks. There is no expedited option for most requests. If you need a copy for legal purposes, build that timeline into your plans. All fees must be paid at the time of the online order. You cannot place an order and pay later.

Access to certified copies is governed by Hawaii Revised Statutes section 338-18. You must demonstrate a direct and tangible interest in the record. This typically means you are one of the people named in the record, an immediate family member, or a legal representative acting on behalf of one of those parties. For older records, 75 years or more, access is open to the public without needing to show a relationship.

Note: Because Kalawao records are included in statewide vital records rather than a local county office, there is no separate request process for this county. Use the main state portal for all requests.

Hawaii State Vital Records and Kalawao County

The Hawaii Department of Health maintains all vital records statewide, and Kalawao County is no exception. Because the county has no active local administrative office, the state is the only place to go for official records. The statewide vital records portal is the primary tool for anyone searching for Kalawao-area marriage records from recent decades.

The Hawaii DOH vital records page at health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords covers the full scope of what the state maintains, including how to order certified copies, what documents you need, and which offices handle different types of requests.

For genealogy researchers, the combination of the State Archives and the Digital Collections covers most older Kalawao-area records. The Digital Archives at digitalarchives.hawaii.gov is searchable online and holds many of the Molokai Island records that include Kalawao-era documents. Research into the Kalaupapa settlement specifically may also turn up records preserved by the National Park Service, which manages the site today.

The sparse population of Kalawao County means the total volume of marriage records tied specifically to this county is small. Most of the historical records you find will be indexed under Molokai Island or Maui County rather than Kalawao specifically. Keep that in mind when you search old indexes.

Cities in Kalawao County

Kalawao County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. Kalaupapa is the county seat but has no permanent civilian population. It functions today as a National Historical Park.

If you are searching for marriage records related to Molokai residents more broadly, the Maui County page covers the judicial district that handles all Kalawao County court matters. Many Molokai residents file through the Maui County courthouse system for any court-related needs.

Nearby Counties

Kalawao County sits within the Maui County judicial district. The other Hawaii counties each manage marriage records for their own islands through the state Department of Health system.