Cleveland County Marriage License Lookup

Cleveland County is a quiet South Arkansas county with the seat at Rison. The County Clerk in Rison issues every Cleveland County marriage license and keeps the marriage records on file from 1873 forward. Couples planning a country wedding here apply at the courthouse, and anyone searching for an old Cleveland County marriage license record from a past generation also starts with the clerk. This page gives you the clerk's address, phone, fee, and the steps for both applying in person and pulling a record by mail.

Cleveland County Clerk for Marriage License Records

The Cleveland County Clerk's Office runs the marriage license counter. The address is 20 E Magnolia St, Rison, AR 71665. Phone the clerk at (870) 325-6514. This is the office that takes the application, collects the fee, and prints the signed license. The same office is the keeper of Cleveland County marriage license records going back to 1873, so any request for an older copy also comes here.

The courthouse in Rison is small, and the clerk's counter can get busy late in the morning. If you can, plan your trip for early in the day. Staff at the Cleveland County Clerk are often able to answer basic questions over the phone before you drive in, which helps when you want to confirm you have all your paperwork. See the Cleveland County Arkansas official site for general county contact info.

The County Clerk in Rison is also the Recorder of Deeds for the county. Mailing address for recorded documents is PO Box 368, Rison, AR 71665. Phone for the recorder line is (870) 325-6902. That office handles land records, mortgages, and liens separate from marriage work.

How To Apply for a Cleveland County Marriage License

Both parties come to the Rison clerk together. Each brings a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID, or original birth certificate all count. The clerk also asks for a Social Security number for state reporting. If either party was married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or a death certificate.

The fee is $60 for a Cleveland County marriage license under Arkansas Code § 9-11-201. Cash is always accepted. Ask the clerk about card payment before you count on a card. There is no blood test, no premarital class for a regular marriage, and no residency rule. An out-of-state couple can apply in Rison and hold the wedding anywhere in Arkansas.

For age, both parties 18 or older sign the application and the clerk issues the license on the spot. A 17-year-old needs both parents present with a notarized affidavit of consent under § 9-11-102. That also triggers a 5 business day wait. No one under 17 gets a license except in a narrow court-reviewed case at § 9-11-103.

Things to bring for your Cleveland County marriage license:

• Valid photo ID for each party
• Social Security number for each party
• Divorce decree or spouse's death certificate if there was a prior marriage
• $60 for the fee
• Parents with a notarized affidavit if a party is 17

Cleveland County Marriage License Rules

The Cleveland County marriage license lasts 60 days from the day the clerk issues it. The signed license must be returned to the Rison clerk, used or not, inside that window. Missing the return window can bring a $100 fine under the general Arkansas marriage statutes.

Officiant rules live at Arkansas Code § 9-11-213. Judges of courts of record, ordained ministers, justices of the peace, mayors, and a few others may perform a wedding. Ministers register their credentials with a county clerk, and the Cleveland County Clerk can confirm whether a minister is on file before the ceremony.

If the couple wants the covenant marriage option under § 9-11-803, they must take premarital counseling and sign a notarized declaration of intent at the clerk's counter. The clerk has the declaration form if you ask. Covenant marriage is a separate option, not the default.

Cleveland County Marriage License Search

The quickest way to look up a Cleveland County marriage license record is a phone call to the clerk at (870) 325-6514. Staff can check the index by name and year. Cleveland County is not on the CIS Arkansas statewide search portal, so there is no free public online search for the county's index.

For older records and family history work, the Cleveland County genealogy wiki at FamilySearch lists the dates the county holds and points to free online film when a scan is on file. Arkansas marriages before 1917 are not at the state level, so the county clerk is the only source for that era.

For a quick reference on Arkansas marriage records and how the counties connect to state vital records, see the Arkansas marriage records search page.

The page above lists the clerk phone and fee alongside the state Division of Vital Records steps, which is useful when you are planning a record order.

For a broader look at Cleveland County public records like court, property, and probate files, see the Cleveland County, Arkansas public records directory. It points to the clerk, the recorder, and the health unit in one place.

That page is a helpful second stop when you are piecing together more than just the marriage license record for a Cleveland County file.

Certified Copies from Cleveland County

A certified copy from the clerk carries the raised seal and the officiant's signature block. Most Arkansas clerks charge $5 to $6 per copy. Call the Rison clerk at (870) 325-6514 to confirm the current fee and the mail-in steps.

To order by mail, send a written request with the names of both parties, the marriage date if known, a phone number, a check or money order for the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. A rush order is rarely an option at small county clerks, so give it a week or two to come back.

For a state-held coupon of the marriage, use the Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records. The state index starts at 1917 and the fee is $10 per copy. You can also order through the state's official online vendor VitalChek, which takes 7 to 14 days plus shipping.

Related Records and Resources

The Cleveland County Health Unit at 409 East Magnolia St., Rison, can help with birth and death record questions. Phone (870) 325-6311. For court cases that touch on a marriage, like a divorce or a name change, the Arkansas CourtConnect public case search covers most Cleveland County Circuit Court filings.

For a general directory of clerks across the state, the Association of Arkansas Counties is the official stop. It lists every county clerk by name and phone. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension at uaex.uada.edu also has county contact pages if you want a backup reference.

Cleveland County Clerk staff can also help point you to the right office for a nearby county. The clerks in the region talk to each other often when a record turns up in the wrong index.

Nearby Counties

If the marriage license wasn't issued in Cleveland County, a nearby county clerk may have it. Pick one below to see that county's clerk info, fees, and search tools.