Craighead County Marriage License Lookup

Craighead County is the busiest Northeast Arkansas county for marriage licenses, anchored by Jonesboro and home to Arkansas State University. The Craighead County Clerk in Jonesboro issues every Craighead County marriage license and keeps the marriage index from 1878 on. The county has two districts, Western District at Jonesboro and Eastern District at Lake City, but marriage licenses are handled at the Jonesboro office. This page walks through the clerk's fee, hours, rules, and the search path for older Craighead County marriage license records.

Craighead County Clerk for Marriage License

The Craighead County Clerk is MaryDawn Marshall. The office is in the Craighead County Courthouse at 511 South Main Street, Jonesboro, AR 72401. Phone (870) 933-4520. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This is the office that prints the Craighead County marriage license, takes the payment, and keeps the record on file.

Craighead County has a split court system with two districts. The Western District centers on Jonesboro and is where the County Clerk's main marriage license counter sits. The Eastern District is headquartered at Lake City. All Craighead County marriage licenses are issued at the Jonesboro office, regardless of where the couple lives in the county. The Eastern District courthouse at Lake City runs certain circuit court filings for the east side of the county. See the Craighead County Clerk site for updated department hours.

The Craighead County marriage license how-to page has the full step-by-step for applying. It covers ID rules, the fee, the return window, and the covenant marriage option.

The page above is the clerk's own written guide and is the most current source for Craighead County marriage license steps.

How To Apply for a Craighead County Marriage License

Both parties appear at the Jonesboro clerk office together. Each shows a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID all work. The clerk also records a Social Security number for each party for state reporting.

The Craighead County marriage license fee is $60.00. Payment types are cash, credit card, or debit card. Card use carries a $1.00 flat fee plus 3% of the total, which the clerk posts on the how-to page. Cash avoids the card fee. The fee is collected when the clerk prints the license at the counter.

Arkansas does not require a blood test and has no residency rule for a regular marriage, so out-of-state couples may apply in Jonesboro and hold the ceremony anywhere in Arkansas. Both parties 18 and older sign the application and the clerk issues the license with no wait. A 17-year-old needs both parents present with a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. A 5 business day wait applies with a 17-year-old applicant. No one under 17 may get a license in Arkansas except in the narrow case at § 9-11-103. Arkansas does not allow proxy, cousin, or common law marriages.

Items to bring for the Craighead County marriage license:

• Valid photo ID for each party
• Social Security number for each party
• $60 plus card fee if paying by card
• Divorce decree or death certificate for any prior marriage
• Parents and affidavit if one party is 17

Craighead County Marriage License Rules

The Craighead County marriage license is valid anywhere in Arkansas for 60 days from issue. The signed license must be returned to the Jonesboro clerk, used or not, inside 60 days. A $100 fine can apply for failing to return the license. Arkansas does not require witnesses at the ceremony, though many officiants still ask for one or two.

Under Arkansas Code § 9-11-213, judges of courts of record, ministers, priests, justices of the peace, and mayors may perform a wedding. Ministers must register their credentials with a county clerk, and the Craighead County Clerk can confirm whether a minister is on file.

A covenant marriage is a separate option at § 9-11-803. Couples who pick covenant form take authorized premarital counseling, sign a notarized declaration of intent, and file the declaration at the clerk's counter along with the regular license paperwork.

Craighead County Marriage License Search

Craighead County is on the CIS Arkansas online marriage license search for Craighead County. The tool covers both the Jonesboro Western District and the Lake City Eastern District. Search by name or by date range. Date types include marriage date, issue date, and recorded date. It's free to use and does not require an account.

The Craighead County Clerk's online portal also has a search tool for previously issued marriage licenses. That's the clerk's own index and is usually the most current. The portal includes instructions on obtaining a marriage license, expenditure search by office, DBA filings, probate info, and Quorum Court minutes.

See the clerk's main page for the full list of services.

Bookmark the clerk's portal above if you expect to make more than one Craighead County marriage license request, since you can search and request right from the site.

For older Craighead County marriage license records from the 1878 to 1917 era, the county clerk is the only source since Arkansas did not collect state marriages before 1917. The Craighead County genealogy wiki on FamilySearch points to scanned film where the early index exists.

Certified Copies of Craighead County Marriage Licenses

A certified copy of a Craighead County marriage license is $5.00. The certified copy carries the raised county seal and the officiant block. That is the copy Social Security, passport offices, and pension funds accept for name changes and benefit filings.

Walk-in copies are the fastest path. The clerk can print and certify a copy at the counter during regular hours. Mail-in requests go to the Jonesboro clerk with a letter, the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. A return envelope with proper postage speeds the turnaround.

For a state-held coupon of the marriage, use the Arkansas Division of Vital Records. The state index starts January 1917 and the fee is $10 per copy. You can also order online through the state's official vendor VitalChek, which ships the state-level coupon to your door in about 7 to 14 days.

Cities in Craighead County

Jonesboro is the main city and the Western District seat. Couples from Jonesboro, Brookland, Bono, Monette, Caraway, and Lake City all apply for the Craighead County marriage license at the Jonesboro clerk at 511 South Main Street. The Eastern District seat is Lake City, which runs certain Circuit Court filings, not marriage licenses.

The Arkansas CourtConnect public case search covers Craighead County Circuit Court cases if you need a divorce, a name change, or a related domestic relations filing. The Association of Arkansas Counties directory lists contacts for every county clerk in the state.

Nearby Counties

If the marriage license isn't on file in Craighead County, a nearby county clerk may have it. Pick one below to see that county's office info, fee, and search tools.