Little Rock Marriage License Records
Little Rock is the state capital and the seat of Pulaski County, but the city itself does not issue marriage licenses. Couples who plan to wed in Little Rock apply with the Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk, and anyone who needs to pull an older Little Rock marriage license record also starts at that same clerk's office. This page lays out where the office sits, what to bring, the fee, the hours, and the online search tools, so you can plan the trip and get the record you need with less guesswork.
Little Rock Marriage License Overview
Where to Apply for a Little Rock Marriage License
The city of Little Rock does not run its own marriage office. Every Little Rock marriage license is issued by the Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk. The clerk's office sits downtown at 401 West Markham Street, Suite 103, Little Rock, AR 72201. The phone is 501-340-8500. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Terri Hollingsworth holds the Circuit and County Clerk post. Pulaski County is unusual because the same elected official serves as both Circuit Clerk and County Clerk. One office handles marriage licenses, court cases, real estate recordings, voter registration, and minister credentials. For couples in Little Rock, that means one stop, one line, one set of forms.
No appointment is needed to apply. Both parties must show up together and each bring valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. Walk-ins are the norm.
The clerk's marriage license page lays out the steps and the fee.
See the official Pulaski County Circuit Clerk marriage license page for current details.
The page above shows the fee, the ID rule, the return window, and links for paying online when you need extra certified copies of a Little Rock marriage license.
How to Get a Little Rock Marriage License
The steps are short. Both parties must appear in person at the clerk in Little Rock, together, at the same time. Each party shows a valid, non-expired photo ID. A state driver's license, a state ID card, a U.S. passport, or a military ID all work. An original birth certificate is accepted as a backup. The clerk will also want each party's Social Security number for the state index.
If you were married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree. If the prior spouse died, bring the death certificate. If a past divorce restored a prior name, the decree must show the restoration so the new license lists the right name.
The fee is $60 and can be paid by cash or credit card at this office. There is no waiting period for adults. No blood test. No residency rule, so out-of-state couples can pick up the license here and hold the ceremony anywhere in Arkansas.
Applicants who are 17 need both parents present with a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. A 5 business day wait applies in that case. No one under 17 may get a license except under the narrow pregnancy exception at § 9-11-103, which sends the case to a circuit judge.
Bring this short list:
- Photo ID for each party
- Social Security numbers
- Divorce decree or spouse's death certificate if a prior marriage ended
- $60 in cash or a debit/credit card
- Notarized parental affidavit if one party is 17
The clerk's main site has links for every department and the online payment portal.
Visit the Pulaski County Circuit Clerk home page for the full list of services.
Pick the Marriage License Department tab to jump straight to the rules that apply to every Little Rock marriage license issued at 401 West Markham.
Little Rock Marriage License Rules and Statutes
Little Rock 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 same Pulaski County Clerk office that issued it, used or not, inside those 60 days. A failure to return can bring a $100 fine.
The license itself is good anywhere in Arkansas. A couple can pull a Little Rock marriage license at the clerk in the morning, then drive to a small town for the ceremony that weekend. The license is not limited to a venue inside the city.
Under § 9-11-213, a set list of people can solemnize the ceremony. That list includes the Governor, any 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 record their credentials with a county clerk before they can sign an Arkansas marriage license. The Pulaski County Clerk keeps a searchable minister registry, so a quick call confirms a minister's status before the wedding.
Covenant marriage is also an option at the window. Act 1486 of 2001, now at Arkansas Code § 9-11-803, sets out the extra steps for a covenant marriage license. Couples pick the covenant option on the same form.
Certified Copies of a Little Rock Marriage License
Certified copies from the Pulaski County Circuit Clerk cost $5.00 each. The copy carries the clerk's raised seal and is what you'll need for a Social Security name change, a passport update, a pension claim, or immigration paperwork. Copies are ready the same day at the window, or the clerk can mail a copy after you send a written request and a check or money order.
Online payment for certified copies is also available through the clerk's portal. The clerk cannot email a copy because the seal must be on the paper.
For a state-level coupon of the Little Rock marriage license, the Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records holds a central index going back to 1917. The state copy is $10. You can walk in at 4815 West Markham, order by mail, or order online through the state's official online vendor VitalChek. VitalChek adds a processing fee on top of the state's $10 and sends the coupon by mail after an ID check.
Note: Ask the clerk for two or three certified copies while you're at the window. Each agency that handles a name change wants its own original.
Search Little Rock Marriage License Records Online
Two main online tools help with a Little Rock marriage license search. The clerk's own site at pulaskiclerkar.gov runs a free marriage license search by either party's name. Results show the date the license was issued, the date of the marriage, and the recorded date. The search is open to the public and no account is needed.
The statewide search portal at CIS Arkansas indexes marriage records for many counties. The portal lets you pick a county and type in the couple's names, then shows matching Arkansas marriage license records for that county's index. Pulaski County is not always on the CIS list, so the clerk's own site remains the primary source.
See the CIS Arkansas portal for the list of counties that take part.
The tool above is a solid second stop when you need to confirm a date on a Little Rock marriage license and the clerk's office is closed.
For court cases tied to a marriage, Arkansas CourtConnect shows civil, probate, and domestic relations filings from many Pulaski County courts. It doesn't hold marriage license records on its own, but it's a good way to trace a divorce filing, a name change order, or a probate case linked to a past marriage.
Older records may live in a few other places. FamilySearch's Pulaski County page indexes many early marriages. The Association of Arkansas Counties directory lists every clerk office in the state for couples who need to chase a license filed somewhere else.
Little Rock Marriage License Fees and Hours
The state sets the base fee at $60. Pulaski County takes cash or credit card. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The clerk is closed on state holidays.
Parking near the clerk can fill up fast on a Friday. Plan an early morning visit if you want a short wait. The clerk's office is on the first floor at 401 West Markham and has a clearly marked desk for marriage license applications.
Certified copies are $5.00 from the clerk, $10.00 from the state. The state keeps the $10.00 as a non-refundable search fee even if no record is found. Fees can change, so call 501-340-8500 or check the clerk's site before you pay.
Heads up: If the office is out of the credit card network on a given day, the clerk still takes cash, so bring the exact $60 just in case.
Pulaski County and Nearby Cities
Little Rock sits inside Pulaski County, and the same clerk serves every Pulaski County city. North Little Rock, Jacksonville, Maumelle, and Sherwood all apply at the same desk at 401 West Markham. For the full county page, with hours, the clerk's name, and every service the office runs, see Pulaski County Marriage License Records.
If the marriage license you're looking for isn't in Pulaski County, try a nearby city page below. Each city links back to the right county clerk.