Van Buren Marriage License Records
Van Buren is the Crawford County seat, not the Van Buren County seat. The Crawford County Clerk in Van Buren handles every marriage license for couples living in and around town. The City of Van Buren itself does not keep marriage records. This page sets out the clerk's address, phone, hours, and fee so couples can plan the trip to the courthouse. It also points to the state tools for a Van Buren marriage license search. Use the search widget below for a quick name check first.
Van Buren Marriage License Overview
Van Buren Marriage License Office
The office that issues a Van Buren marriage license is the Crawford County Clerk. Stacey Shelly is the elected clerk. The office sits in Room 7 of the county courthouse at 300 Main Street, Van Buren, AR 72956. Phone the clerk at (479) 474-1312. The fax is (479) 471-3236. Email is crawfordclerk@arkansasclerks.com.
The city of Van Buren is in Crawford County, not in Van Buren County. That is a common mix-up. Van Buren County has its own clerk in the small town of Clinton, a different part of the state. For a Van Buren city marriage license, you go to the Crawford County Clerk on Main Street in Van Buren.
The Crawford County Clerk page lists the clerk's hours, the fee, and a direct email for quick questions before a trip to the window.
Crawford County was created in 1820 from Pulaski County, and the clerk has held marriage records from 1877 forward. The Crawford County genealogy page on FamilySearch lists the record range and a few outside tools.
Note: The city of Van Buren sits just across the Arkansas River from Fort Smith. Many couples apply in Van Buren and hold the wedding in Fort Smith or a nearby town. The license is valid statewide.
How to Apply for a Van Buren Marriage License
Both parties come to the Crawford County Clerk in Van Buren together. Bring a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID is accepted. Each party also needs a Social Security number for state reporting. Couples who have been married before bring a certified copy of the divorce decree, or the death certificate for the late spouse.
The fee is $60. Call the clerk at (479) 474-1312 to confirm the current payment methods. Under Arkansas Code § 9-11-201, the clerk is the officer who issues the license. There is no blood test. There is no residency rule. Most adult couples are in and out in under 30 minutes.
If one party is 17, both parents must be present, sign a notarized affidavit of consent, and the clerk imposes a 5 business day wait under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. No one under 17 can get a license in most cases under § 9-11-103.
What to bring to the counter:
- Photo ID for each party
- Social Security number for each party
- Divorce decree or death certificate if married before
- $60 in the clerk's accepted format
- Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17
Van Buren Marriage License Rules
The Van Buren marriage license is good for 60 days from the day the clerk issues it. The couple can hold the wedding anywhere in Arkansas, not just in Crawford County. After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and the couple returns it to the same Crawford County Clerk in Van Buren that issued it. The return must happen within 60 days, used or unused.
Officiant rules sit at Arkansas Code § 9-11-213. The Governor, any current judge of a court of record, a former Supreme Court justice, a current justice of the peace, a former JP who served two terms since Amendment 55, a mayor, or an ordained minister on file can officiate. Ministers must record their credentials with a county clerk before signing a Van Buren marriage license. The Crawford County Clerk files credentials at the same counter.
Arkansas also offers a covenant marriage path under Arkansas Code § 9-11-803. The couple picks the option on the application, takes premarital counseling, and signs a declaration of intent filed with the clerk. The added steps stay at the same Van Buren office.
Van Buren Marriage License Search Online
Online access for Van Buren marriage license records runs through the statewide portal when Crawford County is on the active list. The CIS Arkansas marriage license search page lets you pick a county from a dropdown and run a name search. Check the list for Crawford County, not Van Buren County, to match the city of Van Buren.
If Crawford County is not on the current release, call the clerk at (479) 474-1312. The staff can run a name search at the in-house index and email or fax back the result. The office holds marriage records from 1877 forward.
The CIS Arkansas portal is the fastest online option for a Van Buren marriage license search when the county is active on the tool.
For related court cases, the Arkansas CourtConnect system tracks filings in local circuit courts. That helps if you need to trace a divorce filing, a name change order, or a civil case tied to a Van Buren marriage. The Crawford County Clerk page also lists other record types.
Certified Copies of Van Buren Marriage Records
A certified copy from the Crawford County Clerk carries the clerk's seal. That's the copy most agencies ask for, from the Social Security Administration to a passport office to an insurance carrier. Call the clerk for the current copy fee. County copy fees across Arkansas usually run $5 per copy.
Walk-ins get same-day copies at the window. Mail orders work too. Send a written request to 300 Main Street, Room 7, Van Buren, AR 72956, with the names of both parties, the date of the marriage if known, a phone number, a check or money order, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
For the state-held copy, the Arkansas Division of Vital Records keeps a short marriage coupon from January 1917 forward. The state copy is $10. Order at the Little Rock office, by mail, or by phone through VitalChek, the state's official online vendor. The state coupon is not the full license, so for the full Van Buren marriage license, go back to the Crawford County Clerk.
Tip: Ask the clerk for a second certified copy at the same visit. A backup copy at home cuts down on a return trip for name changes across the DMV and the Social Security office.
Who Can Access Van Buren Marriage License Records
County-held Van Buren marriage license records are public under Arkansas law. Anyone can ask the Crawford County Clerk for a name search and anyone can buy a certified copy. No reason is required.
State-level access is tighter. The state coupon follows Arkansas Statute 20-18-305, which limits release to the registrant, close family, a named agent, and select research groups. Proof of identity and a right to the record are part of the state order. Social Security numbers are always redacted from any public-facing copy.
Crawford County and Van Buren
Van Buren is the Crawford County seat and sits on the Arkansas River across from Fort Smith. The courthouse is on Main Street downtown. For the full Crawford County marriage license page on this site, with more notes on the clerk's office and links to related records, see the Crawford County marriage license page.
Nearby Cities
Van Buren is close to Fort Smith and a short drive from other western Arkansas cities. Pick a nearby city page for a local marriage license overview.