Search Bristol County Divorce Records

How to Find Bristol County Marriage and Divorce Records

The starting point depends on the record type. Marriage records in Massachusetts are civil vital records. They sit with the city or town clerk that issued the license. There is no central Bristol County marriage license office. A couple that applied in Taunton left their record with the Taunton city clerk. A couple that applied in New Bedford left their record with the New Bedford city clerk. The state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics in Boston also receives a supplement from each issuing clerk, so you can sometimes obtain a certified marriage record from the state office as well.

Divorce records work differently. They are Probate and Family Court records, not vital-records documents. The Bristol Probate and Family Court has three courthouse locations across the county. All of them serve every Bristol County city and town, so the case may have been filed at any of the three. To search basic case information without a trip, use the MassCourts electronic case access portal. That portal gives you docket information and case status. Certified copies of actual documents require a visit or written request to the Register's Office at the location where the case was filed.

For Bristol County probate records that involve estates, guardianships, or conservatorships, the same Probate and Family Court holds those files and the same search process applies. Public records requests for non-court agency documents follow the Massachusetts Public Records Law under M.G.L. c. 66, § 10, which is a separate process handled by the relevant agency's Records Access Officer.

Getting a Marriage License in Bristol County

Massachusetts General Law Chapter 207 governs who may marry in Massachusetts, what paperwork is required, and how the process works. The law places responsibility for marriage licenses with city and town clerks, not with any county court. That means there is no "Bristol County marriage license office." Instead, each municipality has its own clerk. Taunton, Fall River, New Bedford, Attleboro, and every other city and town in the county each handle their own applications.

You do not have to apply in the town where you live or where the ceremony will take place. Any Massachusetts city or town clerk can issue the license, and the license is valid for a ceremony held anywhere in Massachusetts. That flexibility matters to couples who live in one town, plan to marry in another, and find it easier to apply somewhere in between. The official Massachusetts marriage guide on Mass.gov explains the full process, including the Notice of Intention form and the waiver process.

The basic timeline looks like this. Both applicants file a Notice of Intention of Marriage with a clerk. They wait three days unless a District Court or Probate Court grants a Marriage Without Delay waiver. Then they pick up the license. The license is good for one Massachusetts ceremony within 60 days. After the ceremony, the officiant completes the license and returns it to the issuing clerk.

Fees for the license vary by city and town. Massachusetts law does not set a single statewide fee for marriage licenses. Each clerk sets local fees. Because amounts differ across Bristol County municipalities and can change, exact figures are not listed here. Contact the clerk's office in the city or town where you plan to apply for the current fee before you go.

The image below comes from the Massachusetts marriage guide, which explains the steps a couple must follow before the wedding.

The Massachusetts marriage guide covers the full intention-filing and license-issuance process for couples applying in any city or town.

The guide confirms that couples may file their Notice of Intention with any Massachusetts city or town clerk, making Bristol County municipalities a valid option regardless of where applicants currently live.

Bristol County Marriage License Application Fields

When both applicants appear before the clerk to file the Notice of Intention, the clerk will ask for specific information from each person. The fields below come from the Massachusetts application process documented in the Mass.gov marriage guide and state vital-records forms. Having this information ready before you visit the clerk speeds up the process considerably.

How to Apply for a Bristol County Marriage License

Most city and town clerks in Bristol County handle marriage license applications during regular business hours. Calling ahead is a good idea. Some offices prefer scheduled appointments, and some clerks may have different availability during busy periods. Both applicants must appear together unless a statutory exception applies for military service, incarceration, or hospitalization.

1. Choose any Massachusetts city or town clerk. The clerk does not have to be in the town where you live or where the ceremony will take place. Bristol County towns like Taunton, Fall River, New Bedford, Attleboro, and others all have local clerks available.
2. Appear together. Both applicants go to the clerk's office at the same time. Exceptions for military, incarcerated, or hospitalized applicants must be confirmed with the clerk in advance.
3. File the Notice of Intention and pay the local fee. The clerk provides the Notice of Intention form. You fill it out with the information listed in the application fields table above. Fees vary by municipality; ask the clerk for the current amount before visiting.
4. Wait three days. Massachusetts law requires a three-day waiting period after filing the Notice. A District Court or Probate Court can grant a Marriage Without Delay waiver if circumstances require one.
5. Pick up the license. Return to the clerk's office after the waiting period and collect the license. It is valid for a ceremony held anywhere in Massachusetts within 60 days.
6. Have your ceremony within 60 days. The officiant must be authorized to perform marriages in Massachusetts. The ceremony must take place in the state.
7. Officiant returns the completed license to the clerk. After the ceremony, the officiant fills out the license and returns it to the city or town clerk that issued it. The clerk then records the marriage.

Note: A certified marriage certificate comes from the issuing city or town clerk or from the state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics after the license is returned and recorded.

Bristol County Divorce Records

Divorce cases in Bristol County are heard by the Bristol Probate and Family Court. This court department handles divorce complaints, financial statements, child custody and support orders, parenting plans, temporary orders, and final judgments. It also handles modifications and contempt matters after the original divorce judgment. The Register's Office at each location maintains the official case files.

The Bristol Probate and Family Court has three locations. All three serve all Bristol County cities and towns, so a divorce filed years ago could be at any of the three locations. The Taunton location at 40 Broadway, Suite 240, is the main Register's Office. Fall River at 289 Rock Street and New Bedford at 505 Pleasant Street also maintain full dockets for cases assigned there. Register Thomas C. Hoye, Jr. oversees the Register's Office system for all three locations.

Divorce files can contain material that is not open to the general public. Financial statements filed during divorce proceedings are typically impounded under court rules. Documents involving minor children, abuse prevention matters, and other sensitive material may also be restricted. The public docket will show that a case exists and may show hearing dates and dispositions, but certain documents within the file will not be accessible without a court order. For a full understanding of what Bristol County court records are and are not public, the Probate and Family Court access FAQ on Mass.gov provides useful detail.

Searching Bristol County Divorce Cases on MassCourts

The MassCourts electronic case access portal is the starting point for any online Bristol County divorce records search. It is free and requires no login for basic public docket information. The portal lets you search by party name or docket number, and you can narrow results by court department, location, and case type.

When searching for a divorce case, select "Probate and Family Court" as the court department and choose one of the three Bristol County locations. If you do not know which location has the case, you may need to try all three. The docket result will show the case caption, filing date, status, and any scheduled hearings. Docket entries give a timeline of events, motions, and orders. Remote access to document images and PDFs is not guaranteed for the general public under the Uniform Rules on Public Access to Court Records; documents are typically available in person at the courthouse or by written request through the Register's Office.

The image below is from the Bristol Probate and Family Court Virtual Registry page, which explains how to reach Register's Office staff remotely by Zoom during scheduled hours.

The Bristol Probate and Family Court Virtual Registry page on Mass.gov provides Zoom connection details and operating hours for remote assistance with case questions.

The Virtual Registry runs Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and again 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., giving remote access to Register's Office staff for questions about divorce cases and other Probate and Family Court matters.

The Bristol Probate Virtual Registry

The Virtual Registry is a practical option for people who have questions about a case but cannot travel to one of the three courthouse locations. It runs by Zoom on a set schedule and connects you directly to Register's Office staff. The service does not replace an in-person visit for certified copies or document filings, but it is useful for confirming case status, getting a docket number, or asking procedural questions before you make the trip.

Virtual Registry hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Mass.gov page for the Virtual Registry includes the Zoom meeting link, a phone dial-in number, and a meeting ID for people who cannot use the app. You can also reach the Taunton Register's Office by email at bristolprobate@jud.state.ma.us or by phone at (508) 977-6040.

Keep in mind that Register's Office staff can answer questions about procedures and case status, but they cannot give legal advice. If you have questions about whether you qualify for divorce, how to complete forms, or what your rights are during a custody dispute, contact an attorney or reach out to the Committee for Public Counsel Services if you cannot afford representation.

Note: The Virtual Registry is a help service, not a searchable records database; actual case documents still come from the in-person Register's Office or by formal written request to the court where the case was filed.

Bristol County Certified Copies and Restricted Records

A certified copy of a divorce judgment or other court order carries the seal of the court and is accepted for legal purposes such as changing a name with the Social Security Administration, updating property titles, or providing proof of marital status. An uncertified printout or screenshot of the online docket is not a certified record and will not be accepted for most official purposes.

To get a certified copy of a Bristol County divorce record, contact the Register's Office at the location where the case was filed. Bring or provide the docket number, the names of both parties, the case type, and the approximate filing year. Staff will locate the file and confirm which documents are available for public access. Some documents, particularly financial statements and child-related materials, are impounded and require a court order before copies can be released.

For certified marriage records, the process is similar but goes through a different office. Contact the city or town clerk that issued the original marriage license, or request a certified marriage certificate from the state Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. The state office holds records submitted by the issuing clerk after the ceremony.

For related estate and family matters, see Bristol County probate records for guidance on wills, guardianships, and estate filings. For questions about Massachusetts public records held by government agencies outside the court system, the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office handles those requests under M.G.L. c. 66, § 10. The Clerk of Courts page covers Superior Court criminal and civil records, which are a separate set of files from the Probate and Family Court docket.

Bristol Probate and Family Court Register's Office

The Register's Office is the official records keeper for all Probate and Family Court cases in Bristol County, including every divorce case filed at any of the three locations. For certified copies, filing questions, or help identifying which location holds a case, contact the office directly. All three locations are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with New Bedford closed Wednesday.