Desha County Marriage License Records

Desha County sits in the southeast corner of Arkansas, and the County Clerk is the office that issues and files every marriage license in the county. Couples can apply at either the Arkansas City courthouse or the McGehee courthouse. If you need to search for an older Desha County marriage license record, or you plan to apply for a new one, this page lays out the clerk's contact info, the fee, the hours, and the online search tools so you can plan the trip with less guesswork.

Desha County Clerk for Marriage License

The Desha County Clerk runs the marriage license desk. Valerie Donaldson holds the elected County Clerk and Probate Clerk post. The main office sits at 608 Robert S Moore Avenue, Arkansas City, Arkansas 71630. The phone line is 870-222-0870, and a second number, 870-877-3413, rings at the same office. Email is countyclerk@deshacounty.org. Hours run 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Desha County has two courthouse locations. The Arkansas City courthouse at 608 Robert S Moore Avenue is the historic seat. A second office runs from the McGehee courthouse at 111 Robert S. Moore Avenue. Either office can help with marriage license records for Desha County. Couples may apply at whichever building is closer.

The clerk's homepage lists contact steps, office hours, and a short page on the marriage license application.

Visit the Desha County Clerk main page for office news and links.

The page links out to the Quorum Court records, ordinances, and the marriage license application, so it's the best first stop before you visit the office.

How To Apply for a Desha County Marriage License

Both parties must appear in person at the clerk's office together. No appointment is needed. Bring a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A state driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID all work. If a prior name change came through a divorce, bring the certified divorce decree showing that name was restored.

The standard marriage license fee is $60.00 in cash. Desha County cuts the fee to $45.00 if the couple can show proof of premarital counseling. That's a common Arkansas discount, but not every county offers it, so it's worth knowing about in Desha. Debit and credit cards are accepted with a small added fee.

Applicants 18 and older sign and the clerk issues the license on the spot. There is no blood test and no waiting period for adults. A party who is 17 needs both parents in the room with a notarized affidavit of consent, and the state's 5 business day wait applies under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. No one under 17 may get a license except in narrow court-reviewed cases under § 9-11-103.

The contact page on the clerk's site also lists the email and the phone lines if you need to confirm hours before driving in.

See the Desha County Clerk contact page for phone numbers and office email.

Use the email listed on the page if you want to send a question about paperwork before you drive to Arkansas City or McGehee.

What to bring to apply:

• Valid photo ID for each party
• Social Security number for each party
• Divorce decree or death certificate if you were married before
• $60 cash, or $45 with a premarital counseling certificate
• Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17

Desha County Marriage License Rules

Desha County follows the statewide rules at Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is good anywhere in the state, not just inside Desha County, so couples can hold the ceremony in Monticello, Pine Bluff, or anywhere else in Arkansas. After the wedding, the signed license must come back to the same Desha County Clerk that issued it, used or not, inside 60 days.

Under § 9-11-213, a judge, justice of the peace, mayor, minister, or priest may perform the ceremony. Ministers must file their credentials with a county clerk first. Desha County does not post a minister search tool, so a quick call to the clerk's office confirms that a minister is on file before the big day.

The state allows both a standard license and a covenant license. Couples who pick the covenant option must finish premarital counseling and sign a declaration of intent. Covenant marriages sit under Arkansas Code § 9-11-803 and carry tighter divorce rules.

Certified Copies of Desha County Marriage License

A certified copy from the County Clerk carries the raised seal and is the document you'll need for Social Security name changes, passport updates, pension claims, and immigration paperwork. Desha County charges the standard small per-copy fee, which runs about $5 to $6. Copies are ready the same day if you walk in during office hours.

You can also mail the clerk a written request with the names of both parties, the date of the wedding if known, a phone number, a check or money order for the copy fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail requests take longer than a walk-in pickup.

For a state-level coupon copy, go through the Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records, which holds a central index of marriages from 1917 forward. The fee is $10 per copy. You can also order through the state's online vendor, VitalChek.

See Desha County public records info for a second look at the fee schedule and the two courthouse addresses.

The page also confirms that licenses are valid for 60 days from the issue date and that there is no waiting period for applicants who are 18 or older.

Desha County Marriage License Search

For online search, the CIS Arkansas statewide portal is the best tool. Desha County takes part in that index, so you can look up party names and filter by the marriage date, issued date, or recorded date. The search is free to use.

The Arkansas CourtConnect system shows civil, probate, and domestic relations cases filed in Desha County circuit and district courts. That tool is useful if you need to cross-reference a divorce filing, a name change order, or a covenant marriage declaration tied to an older Desha County marriage license record.

The FamilySearch wiki for Desha County lists marriage records from 1865 held at the County Clerk. Older marriages in Desha County are on microfilm with the Arkansas State Archives. For pre-1917 ceremonies, the clerk's local record is the only source because the state Division of Vital Records index does not go back that far.

Cities in Desha County

Desha County's main cities are Arkansas City, McGehee, Dumas, Mitchellville, and Watson. None of those cities meet the threshold for a dedicated city page, so couples from any of them apply at one of the two County Clerk locations. The Arkansas City courthouse is the historic seat, and the McGehee courthouse serves the northwestern side of the county.

Desha County is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east, which means couples who live across the river must still return to a Desha County office in person to get a license issued in this county. An out-of-state couple that wants to wed on the Arkansas side can come in and apply like any resident because Arkansas has no residency rule.

Nearby Counties

If the marriage license you need isn't on file in Desha County, try one of the counties next door. The clerk staff can point you to the right office if the license was pulled nearby.