Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon Health Authority logo

County Clerks

Resources for County Clerks

Helpful Information for County Clerks - Handout

​​To see information about the process to enter an Oregon Registered Domestic Partnership (ORDP), Click Here​. 

​

To order an ORDP Certificate after entering a partnership, visit the “Domestic Partnership”​​ page from the Order a Certificate menu on the Vital Records Home Page.

​

ORDP Application Instructions:


ORDP Form:

​​​Important: This form should be printed SINGLE-SIDED on two, separate pages.​​

​


​Ordering Forms or Commemorative Certificates:


The Center for Health Statistics no longer sends paper copies of the Declaration of Oregon Registered Domestic Partnership form to county clerk offices. The form may be printed from the link above as needed.

​

County Clerk offices may order blank Commemorative Certificates of Registered Domestic Partnership from the Center for Health Statistics at no charge. These come in packets of 100.


To order blank certificates email CHS.Registration@oha.oregon.gov and provide the following:​


  • Name of County Clerk placing the order

  • Name of county

  • Contact information (phone/email)

  • Quantity of commemorative certificates​ (packets of 100)

  • Mailing address
    ​

  • Mailing city/state/zip​


To see information about getting married in Oregon, Click Here​.


To order a marriage certificate after getting married in Oregon, visit the “Marriage" page​​ from the Order a Certificate menu on the Vital Records Home Page.

​

Marriage Application I​​nstructions​:​


Handouts:


Let's Talk about Alcohol Use During Pregnancy Handout (Replaces “Rethink the Drink" brochure)


Infographic titled “Let’s talk about alcohol use during pregnancy” There is no safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy.


Order this handout by submitting the Request for Vital Records Forms and Tags - Form 45-43​.​


​​The County Marriage Feed is a secure method to send the required minimum record of marriage data and certificate images from each county's Helion system directly to the state vital records system known as OVERS (Oregon Vital Events Registration System). Currently, most counties in Oregon use the Marriage Feed.


Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. ​What are the required minimum marriage data in the Marriage Feed?​

  • Party A and Party B Names

  • Party A and Party B Legal Names at Birth

  • Party A and Party B Sex

  • Party A and Party B Birthplace

  • Marriage Licensing County

  • Date of Marriage

  • County where Marriage occurred

  • Party A and Party B Race/Ethnicity (confidential item)

  • Party A and Party B Social Security Number (confidential item)​

  1. What image is sent in the Marriage Feed?
    The 8 ½ by 11 image of the completed marriage record, without the confidential section on the bottom, is sent to the state.
    ​
  2. Do counties continue to send in the paper marriage records even after they are participating in the county marriage feed?
    The state asks counties to continue to send in their paper marriage records as usual until told to do otherwise.
    ​
  3. Can counties choose to discontinue using the County Marriage Feed?
    Yes, but if counties choose to do so, they should give the state as much notice as possible.

  4. Is the County Marriage Feed stored and transmitted securely?
    Yes, the SSN and image are separately double
    encrypted. Then the whole package with the data is encrypted. The package is then sent via a web service call. Helion can provide more information on the security features of the County Marriage Feed.
    ​
  5. ​​Where can counties get more information on how to participate in the Marriage Feed?
    Counties can contact Helion at 503-362-9394 or Oregon Vital Records at CHS.Registration@oha.oregon.gov​.​



Under Oregon law county marriage offices have primary responsibility for issuing and maintaining marriage licenses and certificates. Once filed at the local county marriage office, certificates are forwarded to the State Vital Records office to create a permanent statewide file.

​

All requests to change an Oregon marriage certificate must be approved by the county marriage office that issued the license.




    ​​​What is the process for amending marriage and ORDP records?

    ​Under Oregon law county clerk offices have primary responsibility for amending marriage and Oregon Registered Domestic Partnership (ORDP) records.  Once filed at t​he local county clerk office, records are forwarded to the State Vital Records offi​​ce for filing. See ORS 106.100, ORS 106.300, and ORS 432.235(5).


    If a customer contacts the State Vital Records office to request an amendment or correction, they are referred to the county clerk's office. Customers cannot request amendments directly through the state. If the county clerk's office approves the amendments or corrections, they will submit an amendment request form to the State Vital Records office asking to correct the marriage or ORDP record in the state file.


    What form should be used by County Clerks to submit an amendment?

    Please use the Marriage/ORDP Amendment Request Form. The form is on our web site at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/BIRTHDEATHCERTIFICATES/Document%20Forms/Marriage-ORDPAmendmentRequestForm.pdf


    Be as detailed as possible. (Indicate if name is middle or last, etc.) Make sure to sign and date the form.


    • The Amendment Request Form is not an affidavit - it is not notarized. However, we consider the form equivalent to an affidavit when processing amendments.

    • Ways to submit the completed form to the State Vital Records office:


    How does the state notify the county or customers when an amendment is complete?

    If the customers or partners contact us about a marriage or ORDP amendment, we can confirm receipt of amendment information and whether it has been completed.


    If the customer has sent us their incorrect marriage or ORDP certificates for exchange (must be issued within the last 12 months), we will flag the record and issue free replacements to the customer once the amendment has been completed.​


    • ​We do require an order form and copy of current, valid government-issued photo ID with each Vital Records order where certi​ficates are issued.


    What time frame can the county give to the customers for when the amended record will be available from the state?

    Turn-around times vary but are generally at least 2 weeks. Our turn-around starts from the date the amendment request form has been received in our office from the county offices.

    If the customers or partners need confirmation of when a marriage or ORDP affidavit has been received by our office from the county, please contact the amendment department at CHS.Amendments@oha.oregon.gov. The email will be routed to a specialist for research and response.

     

    Some ​counties have started adding footnotes about what has been amended. Is this required? If so, what is the best practice for footnotes?

    The county may add footnotes to their own records if that is their process. The state does not see these, however, and will add state footnotes to the state vital record based on the amendment form submitted by the county clerk. 

    ORS 432.235 requires that footnotes include that the vital record has been amended or corrected, identify the evidence, the date of the amendment or correction, and the authorized individual that made the amendment (State Registrar).

    ​​​

    • The state also includes in our footnote the assigned affidavit number, the information formerly registered for the item that was amended, and the initials of the staff member who processed the change.

    • If the amendment is sealed by court order, a footnote would not be included on the amended or corrected vital record. The county clerk's office must receive the court order sealing the amendment, and a copy of the order must accompany the Amendment Request Form, so the State VR Office knows we are also to seal the amendment and not include a footnote.

     

    ​Are sex/gender amendments to marriage records allowed?

    If it is approved at the county level, the state will update the record to match once the Amendment Request Form is received.


    What should County Clerks do if they have a question about the legal requirements to register or amend a record?

    The state registers and maintains records that are provided by the county but it is out of the scope of state vital records to provide direction on legal requirements outside ORS 432. It is up to counties to approve applications for marriage and ORDP. It is up to them how they decide to prove and record eligibility. Counties may want to consult with their legal team for questions related to requirements for registering or amending a record. We cannot provide legal advice on how to interpret or enforce laws pertaining to marriage or ORDPs.


    Who at the Center for Health Statistics can County Clerks reach out to for general questions on amendments and marriage license/domestic partnership registration?

    ​

    General Registration Questions: CHS.Registration@oha.oregon.gov

    ​

    General Amendment Questions: CHS.Amendments@oha.oregon.gov




Back to Top