Jonesboro Marriage License Lookup

Jonesboro is the Western District seat of Craighead County, and the Craighead County Clerk in Jonesboro is the office that issues every Jonesboro marriage license. The city itself does not run a marriage office. Couples who plan to wed in Jonesboro apply at the clerk's downtown office, and anyone who needs to pull an older Jonesboro marriage license record also starts there. This page lists 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 Jonesboro Marriage License

The Craighead County Clerk is the office that issues every Jonesboro marriage license. The office is inside the Craighead County Courthouse at 511 South Main Street, Jonesboro, AR 72401. The phone line is (870) 933-4520. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MaryDawn Marshall is the elected Craighead County Clerk.

Craighead County has two districts. Jonesboro is the seat of the Western District. Lake City is the seat of the Eastern District. Both clerk offices can issue an Arkansas marriage license, but Jonesboro couples almost always apply at 511 South Main. The license is good for a wedding anywhere in Arkansas no matter which office signs it.

Both parties must appear in person at the same time. No appointment is needed. Walk-ins are the norm. Plan a short wait at lunch on a busy Friday and an easier visit early in the morning.

The clerk's how-to page lays out the full steps.

See the Craighead County marriage license how-to guide for a clean walk-through.

The tool above indexes Jonesboro marriage license records by party name and date range, which makes it easy to confirm a date before you head to the clerk.

How to Apply for a Jonesboro Marriage License

The steps are simple. Both parties appear in person at the Craighead County Clerk in Jonesboro, together, and each brings a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A state driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID all work. The clerk also wants each party's Social Security number for the state index.

The fee is $60. Craighead County takes cash or a credit/debit card. Card payment adds a $1.00 plus 3% surcharge, so bringing cash saves a little money at the window. Exact change helps speed the visit.

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 list the change so the Jonesboro marriage license uses the correct legal name.

Adults 18 or older sign on the spot with no wait. Applicants who are 17 need both parents present to sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102, and a 5 business day wait applies. Under § 9-11-103, no one under 17 can get a license except under the narrow pregnancy exception.

Arkansas does not require a blood test. No witnesses are needed at the ceremony, and there is no residency rule, so out-of-state couples may pick up a Jonesboro marriage license and marry anywhere in the state.

Bring this to the clerk:

• Photo ID for each party
• Social Security numbers
• Divorce decree or death certificate if either party was married before
• $60 cash, or a card (plus the $1.00 + 3% fee)
• Notarized parental affidavit if one party is 17

Jonesboro Marriage License Rules

Jonesboro 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 Craighead 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 Jonesboro couple can pull the license at the Main Street office and hold the wedding at a venue in Paragould, Lake City, or anywhere else in the state.

Under § 9-11-213, a set list of officials and clergy may solemnize the marriage. Ministers must file credentials with a county clerk before they can sign a Jonesboro marriage license. The Craighead County Clerk keeps those records and will confirm a minister's status over the phone.

Covenant marriage is also offered. Act 1486 of 2001, now at Arkansas Code § 9-11-803, sets the extra steps, including premarital counseling and a signed declaration of intent. Couples pick the covenant option when they fill out the Jonesboro marriage license application at the clerk's window.

Certified Copies of a Jonesboro Marriage License

Certified copies of a Jonesboro marriage license are $5.00 from the Craighead County Clerk. The copy carries the clerk's raised seal and is what Social Security, the State Department, and pension plans want for a name change or a benefits claim. The clerk can issue copies at the window or by mail through the US Postal Service.

Mail a request 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. The clerk sends the copy back once the request is processed.

For a state-level copy of the Jonesboro marriage license coupon, the Arkansas Division of Vital Records holds a central index going back to January 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 once identity is verified.

Jonesboro Marriage License Search Online

The CIS Arkansas marriage license search for Craighead County indexes every Jonesboro marriage license held by the Craighead County Clerk. Search by either party's name. Date search types include marriage date, issued date, and recorded date. The portal is free.

Craighead County is listed twice on the CIS site, once for the Jonesboro (Western District) office and once for the Lake City (Eastern District) office. Start with the Jonesboro entry for a Jonesboro marriage license, and switch to the Lake City entry if the license was filed on that side.

For court cases tied to a Jonesboro marriage, try Arkansas CourtConnect. It shows civil, probate, and domestic relations filings from many Craighead County courts. It doesn't hold marriage license records, but it's useful for tracing a linked divorce, a name change order, or a probate case that touches on a past marriage.

The FamilySearch Craighead County page adds more genealogy resources for anyone looking past the clerk's current index. Craighead County Clerk records go back to 1878, which helps with older family history work.

Jonesboro Marriage License Hours and Tips

The Craighead County Clerk is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and closed on state holidays. Try to arrive by 4:00 p.m. so the clerk has time to issue the Jonesboro marriage license before the doors close.

Parking at 511 South Main Street is free and usually easy to find. The courthouse is a short walk from the downtown square. The clerk's office is well marked inside the main floor.

Cash saves a little money. Card payment adds $1.00 plus 3% for a Jonesboro marriage license, which comes out to about $2.80 extra on a $60 fee. If you have cash in hand, bring it.

The clerk also runs an online portal at craigheadclerk.com. From the main page you can search previously issued marriage licenses, file a DBA, look up probate cases, and read the quorum court minutes. It's a one-stop site for most Craighead County records work.

Craighead County and Nearby Cities

Jonesboro is the Western District seat of Craighead County. Lake City serves the Eastern District, and the clerk there also issues Craighead County marriage license records. For the county-wide page, with both district addresses, the clerk's name, and more detail on Craighead County marriage license records, see Craighead County Marriage License Records.

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