Arkansas County Marriage License Records

Arkansas County is a two-seat county, and its County Clerk keeps marriage license records at both the DeWitt and Stuttgart offices. Couples who plan to wed in Arkansas County apply at either seat, and anyone who needs to look up an older marriage license record in the county starts at the same clerk. This page lays out the address and phone for each office, the $60 fee, the state rules that apply, and the online search tools you can use to find an Arkansas County marriage license from home.

Arkansas County Clerk for Marriage License Records

The Arkansas County Clerk issues every Arkansas County marriage license and keeps the record on file. This county is rare in the state. It has two county seats, DeWitt and Stuttgart, so the clerk runs two offices. The DeWitt office sits at 101 Court Square, DeWitt, AR 72042. The Stuttgart office is reached at P.O. Box 719, Stuttgart, AR 72160, with a phone line at 870-673-7311. A couple may apply at either seat, and the license can be used anywhere in the state.

The clerk issues the license on the spot once both parties sign and pay. The office also records minister credentials, keeps probate court records, and serves as the county's official bookkeeper. To confirm which office a past Arkansas County marriage license was pulled from, call one of the two numbers and ask the staff to check the index by name.

For a state-held coupon of the same record, the Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records keeps a central index from 1917 forward. The county clerk is still the spot for the full signed license with the officiant line.

See the Arkansas vital records county list for the DeWitt office address and the county's place in the state system.

The page above confirms that the Arkansas County Clerk is the office that holds the marriage license records locally, which saves a wasted trip to the state office in Little Rock.

How To Apply for an Arkansas County Marriage License

Both parties must show up in person at one of the clerk's two offices. Bring a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID is fine. If either of you has been married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or the death certificate of the prior spouse.

The marriage license fee is $60. Cash is accepted. Many offices also take a card with a small extra fee. Call the DeWitt or Stuttgart office first to confirm card use if you plan to swipe. Applicants 18 or older sign the application and get the license right away. There is no wait for adults and no blood test in Arkansas.

Applicants who are 17 must have both parents on site. The parents sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. Arkansas County, like every other county, applies the state's 5 business day wait for 17-year-olds. No one under 17 may be issued a license except in the narrow pregnancy exception at § 9-11-103, which must go before a circuit judge.

What to bring to the clerk:

• Valid photo ID for each party
• Social Security number for each party
• Divorce decree or death certificate if there was a prior marriage
• Cash or card for the $60 fee
• Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17

Arkansas County Marriage License Rules

Arkansas County follows the statewide rules at Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is valid anywhere in the state. A couple can pull the paper at the DeWitt office and hold the wedding in Little Rock, Fayetteville, or any other town, as long as the ceremony is inside Arkansas. The license is good for 60 days from the date it was issued.

After the ceremony, the signed license must be returned to the same Arkansas County Clerk office that issued it, used or not, inside of 60 days. Failing to return the paper can bring a $100 fine. The clerk then files the return, records the marriage in the index, and sends a coupon to the state health department.

Under § 9-11-213, a short list of officials and clergy may perform the ceremony. Ministers must first record their credentials with a county clerk. A quick call to the Arkansas County Clerk can confirm that a specific minister is on file before the wedding day.

Arkansas County Marriage License Search

You can search Arkansas County marriage license records online through the statewide portal at CIS Arkansas. The tool lets you search by either party's name and by date range. Date fields cover the marriage date, the issued date, and the recorded date. The search is free and covers many Arkansas counties that take part.

The statewide marriage search lets you type in both names and pick Arkansas County to narrow the hits.

The portal above is the fastest way to confirm that a marriage license was issued in Arkansas County without a trip to the clerk's office in DeWitt or Stuttgart.

For court cases that tie to a marriage, the Arkansas CourtConnect public case search is a solid backup. It does not hold the marriage license paper itself, but it shows divorce filings, name change petitions, and probate cases for the county.

If the record is older than the online index, call the clerk in DeWitt or Stuttgart. Staff can pull old marriage ledgers by hand. The Association of Arkansas Counties directory can help you confirm the current phone number for the Arkansas County Clerk if you plan to mail in a request.

Certified Copies of Arkansas County Marriage Licenses

A certified copy of an Arkansas County marriage license is a short trip to the clerk. The fee is small, usually around $5 to $6, and the copy is ready on the spot when you walk in. Certified copies carry the clerk's raised seal, which is what you will need for a Social Security name change, a new passport, pension claims, or immigration paperwork.

Mail requests work too. Send a written note with both parties' names, the date of the marriage if known, your phone number, and a check for the copy fee. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope so the clerk can mail the paper back. Mail takes longer than a walk-in trip.

For a state-level copy of the marriage coupon, use the Arkansas Vital Records office. The state fee is $10. You can also order online through VitalChek, which is the state's official online vendor. VitalChek adds a small processing fee on top of the state's cost.

Other Marriage License Record Sources

Genealogy searches for older Arkansas County marriage license records often start at FamilySearch. The wiki lists microfilm reels and record sets that cover early county marriages.

The Arkansas genealogy vital records page is another helpful stop for background on what the state holds and what the county holds. Pre-1917 marriage records are not at the state level, so the county clerk is the only source for those early Arkansas County marriage licenses.

Court-related records that touch on marriage, such as divorce orders and name change petitions, are held by the Arkansas County Circuit Clerk. Those files sit in the circuit court record set, not with the marriage license records at the County Clerk, so be sure to ask for the right office when you call.

Nearby Counties

If the license isn't on file in Arkansas County, try one of the counties next door. The clerks often share a region and can point you to the right office.