Russellville Marriage License Records

A Russellville marriage license is issued by the Pope County Clerk at the courthouse on West Main Street. The city of Russellville itself does not issue the license, even though the clerk's office sits right in town. Russellville is the Pope County seat, which is a help for couples who don't want to drive far. This page lists the Pope County Clerk's address, phone, fee, and hours, along with how to search older marriage license records and how to order a certified copy of a Russellville marriage license.

Where Russellville Marriage License Records Are Filed

Russellville is the county seat of Pope County, which puts the clerk's office a short drive from most parts of town. The city of Russellville does not issue marriage licenses. The Pope County Clerk is the office that issues every Russellville marriage license and keeps the records on file. Pam Ennis is the County Clerk. The office sits at 100 West Main Street, Russellville, AR 72801. Phone the courthouse at 501-968-6064.

The Pope County Courthouse is a quick drive from Arkansas Tech University and Lake Dardanelle, so couples who live in Russellville rarely have to plan a long trip. Parking is free at the courthouse. The courthouse also houses the Circuit Clerk at 100 E Main, Russellville, AR 72801, phone 479-968-7499. The Circuit Clerk handles court records, divorce filings, and real estate, while the County Clerk handles the marriage license itself.

For a deeper look at marriage license fees and the $5.00 certified copy fee, see the Pope County court records overview. Non-certified copies run $1.15 at the clerk's window.

The page above lays out the Pope County Clerk's fee schedule, the Circuit Clerk contact, and the link to the state vital records office for a statewide coupon copy.

How To Apply for a Russellville Marriage License

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

The fee is $60.00. Cash works. Pope County also takes major cards, with a small processing fee added. The clerk does not take personal checks. Adults 18 and older sign the application and get the license the same day. No wait. No blood test. Arkansas has no residency rule, so a couple from out of state can apply in Russellville and hold the ceremony at a venue on Lake Dardanelle the same weekend.

Applicants 17 years old need both parents present. The parents sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. Pope 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 under the narrow pregnancy exception at § 9-11-103, which sends the case to a circuit judge.

Bring to the Pope 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 cash or a debit/credit card
• Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17

Under the Arkansas County Clerks Procedures Manual from the Association of Arkansas Counties, every applicant must also sign a notice of intention to wed and post a $100 bond to ensure the license comes back to the clerk inside 60 days.

Russellville Marriage License Rules

Russellville follows the statewide rules in Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is good anywhere in Arkansas, not just in Pope County. The signed license must be returned to the Pope County Clerk, used or not, inside 60 days. Missing the deadline can bring a $100 fine under the bond rule at § 9-11-210.

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 the mayor of any city or town. Ministers must record their credentials with a county clerk under § 9-11-214 before they can sign an Arkansas marriage license. Pope County records the credentials at the same office that issues the license.

Pope 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. The couple then signs a declaration of intent, which is filed with the clerk who issues the license. Grounds for divorce are more limited after the declaration is signed.

Pope County Marriage License Search Online

Pope County is not currently on the CIS Arkansas marriage license portal. That means the online search runs through the Pope County Clerk's office and the FamilySearch Pope County wiki, which lists older index pointers. A quick call to the clerk is the fastest way to confirm a date or look up a past license for a Russellville marriage license record.

Pope County marriage records go back to 1831 at the county level, which is older than the state's central index. For records from 1917 forward, the Arkansas Division of Vital Records holds a coupon. The state does not have the full license. Access to the state coupon is tighter under statute 20-18-305. The county clerk copy is the public copy.

For court cases tied to a Russellville marriage, like a divorce filing or a name change, use Arkansas CourtConnect. The portal covers the Pope County Circuit Court and shows party names, filing dates, and docket lines. CourtConnect does not hold marriage licenses, but it's a help when a record request touches both the license and a related court file.

Older records tied to Russellville families are also listed on the VitalRec Arkansas counties page.

Certified Copies for Russellville Residents

A certified copy of a Pope County marriage license runs $5.00. The clerk prints the copy at the window while you wait. Non-certified copies cost $1.15. The certified copy carries the raised clerk's seal, which is what Social Security, the passport office, pension funds, and the immigration office want to see. The clerk cannot email a certified copy because the seal has to be on the paper.

Mail orders go to the Pope County Clerk, 100 West Main Street, Russellville, AR 72801. 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 501-968-6064 first to confirm the current fee and the 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 hours at 4815 West Markham Street in Little Rock.

The Pope County Library System at 116 East 3rd Street in Russellville also keeps a local genealogy collection that can point family history researchers to the right date and volume before they call the clerk.

Back to Pope County and Nearby Cities

For the full county view with the complete fee list and the circuit clerk hours, visit Pope County. Russellville sits in the Arkansas River valley, with Conway a short drive east on I-40 and Fort Smith to the west.