Search Nantucket County Marriage Records
Nantucket County has a unique consolidated government where the town and county are one single entity, so all marriage records are held by the Nantucket Town Clerk's Office at 16 Broad Street. This page covers how to get a license, request a certified copy, and find historical Nantucket marriage records through local and state sources.
Nantucket County Overview
How Nantucket Marriage Records Work
Nantucket County is unlike any other county in Massachusetts. The county and the town of Nantucket share a single consolidated government. There is only one town in the county, and the town government handles all county functions. When it comes to marriage records, there is just one office to contact: the Nantucket Town Clerk's Office at 16 Broad Street. There is no separate county clerk, no county vital records office, and no second set of offices to sort through.
This consolidation makes Nantucket one of the more straightforward counties in Massachusetts for records research. You go to one place for everything. The Nantucket Town Clerk's Office maintains marriage records from the island's incorporated town history forward. It also handles all other vital records for the county, including births and deaths. The clerk registers marriage intentions, issues licenses, and stores the completed marriage returns sent in by officiants after each ceremony.
Nantucket County was established in 1695. The island sits about 30 miles south of Cape Cod. Year-round population is around 14,000, though summer brings tens of thousands of seasonal visitors and destination wedding couples from across the country. The town clerk's office is experienced with marriage requests from non-residents and out-of-state applicants.
Nantucket County consists of a single consolidated town-county government. The Town Clerk's Office at 16 Broad Street handles all marriage records for the county. No other offices hold local vital records here.
Nantucket Town Clerk's Office
The Nantucket Town Clerk's Office is the one place for all marriage records on the island. The office is at 16 Broad Street, Suite 1, Nantucket, MA 02554. Phone: 508-228-7216. Fax: 508-325-5313. Email: townclerk@nantucket-ma.gov. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
The town's website at nantucket-ma.gov has current information on marriage licenses, vital records, and how to request certified copies. The Marriage Intentions page covers what to bring and what the filing process looks like. The Vital Records page explains how to order copies of marriage certificates and what the fees are. Check both pages before you visit since procedures and requirements are updated periodically.
| Office | Nantucket Town Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 16 Broad Street, Suite 1, Nantucket, MA 02554 |
| Phone | 508-228-7216 |
| Fax | 508-325-5313 |
| townclerk@nantucket-ma.gov | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM |
| Marriage License Fee | $50 |
| Certified Copy Fee | $16 per copy |
The Nantucket town website is the central resource for all marriage-related information on the island, from filing intentions to getting a certified copy of an older record. The site is regularly updated with current procedures and fee schedules.
The nantucket-ma.gov website covers all vital records services including marriage intentions, license fees, and certified copy requests for this consolidated island county government.
Getting a Marriage License on Nantucket
The process for getting a marriage license on Nantucket follows Massachusetts state law with no island-specific exceptions beyond the local fee of $50. Both parties must appear in person at the Town Clerk's Office at 16 Broad Street. Bring valid photo ID for each person. If either party was previously married, you may need to bring a divorce decree or death certificate for the former spouse. Call ahead or check the Marriage Intentions page for the current list of required documents.
Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 207, there is a three-day waiting period after you file your intentions. The clerk cannot issue the license until those three days have passed. The license is then valid for 60 days from the date it is issued. Both parties must be at least 18. No Massachusetts residency is required; couples from any state can file intentions in Nantucket. The ceremony can take place anywhere in Massachusetts after the license is issued.
Because Nantucket is an island accessible only by ferry or small plane, couples planning a wedding there should build in extra time. The three-day waiting period still applies regardless of where the couple lives. Plan to be on the island at least four days before the ceremony to make sure the license is issued and ready. In peak summer months, the clerk's office can get busy with appointment requests, so check the town website for any scheduling requirements before you travel.
After the ceremony, the officiant must complete a marriage return and send it back to the Town Clerk's Office within the time required by state law. This return is what completes the official record. Once the clerk confirms the return has been filed, you can request a certified copy. The Getting Married in Massachusetts guide on mass.gov explains the full process in plain language and covers what happens after the ceremony as well as before.
Requesting Certified Copies of Marriage Records
Certified copies of Nantucket marriage records cost $16 per copy from the Town Clerk's Office. You can request them in person during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM) or by mail. For mail requests, send a written request with the full names of both parties, the date of the marriage, your contact information, a check or money order for $16 per copy made out to the Town of Nantucket, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for return.
The Vital Records page on the town website has current instructions for ordering by mail or in person. Response times vary with the season. Summer can bring higher request volumes. It is worth calling the office at 508-228-7216 before mailing a request to confirm current processing times and whether any forms are required.
Certified copies carry an official seal and are accepted for all legal purposes including name changes, passport applications, Social Security updates, insurance claims, and estate proceedings. Plain (non-certified) copies are also available and cost less. They are suitable for genealogical research but not for legal use. When you contact the clerk, specify which type you need so they can give you the correct fee and instructions.
For records from 1931 to the present, you can also request a state-certified copy from the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics (RVRS) at 150 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, phone 617-740-2600. In-person copies are $20. Mail orders are $32 and can be initiated through the mass.gov vital records ordering page. The state copy and the town copy carry equal legal weight.
Historical Nantucket Marriage Records
Nantucket has a long and distinct history, and marriage records from the island go back centuries. The Massachusetts State Archives at 220 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125 (617-727-2816) holds state copies of Nantucket marriage records from 1841 to 1930. You can search these records for free using the state Vital Records Search database. Certified copies from the State Archives cost $3 each. Because Nantucket is an island, the online search tool is especially practical for researchers not currently on the island.
Records from 1931 to the present are at the RVRS in Dorchester, as described in the section above. For records before 1841, you will need to rely on church registers, town meeting records, and family papers held by local historical organizations. The Nantucket Historical Association is by far the best resource for pre-1841 Nantucket family research.
FamilySearch has a Nantucket County Massachusetts Genealogy page with links to indexed records and research resources. Some Nantucket vital records from the 1800s have been indexed and digitized by FamilySearch volunteers, making them searchable online at no cost. The site also points to other collections held at the Nantucket Historical Association and the State Archives.
Nantucket Historical Association
The Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) at 13 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554 (508-228-1894) is the primary resource for Nantucket genealogical research. The NHA holds the Eliza Starbuck Barney Genealogical Record, a collection documenting more than 40,000 Nantucketers compiled in the 19th century. This is one of the most comprehensive local genealogical records in all of Massachusetts and covers island families going back to the earliest European settlement. Visit their website at nha.org for information on research access and hours.
For anyone researching Nantucket family history, the NHA Barney Record is an essential starting point. It cross-references births, marriages, deaths, and family relationships for generations of Nantucket families, many of whom are not well documented anywhere else. The NHA's broader archival collection includes deeds, wills, ship logs, photographs, and church records that complement the official vital records held by the town clerk.
Some NHA research can be done remotely by contacting their research staff directly. In-person access to the library and archives is available during regular hours. For older Nantucket families, especially those active in the whaling trade, the NHA collection may hold the only surviving documentation of marriages and family connections that predate state vital records registration.
The New England Historic Genealogical Society at AmericanAncestors.org also holds Massachusetts vital records transcriptions with some Nantucket materials. Their database and research staff can supplement what you find at the NHA. The Nantucket Atheneum, the island's public library, holds some additional local historical materials and is worth contacting for specific research needs.
Nantucket District Court
The Nantucket County/District Court is at 16 Broad Street, Nantucket, MA 02554. Phone: 508-228-2669. This court handles local civil and criminal matters for the island. It does not store marriage licenses or marriage returns. Those records stay with the Town Clerk's Office at the same address. If you are looking for marriage records specifically, the clerk's office is the right stop, not the court clerk.
Court records can still be useful in family research. Probate proceedings, estate filings, and civil cases may reference marriages, spouses, and family relationships. Name change petitions and annulment records are held by the court rather than the town clerk. If you are piecing together a Nantucket family history and need records beyond what the town clerk holds, the court clerk at 508-228-2669 can explain what civil records are available and how to access them.
Because Nantucket is a small, consolidated government, most court and vital records matters for island residents are handled at the 16 Broad Street location. Both the town clerk and the court operate out of the same building, which simplifies research visits for those who are already on the island.
Marriage Law in Nantucket County
Nantucket follows the same Massachusetts marriage law as every other town and county in the state. The rules come from M.G.L. Chapter 207. There are no island-specific variations in the legal requirements except for the local license fee of $50, which differs from what some other Massachusetts towns charge.
The minimum age is 18 as required by Section 7 of Chapter 207. The three-day waiting period after filing intentions is set by Section 28. The license is valid for 60 days. No residency is required. Section 30 of Chapter 207 covers who may perform a Massachusetts marriage ceremony, including justices of the peace, clergy, judges, and friends who obtain a one-day designation from the Governor's office.
The full text of M.G.L. Chapter 207 is on the Massachusetts Legislature's website. The Getting Married in Massachusetts guide on mass.gov is a plain-language summary covering the same steps. The Massachusetts law about marriage page provides a broader legal context and links to related statutes if you want to understand the full framework.
What a Nantucket Marriage Record Contains
A Nantucket marriage record includes the full names of both parties, their ages and residences at the time of filing, their parents' names and birthplaces, the date the intentions were filed, the date and place of the ceremony, and the name of the officiant. Witnesses are also listed. The record is formed from two parts: the intentions filed at the Town Clerk's Office before the ceremony, and the marriage return filed by the officiant after.
Older records from the 1800s may include additional details such as occupation, prior marital status, and the number of times each person was previously married or widowed. Nantucket records from the whaling era often reflect families with connections to multiple states and countries, and the records sometimes note birthplaces in other nations. These details are especially valuable for researchers tracing maritime families with complex geographic histories.
For very old records that may not be digitized yet, contacting both the town clerk and the NHA is a good approach. The NHA's genealogical collection may include transcriptions or compiled notes about records that supplement the official vital records files and can help bridge gaps in the documentary record.
Towns in Nantucket County
Nantucket County consists of a single town: the Town of Nantucket. The town and county share one consolidated government. All marriage records are at the Town Clerk's Office at 16 Broad Street. There are no other towns in this county and no city pages for Nantucket on this site.
Nearby Counties
Nantucket County is 30 miles offshore. The nearest counties are across Nantucket Sound to the north and west.