Vital Records

Certified Copies of Birth and Death Certificates

An application is required to request certified copies of birth or death certificates occurring after January 1, 1909.  Records can now be obtained at any Vermont Town Clerk’s Office, and issuance of these documents is restricted to authorized individuals or organizations as outlined on the application.  

 

To request a certified copy of a birth or death certificate the following is required:

  • Complete & sign both pages of this application. 
  • Complete the Affidavit of Homeless Status form, if applicable.
  • The fee for certified copies is $10.00 per copy. We accept check, money order, or cash payments only, no cards.
  • Provide appropriate identification. (see list on the application)

 

How to submit completed application and photocopy of IDs:

  • Email: clerk@lincolnvermont.org
  • Drop off: in our official drop box by the Town Office door.
  • Mail to: Lincoln Town Clerk, 62 Quaker Street, Lincoln, VT 05443.
  • Fax: (802) 453-2975

 

Ways to pay:

  • Check or money order made payable to “Town of Lincoln”
  • Cash- Come to the Town Clerk’s Office during regular hours, or call (802) 453-4501 to make an appointment.

 

Marriage Certificates

Marriage certificates are stored in the town or city where the couple applied for their marriage license, and not necessarily where the marriage ceremony took place.  Certified copies of marriage certificates cost $10.00 each.

 

To request a certified copy:

Submit a request and payment to the town clerk where your marriage license was purchased (No official application is necessary). Marriage certificate copies can also be requested from the Vermont Department of Health Vital Records website for an additional fee.

 

Getting Married?

If you are a Vermont resident and wish to marry in Vermont you may purchase your marriage license in any town, but it is best to choose a town where one of the parties lives. If both parties live out of state, the license can be purchased from any Vermont Town or City Clerk. To obtain a license, both individuals must complete and sign the marriage license application which will be given to the Town Clerk, who will then issue the license. The cost of the marriage license is $80.00.  If you want a certified copy of your marriage certificate after the ceremony, there is an additional fee of $10.00, which can be paid at the time of application.

By law, you must deliver the marriage license to the person who will conduct your wedding ceremony before the marriage can be performed. The officiant (person who performs the ceremony) will complete their section of the marriage license and return the license to the Town Clerk’s office where it was issued, within 10 days after the wedding. Once the marriage license is properly recorded, a certified copy of your marriage certificate can be made, and the clerk will register it with the State of Vermont as well.   

Wedding ceremonies can be performed by a supreme court justice, a superior court judge, a district judge, a judge of probate, an assistant judge, a justice of the peace or an ordained, licensed member of the clergy residing in Vermont. Vermont law does not require witnesses. If you would like someone who does not fit into one of these categories, the Vermont Secretary of State's Office does issue a temporary officiant license.

The Vermont Secretary of State’s Office has an online Temporary Officiant Registration Portal.  The portal provides applicants with 24/7 online registration service. The full application process may be completed online, or applications can be printed and mailed. The portal provides additional information and links for temporary officiants, including a guide to completing the Civil Marriage Certificate. 

Burial-Transit Permits

Persons who wish to transport or bury their deceased loved one without the services of a funeral home, must obtain a Burial-Transit Permit from the town clerk (in the town of death) before moving the body. The fee is $5, and a preliminary report of death document will be required from a qualified medical professional.