Centerton Marriage License Lookup

A Centerton marriage license comes from the Benton County Clerk, not the city of Centerton. Centerton sits a short drive west of Bentonville, so couples drive up AR-102 to the clerk's office to apply in person. This page lists the Benton County Clerk's address, phone, fee, and hours. It also walks through the online Benton County marriage license search and how to order a certified copy by mail or in person for a Centerton marriage license record.

Where Centerton Marriage License Records Are Filed

Centerton is a Benton County city just west of Bentonville. The city of Centerton does not issue marriage licenses. The Benton County Clerk is the only office that issues marriage licenses for Centerton residents. County Clerk Betsy Harrell holds the elected post. The office is at 215 East Central Avenue, Bentonville, AR 72712. Phone (479) 271-1013. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The drive from downtown Centerton runs about 6 miles east on AR-102 into Bentonville. Plan on 12 to 15 minutes in light traffic. The clerk's office sits at the county courthouse, where parking is free. The clerk also takes marriage license questions by email at marriage@bentoncountyar.gov, and appointments are on offer if you want to skip the walk-in line.

The Benton County licenses and certificates page lays out the fee, the ID list, and the list of persons who perform weddings in the county.

The clerk's home page above links to minister credentials, DBA filings, and the online search tool that covers Centerton marriage license records.

How To Apply for a Centerton Marriage License

Both parties come to the clerk's office together. Bring a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID for each party. A state driver's license, state ID card, US passport, or military ID all work. If you were married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or the prior spouse's death certificate. If the past divorce restored your former name, the decree must show that line.

The fee is $60.00 cash in exact change. Benton County charges $62.80 when you pay by credit or debit card, which covers the card processing fee. The clerk does not take personal checks. Bring your own pen in blue or black ink.

Adults 18 and older sign the application at the window and get the license the same day. No wait. No blood test. Out-of-state couples are welcome. There is no residency rule in Arkansas, so a couple from Oklahoma or Missouri can drive in, apply in Bentonville, and hold the ceremony at a Centerton venue that weekend.

Applicants 17 years old need both parents present. The parents sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. Benton County imposes the state's 5 business day wait before the license can be picked up. No one under 17 may get a license except in the narrow pregnancy exception at § 9-11-103.

Bring to the Benton County Clerk:

• Valid photo ID for each party
• Social Security number for each party
• Divorce decree or prior spouse's death certificate if you were wed before
• $60 exact cash or a card ($62.80 total)
• Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17
• Blue or black pen

Centerton Marriage License Rules

Centerton follows the statewide rules in Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is good anywhere in Arkansas, not just inside Benton County. You can pick it up in Bentonville and hold the ceremony at a venue in Centerton, Rogers, or any other city in the state. The signed license must be returned to the Benton County Clerk, used or not, inside 60 days of the date of issue.

Under § 9-11-213, a short list of people may sign the license as officiant. That list runs from the Governor and judges of record down to ordained ministers and city mayors. Ministers must record their credentials with a county clerk under § 9-11-214 before they can sign an Arkansas marriage license. The Benton County Clerk records the papers in the same office that issues licenses.

Benton County also offers a covenant marriage option at Arkansas Code § 9-11-803. A covenant marriage carries extra steps. Both parties take premarital counseling with a minister, priest, rabbi, or licensed counselor. Grounds for divorce are more limited in a covenant marriage.

Online Marriage License Search for Centerton

Benton County is on the CIS Arkansas marriage license portal. The tool lets you search by either party's name and by date range. Date types cover the marriage date, the issued date, or the recorded date. It's the fastest online path for a Centerton or Benton County marriage license record. The search is free.

The CIS portal above also covers Carroll, Madison, Washington, and other northwest Arkansas counties, so a researcher can run a wider name search from one page.

The state's central index at the Arkansas Division of Vital Records runs from 1917 forward. The state holds only a coupon, not the full license. Access to the state coupon is tighter under statute 20-18-305. The county copy is the public copy.

For court cases tied to a Centerton marriage, like a divorce filing or a name change, use Arkansas CourtConnect. The portal shows the Benton County Circuit Court and many other trial courts, with party names, filing dates, and docket lines.

Certified Copies of a Centerton Marriage License

A certified copy of a Benton County marriage license carries the clerk's raised seal. Social Security, the passport office, pension funds, and the immigration office all ask for the certified copy. The clerk prints the copy at the window while you wait. The clerk cannot email a certified copy because the seal has to be on the paper.

Mail orders go to the Benton County Clerk, 215 East Central Avenue, Bentonville, AR 72712. Include a written request with both parties' full names, the date of the marriage if known, a daytime phone number, a check or money order for the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call (479) 271-1013 to confirm the current fee and accepted payment forms.

For the state coupon copy, order online through VitalChek, the state's official online vendor. The state fee is $10, and VitalChek adds a processing fee. Shipping runs 7 to 14 days plus mailing time. The VitalRec Arkansas reference page lists the state office fees and walk-in hours at 4815 West Markham in Little Rock.

Older Benton County marriage records go back to 1861 at the county level. The FamilySearch Benton County wiki lists older index pointers that help family history researchers narrow a date before they call the clerk.

Back to Benton County and Nearby Cities

For the full county view with the fee list, appointment link, and circuit clerk hours, visit Benton County. Centerton sits just west of Bentonville, with Bella Vista and Rogers a short drive away.