Find Marriage License in Conway

Conway is the seat of Faulkner County, and the Faulkner County Clerk in Conway is the office that issues every Conway marriage license. The city does not run its own marriage office. Couples who plan to wed in Conway apply at the clerk's downtown office, and anyone who needs to pull an older Conway marriage license record also starts there. This page covers the clerk's address, hours, the fee, the state rules, and the online search tools so the trip and the record lookup both take less time.

Where to Get a Conway Marriage License

The Faulkner County Clerk is the office that issues every Conway marriage license. The office is at 801 Locust Avenue, Conway, AR 72034. The phone is 501-450-4909 and the fax is 501-450-4938. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Margaret Darter holds the elected Faulkner County Clerk post, and Stephanie Haile serves as Chief Deputy.

Both applicants must appear in person at the same time. No appointment is needed. The clerk's staff includes Ruby Highfill, Carol Walters, Teresa Bonds, Peyton Dockery, Misti Weatherley, Donna Rappold, and Brooklyn Sisk, so several windows are often open to keep the line short.

The courthouse sits near the downtown core of Conway, a short walk from the University of Central Arkansas. Parking around 801 Locust is usually easy outside of lunch.

See the clerk's site for the full list of services.

Visit the Faulkner County marriage license page for the current hours and the fee.

The page above outlines the ID rule, the fee, and the payment options that apply to a Conway marriage license issued at the Faulkner County Clerk.

How to Apply for a Conway Marriage License

Both parties must come to the Faulkner County Clerk in Conway, together, at the same time. Each brings a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo I.D. A state driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID all work. Applicants ages 18 to 21 must also provide a certified copy of a birth certificate along with the photo I.D.

The fee is $60.00 in cash, no checks. Debit and credit cards are accepted with an extra fee. If either party was married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree. If a past spouse died, bring the death certificate. If a past divorce restored a prior name, the decree must show that change so the Conway marriage license uses the right legal name.

Adults 18 or older sign on the spot with no wait. Applicants who are 17 need both parents present. The parents sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102, and the clerk imposes a 5 business day wait. If the parents are divorced, the custodial parent must bring the latest court order showing custody.

No one under 17 may get a Conway marriage license except under the narrow pregnancy exception at § 9-11-103, which sends the case to a circuit judge.

Arkansas does not require a blood test. No witnesses are needed at the ceremony, and there is no residency rule. A Conway marriage license is good for a wedding anywhere in the state.

Bring this to the clerk:

• Photo I.D. for each party
• Birth certificate for applicants 18 to 21
• Social Security numbers
• Divorce decree or death certificate if either party was married before
• $60.00 cash (cards accepted with a fee)
• Notarized parental affidavit if one party is 17

Conway Marriage License Rules

Conway follows the state rules at Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is valid for 60 days from the date the clerk issues it. The signed license must be returned to the Faulkner County Clerk inside those 60 days, used or unused. A failure to return can bring a $100 fine under state law.

The license is good for a ceremony anywhere in Arkansas. A Conway couple can pull the license at the Locust Avenue office and hold the wedding in Little Rock, Hot Springs, or another part of the state.

Under § 9-11-213, a short list of people can officiate. The list covers the Governor, any current judge of a court of record, any former Supreme Court justice, any justice of the peace, any regularly ordained minister or priest, the mayor of any city or town, any official picked by the quorum court, and any elected district court judge. Ministers must file credentials with a county clerk before they can sign a Conway marriage license.

Covenant marriage is an option. Act 1486 of 2001, now at Arkansas Code § 9-11-803, sets the extra steps, including premarital counseling and a signed declaration of intent. The couple picks the covenant option on the Conway marriage license application.

Certified Copies of a Conway Marriage License

Certified copies of a Conway marriage license are available from the Faulkner County Clerk for a small fee, usually about $5. The certified copy carries the clerk's seal. Use it for a Social Security name change, a passport update, a pension claim, or immigration work. Walk-in pickups are the fastest way.

Mail requests work too. Send a short letter with both parties' names, the marriage date if known, a phone number, a check or money order for the copy fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

For a state-level copy of the Conway marriage license coupon, the Arkansas Division of Vital Records holds a coupon going back to 1917. The state copy is $10. Order in person at 4815 West Markham Street in Little Rock, by mail, or online through VitalChek, the state's official online vendor. VitalChek adds a small processing fee and delivers the copy by mail after an ID check.

Faulkner County's records go back to 1873. No record loss occurred despite an earlier courthouse fire. That makes a deep family history search easier than in some Arkansas counties.

See the FamilySearch Faulkner County page for more genealogy resources.

The guide above walks Conway couples through the steps at the Faulkner County window and covers the fee, the ID rule, and payment methods.

Conway Marriage License Search Online

The CIS Arkansas marriage license search for Faulkner County indexes every Conway marriage license held by the clerk. Search by either party's name. Date search types include marriage date, issued date, and recorded date. The portal is free and open to the public.

For court cases tied to a Conway marriage, try Arkansas CourtConnect. It shows civil, probate, and domestic relations filings from Faulkner County trial courts. CourtConnect doesn't hold marriage license records, but it's a good second stop for tracing a linked divorce, a name change, or a probate case.

Faulkner County Clerk records from 1873 forward are indexed in several places. The county also serves as clerk to the Circuit Court Probate Division, so probate files tied to a deceased spouse can be pulled from the same office that issued the original Conway marriage license.

The Association of Arkansas Counties directory lists every clerk office in the state. If the license was actually filed in a neighbor county like Perry, Pulaski, or White, the directory points you to the right desk.

Conway Marriage License Hours and Tips

The Faulkner County Clerk runs weekday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Arrive by 4:00 p.m. so the clerk has time to issue a Conway marriage license before the office closes. The office is closed on state holidays and follows the county's holiday schedule.

Bring exact change if you plan to pay cash. The $60 fee is set by state law. Card fees shift with the county's processor, so a quick call to 501-450-4909 confirms the current amount on the day of your visit.

Couples who go the covenant marriage route need to complete premarital counseling before they show up. The signed declaration of intent and the counselor's attestation both need to be in hand when the application is filed. Without those, the clerk can't issue a covenant Conway marriage license.

Faulkner County and Nearby Cities

Conway is the seat of Faulkner County, and the same clerk serves every Faulkner County city. For the county-wide page, with more detail on Faulkner County marriage license records, fees, and clerk contacts, see Faulkner County Marriage License Records.

If the marriage license you want isn't on file in Faulkner County, try a nearby city page. Each one links back to the right county clerk.