Benton County Marriage License Lookup

Benton County is the second busiest marriage license office in Arkansas, after Pulaski. The Benton County Clerk in Bentonville issues and records every Benton County marriage license. Couples from across northwest Arkansas come here to apply. This page lays out the clerk's address, fees, card surcharge, hours, ID rules, and the statewide search tool you can use to look up a Benton County marriage license record online.

Benton County Clerk for Marriage License Records

Betsy Harrell is the elected Benton County Clerk. Her office sits at 215 East Central Avenue, Bentonville, AR 72712. The phone line is (479) 271-1013. Email is marriage@bentoncountyar.gov, which is a direct channel for marriage license questions. The clerk's office issues marriage licenses, records assumed name certificates, and keeps minister credentials on file.

The office accepts cash at $60.00 exact amount only. A credit or debit card runs $62.80, which covers the card processing fee. Appointments are available for a Benton County marriage license, which helps cut the wait at the window during busy seasons. The clerk asks applicants to bring their own pens, and blue or black ink only.

Benton County also runs a separate Circuit Clerk's Recorder's Office for court and real estate records. That office sits at 215 East Central, Room 202, Bentonville, AR 72712. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call (479) 271-1015 for court docket questions. Marriage license records, though, stay with the County Clerk.

The Benton County Clerk main page is the best first stop for hours and phone contacts.

The page above lists each function the clerk covers, including marriage licenses, assumed name filings, and incorporation records.

How To Apply for a Benton County Marriage License

Both parties must appear at the Bentonville office together. 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. If a prior name was restored in a divorce, the decree must show the name change.

The fee is $60.00 in cash or $62.80 by card. Have the exact cash ready if you plan to pay in cash, since the office asks for the exact amount. Adults 18 or older sign the application and the clerk issues the license on the spot. There is no blood test.

Applicants who are 17 must bring both parents. The parents sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. A 5 business day wait applies before the license can be picked up. No one under 17 may be issued a license under the normal rule, with only the narrow § 9-11-103 pregnancy exception going before a circuit judge.

What to bring:

• Valid photo ID for each party
• Social Security number for each party
• Divorce decree or death certificate if there was a prior marriage
• Exact $60 cash or card for the $62.80 charge
• Your own black or blue ink pens

The Benton County marriage license page has the full ID list and fee details.

Benton County Marriage License Rules

Benton County follows the state rules at Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is valid anywhere in Arkansas, not only in Benton County. It is good for 60 days from the date it was issued. The signed license must be returned to the Benton County Clerk inside 60 days, used or not. A missed return can bring a $100 fine.

Under § 9-11-213, the list of people who can officiate covers judges, justices of the peace, ministers, mayors, and a few others. Ministers must record their credentials with a county clerk before they can sign an Arkansas marriage license. The Benton County Clerk keeps a list of persons who perform weddings, which is handy for couples who still need an officiant.

Arkansas has no residency rule and no blood test. That means a couple from Missouri or Oklahoma may drive in, apply for the license in Bentonville, and hold the ceremony in any part of the state. The 60 day return rule still applies, and the ceremony still must be inside Arkansas.

Benton County Marriage License Search

Benton County takes part in the statewide search portal at CIS Arkansas for Benton County. The tool lets you search by either party's name. Date types cover the marriage date, the issued date, and the recorded date. The search is free to use, and the hits link back to the Benton County index.

The direct Benton County landing page in CIS Arkansas lets you narrow the search without picking the county from a drop-down.

The portal above is the fastest online way to confirm that a Benton County marriage license was issued, with no trip to Bentonville needed.

For court cases tied to a marriage, try the Arkansas CourtConnect case search. It shows divorce, probate, and domestic relations cases for many trial courts, including those that sit in Benton County.

For deeds, liens, and court filings kept at the Benton County Circuit Clerk, see the clerk's public records portal.

The Benton County Circuit Clerk public records page is a good second stop if you need a divorce case or a name change order tied to a past Benton County marriage license.

Certified Copies of Benton County Marriage Licenses

A certified copy of a Benton County marriage license is a short trip to the clerk in Bentonville. The fee is small, and the clerk can hand over a copy the same day at the window. The raised seal is what makes the copy valid for a Social Security name change, a new passport, pension claims, and 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 fee. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope so the clerk can mail the paper back. Ask by email first at marriage@bentoncountyar.gov if you have a question about the process.

For a state-level copy of the marriage coupon, the Arkansas Vital Records office is the right stop. The fee is $10 per copy. You can also order online through VitalChek, the state's official online vendor. Arkansas Vital Records takes walk-ins, mail orders, and phone orders at (866) 209-9482, with an office at 4815 West Markham Street in Little Rock.

For a wider view of Benton County public records and how marriage records fit, see this Benton County records overview.

The page above lines up the county clerk, the circuit clerk, and state vital records so you can pick the fastest path to the exact Benton County record you want.

Cities in Benton County

Many couples in northwest Arkansas apply at Bentonville because they live nearby. Bentonville is the county seat. Rogers sits just east of Bentonville, Bella Vista to the north, Centerton to the west, and Siloam Springs in the southwest corner of the county. Residents of any of these cities apply at the same Benton County Clerk in Bentonville for a Benton County marriage license.

Nearby Counties

Benton sits in the corner of the state, so the counties next door share a lot of traffic. If the license is not on file in Benton County, try one of these offices.