The Registrar of Vital Statistics in Fair Lawn is located in the Health Department of Borough Hall. Vital Statistics consists of records for births, deaths, marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships that have occurred in Fair Lawn from 1924 to present.
You must call the Registrar to make an appointment for a marriage/remarriage license, or domestic partnership no walk-ins can be processed.
On this page you will find information about the following:
- ORDERING A COPY OF A VITAL RECORD
- MARRIAGE LICENSING
- DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP REGISTRATION
For information on Adoption, Divorce Decrees and Frequently Asked Questions about Vital Records, please visit the NJ State Vital Statistics Website.
ORDERING A VITAL RECORD
A birth, marriage, civil union, domestic partnership or death had to physically take place in Fair Lawn. If the event took place in another town, you can locate contact information for the Registrar on the NJ State Vital Statistics website.
Death certificates may have been initially processed in Fair Lawn if the funeral home that handled the arrangements or the cemetery is located in Fair Lawn. However, after the funeral the death certificate will be permanently filed in the town that the descendent physically passed away in.
You may either come in person or request via mail a certified copy of a record. To get a copy of a vital record, you must submit:
For all orders, the following must be sent with your application:
- all required copies of ID for proof of identity (see below)
- the correct fees ($10 per copy)
- copies of documents proving your relationship to the person named on the record if it is not yourself.
**You must be able to fully identify the record by providing all of the information listed on the application form. Your request cannot be accepted unless the information matches.
- Full name(s) on the record
- City where the event occurred
- Exact date of the event (month, day and year)
- Parents names at birth (maiden name) if listed on the record.
- For Marriage, Civil Union or Domestic Partnership - Instead of parents’ names, you must provide the name of the spouse/partner.
You must provide acceptable ID in order to get a copy of any vital record. Copies of vital records must be mailed to the address listed on your identification unless you provide a notorized letter of your new address.
The following are acceptable forms of ID:
- A current, valid photo driver's license or photo non-driver's license with current address
OR
- A current, valid driver’s license without photo and one alternate form of ID with current address
OR
- Two alternate forms of ID, one of which must have current address.
***IMPORTANT: The address on your drivers license is your legal address and the one that must be written on the application or your license must be accompanied by a change of address letter or email from the Motor Vehicle Division. No exceptions. NJ DMV Online Change of Address.
Alternate forms of ID are:
- Vehicle registration
- Vehicle insurance card
- Voter registration
- US/Foreign Passport
- Immigrant Visa
- Permanent Resident Card (Green card)
- Federal/State ID
- School ID
- Bank Statement (within previous 90 days)
- Utility bill(within the previous 90 days)
- W-2 for current/previous tax year
Please do not mail original documents. Legible copies are acceptable.
To get a certified copy of a person’s vital record, you must provide proof of your relationship to the person listed on the record and the proof must establish you are one of the following:
- The subject of the record
- The subject’s parent, legal guardian or legal representative
- The subject’s spouse/civil union partner; child, grandchild or sibling
- A state or federal agency for official purposes
- Pursuant to court order
**Failure to provide proof of relationship is the number one reason certified copy applications must be rejected.
How to prove relationship for non-genealogical records:
If you are looking for a certified copy of…
- your own birth certificate and you have assumed your spouse’s/civil union partner’s surname you must provide a copy of the certified copy of your marriage/civil union certificate to link the name on your current ID to the name on your birth certificate.
your child’s birth certificate
- you don’t need any additional documents (if your current last name is different than the maiden name or other parents last name then you must provide a copy of the certified copy of your marriage/civil union certificate to link the name on your current ID to the name on your birth certificate.)
your spouse’s/civil union partner’s birth certificate
- you must provide a copy of your marriage/civil union certificate.
your parent’s or sibling’s vital record
- you must provide a copy of your birth certificate showing parents’ names. If you have assumed your spouse's/civil union partner's last name you must also provide a copy of your marriage/civil union certificate to link the name on your current ID to the name on your birth certificate.
your grandparent’s vital record
- you must provide a copy of your birth certificate showing parents’ names along with the same for your parent that is the child of your grandparent. If you have assumed your spouse's/civil union partner's last name you must also provide a copy of your marriage/civil union certificate to link the name on your current ID to the name on your birth certificate.
Legal Representatives
- If you are the executor of an estate you must supply proof of appointment as the executor.
- If you are an attorney who is the legal representative of the executor of an estate you must supply proof of legal retainer by the executor and proof of the appointment of the individual as the executor.
- If you are an attorney who is the legal representative of an individual that is eligible to receive a certified copy of a vital record you must supply proof of legal retainer by the eligible individual and their proof of relationship.
- If you are an attorney who needs a certified copy of a vital record and you are not the legal representative of an eligible person you must obtain a court order directing the Registrar to issue a certified copy of the record. A subpoena is not sufficient to issue a copy of a vital record.
Please see the NJ State Vital Records office FAQ’S Section for more information on ordering Vital Records.
Correcting a Vital Record
If there is an error on your record please visit the State website for information about getting it corrected and fill out this Reg15 Application.
MARRIAGE LICENSE
You must email the Registrar for information and to make an appointment for a marriage license, no walk-ins can be processed. HHS@fairlawn.org
Are you being married in the State of New Jersey?
- Yes- Continue
- No- You must contact the state you are being married in.
Are you or your fiancé a Fair Lawn resident?
- Yes- Please email hhs@fairlawn.org (Does your id reflect your Fair Lawn address? If not please update prior to coming in.)
- No- (We both live out of State but we are being married in Fair Lawn)- Please email hhs@fairlawn.org.
- No- (Resident(s) of another NJ town)- Please contact the town in which you live.
After the application is completed, there will be a 72 hour waiting period before the license is issued. *Licenses can only be issued during business hours. The application itself is valid for 6 months.
Appointments are scheduled during regular business hours, depending upon availability.
Email for an appointment: HHS@fairlawn.org
Any documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation. If either of the applicants do not speak English you must bring a translator.
**A blood test is no longer required for marriage.
LGBTQ+ Friendly
It is recommended to make the appointment no less than 2-4 weeks prior to the ceremony. You can apply up to 6 months in advance of your wedding or one year if requested at the time the application is processed.
Only one marriage license may be granted from a marriage application. If the license expires before being used, a new application must be made, and another $28 fee remitted.
REMARRIAGE
For individuals who are currently in a marriage in New Jersey, in another state or country there exists the option to reaffirm your relationship/vows by registering a Remarriage.
In order to apply for a Remarriage the couple must provide proof of their existing marriage, meet the requirements for entering into a marriage in New Jersey and follow the guidelines above to completing the license application. Any documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
The process for a Remarriage License is the same as for the Marriage License, except that the Remarriage License must be accompanied by the proof of existing marriage and once the application is filed there is no 72-hour waiting period before the license is issued.
Please refer the marriage application instructions above.
Spanish “Entrar en un Casamiento o Union Civil en Nueva Jersey”
Russian “ЗАКЛЮЧЕНИЕ БРАКА ИЛИ ГРАЖДАНСКОГО СОЮЗА В НЬЮ-ДЖЕРСИ”
Korean “뉴저지에서의 결혼 혹은 시민결합”
DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP
You must call the Registrar to make an appointment for a domestic partnership, no walk-ins can be processed.
Couples wishing to register a Domestic Partnership must be 62 years of age or older. Please view the requirements on the State Vital Statistics website.