Who Keeps Marriage and Divorce Records in Bernalillo County
Marriage licenses are County Clerk records, not court records. The Bernalillo County Clerk serves as the county recorder and issues marriage licenses. After a ceremony, the signed license is returned to the Clerk for recording, and certified copies come from that office. The current County Clerk is Michelle S. Kavanaugh, identified on the official county election results site. New Mexico does not require a court filing for a marriage license itself.
Divorce is a court case. The Second Judicial District Court Domestic Relations Division handles divorce, custody, visitation, paternity, and kinship guardianship. Final divorce decrees and orders are part of the court file, and certified copies are requested through the court's case records process, not the County Clerk. That split is the single most useful fact on this topic. For marriage, go to the Clerk. For divorce, go to the court.
For more on the County Clerk's full recording duties, see the Bernalillo County Clerk page. For the court side, see the Clerk of the Second Judicial District Court page.
Bernalillo County Marriage Licenses
The County Clerk issues marriage licenses for couples marrying in New Mexico. The license is the legal document that lets a marriage take place; the recorded marriage record is created after the ceremony when the signed license returns to the Clerk. Couples apply in person at the Clerk's office. Both parties usually appear together with valid photo identification.
New Mexico does not require a waiting period or a blood test for a marriage license. Once issued, the license is used for the ceremony, signed by the officiant and witnesses, and returned to the County Clerk to be recorded. After recording, either spouse can request certified copies. Couples planning a ceremony should confirm the current application method, identification rules, age requirements, accepted payment, and office hours with the Clerk before they go, because the county's published marriage page details can change.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Issuing office | Bernalillo County Clerk, county recorder. |
| Where to apply | In person at the County Clerk's office. |
| Identification | Valid government photo ID for each applicant; confirm current rules with the Clerk. |
| Waiting period | None required by New Mexico for the license. |
| After the ceremony | Signed license returns to the Clerk for recording. |
| Certified copy | Requested from the County Clerk; an indexed county fee schedule lists $3.00 per certified copy. Verify before relying on it. |
Note: Confirm the marriage license fee, ID requirements, and any appointment rule directly with the Bernalillo County Clerk before applying, because the official figures shift over time.
How to Apply for a Bernalillo County Marriage License
The process is short, but both applicants generally need to appear and bring proper identification. The Clerk records the license after the ceremony, which is when the official marriage record is created. Couples who plan to marry quickly should still confirm hours and payment in advance.
- Both applicants visit the Bernalillo County Clerk's office in person.
- Bring valid government photo identification for each applicant.
- Complete the marriage license application provided by the Clerk.
- Pay the license fee with the Clerk's accepted payment method.
- Receive the marriage license to use for the ceremony.
- Have the officiant and witnesses sign the license at the ceremony.
- Return the signed license to the Clerk so it can be recorded.
- Request certified copies from the Clerk once the record is on file.
Bernalillo County Divorce Records
Divorce is handled by the Domestic Relations Division of the Second Judicial District Court. The division covers divorce, custody, visitation, paternity, and kinship guardianship. Its contact line is 505-841-7421, and the records email is albdecopydm@nmcourts.gov. A divorce case generates a full court file that can include the petition, response, financial affidavits, a parenting plan, child-support orders, and the final decree of dissolution.
Divorce case records can be searched through New Mexico Judiciary Case Lookup, subject to restrictions. To narrow a search to Bernalillo County, choose Court Type D for District Court and Court Location 202 - Albuquerque. The case-number format at the Second Judicial District is D202ZZYYYYXXXXX, where DM is the common case-type code for domestic matters. Some sensitive items, such as financial identifiers and children's information, may be restricted even when the docket is public. Orders of protection under the Family Violence Protection Act are not displayed on Case Lookup at all.
Certified copies of a divorce decree come from the court, not the County Clerk. The Domestic Relations records team processes those requests through the Second Judicial District case records process. Copy fees match the court's standard schedule. For the full request walkthrough, see the Bernalillo County court records page.
Divorce Record Copy Fees
The Second Judicial District Court charges the same copy fees for divorce records as for any other case file. These come from the official court case records request page. Fees are collected by the court clerk and are generally not refundable once paid.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Copies | $0.35 per page |
| Certification | $1.50 per document plus copy charges |
| Exemplification | $4.50 per document plus copy charges |
| Audio records or other records on CD | $4.00 |
A certified copy is the version most agencies accept for legal use, such as changing a name, updating Social Security records, or proving marital status. A plain copy is fine for personal reference. Exemplification is a higher level of certification used mainly when a document is going to another court or jurisdiction.
How to File for Divorce in Bernalillo County
People who file without an attorney can use the New Mexico Courts forms and the Second Judicial District's self-help resources. The Center for Self-Help & Dispute Resolution helps self-represented parties; its line is 505-841-6702 and email is albdselfhelp@nmcourts.gov. Filing a divorce is a court process, so it runs through the District Court rather than the County Clerk.
- Get the New Mexico Courts domestic relations forms from the official forms library.
- File the petition with the Second Judicial District Court if residency and jurisdiction rules are met.
- Pay the filing fee, or request a fee waiver or free process if eligible.
- Serve the other party with the petition and summons.
- Address temporary orders, parenting plan, child support, and division of property and debt.
- Obtain the final decree of dissolution when the case concludes.
The New Mexico Courts self-representation portal is the statewide hub for family-law forms and guidance. For complex cases involving contested custody or significant property, many people consult an attorney or use the court's mediation and settlement facilitation services.
Older Marriage and Vital Records
The County Clerk records and keeps marriage records for the county. New Mexico does not run marriage certificates through the state vital records office the way it does birth and death certificates; marriage records stay at the county level with the Clerk who recorded them. For genealogy or older records, the Clerk's recorded index is the place to start.
Divorce, by contrast, leaves both a court record at the Second Judicial District and a marital-status change that other agencies recognize. If someone needs proof of a divorce for a name change, a remarriage, or an immigration matter, the certified decree from the court is the document those agencies ask for. For the broader public-records framework that governs all of these files, see the Bernalillo County public records page.