Search Kauai County Marriage License Records

Kauai County covers two islands: Kauai and Niihau. The Kauai District Health Office in Lihue is the place to go for marriage license applications and certified copies of marriage certificates. The application process starts online through the state system, and the Lihue office handles in-person appointments for both islands. This page explains how to apply for a marriage license in Kauai County, how to order a certified copy of your certificate, and how to search older Kauai marriage records that go back well into the 1800s.

Kauai District Health Office for Marriage Licenses

The Kauai District Health Office (KDHO) is at 3040 Umi Street, Lihue, HI 96766. It is a one-story building. When you arrive, go through the doors on the right-hand side, toward the far end from the street. The office is open Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The phone number is (808) 241-3498. You can also reach the office by email at doh.kauaivitalrecords@doh.hawaii.gov.

One important thing to know before you visit: cash and money orders are not accepted at KDHO. All certificate orders must be placed and paid online at vitrec.ehawaii.gov. Staff at the office cannot process in-person request forms, but you can pick up blank forms there if you prefer to fill one out by hand before submitting it online. Forms are also available to print from the website.

The screenshot below comes from the Kauai District Health Office vital records page at health.hawaii.gov/kauai/vital-records/.

The page has current office details, payment rules, and links to the online ordering system.

Language assistance is available at the KDHO. If you or your partner need help in a language other than English, staff can assist you in finding a free interpreter for your appointment. Call the office in advance to arrange this.

How to Apply for a Marriage License in Kauai County

The application for a Kauai County marriage license starts at emrs.ehawaii.gov. Both people getting married fill out the form online together. You will enter full legal names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and other required details. When the online form is submitted, you receive a Locator ID. Bring this to your in-person appointment at the Kauai District Health Office or you can reach appointment agents at (808) 241-3498.

Both parties must appear in person. Valid government-issued photo ID is required for each person. The license fee is paid at the time of issuance. The license is valid for 30 days from the date it is issued. Your ceremony must take place during that 30-day window.

Both Kauai and Niihau are under Kauai County for marriage registration. If you marry on Niihau, the county of ceremony on the record will still be Kauai County. The island, however, will be listed separately as Niihau. After the ceremony, the officiant must file the completed record with the State DOH within three business days.

Performers who wish to register to officiate ceremonies in Kauai County should send registration paperwork to the State DOH, District Health Office, Kauai, 3040 Umi Street, Lihue, Hawaii 96766-1356, or call (808) 241-3498. Registration must be on file before any ceremony takes place.

Getting Certified Copies of a Kauai Marriage Certificate

Order certified copies online at vitrec.ehawaii.gov. The first copy is $10, and additional copies of the same record ordered together are $4 each. A $2.50 portal fee applies to each transaction. Allow about 14 business days for processing. If you selected the pickup option when ordering, you will get an email notification when the copies are ready at the Kauai office.

Pickup is available only if you chose it during the online ordering process. The Lihue office cannot hand out certificates to people who did not select pickup in their order, even if you show up in person and explain the situation. To avoid delays, choose your delivery method carefully when placing the order. For most people, mail delivery is the simpler choice.

Certified copies are used for legal name changes, Social Security updates, passport applications, military benefits, insurance claims, and a range of other official purposes. If you need the certificate for a specific deadline, contact the office at (808) 241-3498 to ask about current processing times before placing your order.

The screenshot below is from the Kauai vital records request forms page at health.hawaii.gov/kauai/vital-records-request-forms/.

This page has downloadable forms and instructions for people who prefer to request records by mail rather than through the online portal.

If you have a Kauai mailing address, the KDHO can issue your certificate directly. If your address is elsewhere in Hawaii or on the mainland, your order will be processed through the statewide DOH office instead.

Historical Kauai County Marriage Records

Marriage records for Kauai go back to the early 1800s. The Hawaii State Archives holds records from several districts on the island, including Hanalei (1896-1913), Waimea (1914-1929), Kawaihau (1915-1929), Koloa (1902-1929), and Lihue (1905-1929). These district-level records reflect how marriages were registered before the modern county system was in place.

FamilySearch has a detailed resource page for Kauai County genealogy at familysearch.org/en/wiki/Kauai_County,_Hawaii_Genealogy. The collections listed there include Kauai and Niihau Reports of Births, Marriages and Deaths from 1846 to 1896, Kauai Marriage Certificates from 1845 to 1894, and the marriage registers of George B. Rowell covering 1843 to 1884. Rowell was a missionary who was authorized to record marriages in the Kingdom of Hawaii, and his registers document many of the earliest marriages on the island. These records are among the oldest in the state system and offer a window into the lives of Native Hawaiian families and early settlers alike.

Ulukau at ulukau.org provides Kauai marriage indexes from 1826 through 1929 arranged by island. For more recent records or for copies of original documents, write to State DOH, Office of Health Status Monitoring, P.O. Box 3378, Honolulu, HI 96801. Include the names of the individuals, a description of your research project, the type of record you need, and an approximate date range.

Kauai Marriage License Laws

Hawaii marriage requirements are set by HRS Chapter 572. Both applicants must be at least 16 years old, and anyone under 18 needs parental consent. No waiting period exists between getting the license and holding the ceremony. There is no blood test requirement. Both people must be unmarried at the time of application, and marriages between close relatives are prohibited.

The license is valid for 30 days. The officiant files the record within three business days after the ceremony. Hawaii does not require any residency in the county or state to get a marriage license. Couples from anywhere in the world can marry in Kauai County by following the same process as local residents.

Cities in Kauai County

No cities in Kauai County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated marriage license page. Lihue is the county seat and the main service center for the island.

Other Hawaii Counties

Each Hawaii county handles marriage licenses through its local District Health Office. Select another county below.