Franklin County Marriage License Records
Franklin County is one of a handful of Arkansas counties with two courthouses. Marriage license records sit at the County Clerk in Ozark, the main county seat, and at the Charleston district courthouse that serves the southern side of the county. Couples from either district can apply at the office that's closest, and the license is good anywhere in the state. This page lays out the clerk info, the fees, the hours, and the online tools so you can plan the search or the trip with less guesswork.
Franklin County Marriage License Overview
Franklin County Clerks for Marriage License
The main Franklin County Clerk office sits in Ozark at 211 West Commercial Street, Ozark, Arkansas 72949. The phone line is 501-667-3607. The clerk holds marriage records from 1850, probate records from 1838, and land records from 1899. Ozark is the primary county seat and serves the Ozark district, which covers most of the county north of the Arkansas River.
The second office is the Charleston district courthouse, which serves the southern half of the county. Couples from Charleston, Branch, and the rural south side can apply there instead of driving up to Ozark. Both offices issue licenses that are good statewide, so the choice is mostly about convenience.
The Association of Arkansas Counties page for Franklin County lists the elected officials and phone numbers for both district offices.
The page above confirms Ozark is the primary seat and gives the contact lines for the elected officials in both districts.
How To Apply for a Franklin County Marriage License
Both parties must appear in person together at either the Ozark or Charleston district clerk. 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.
The fee is the standard $60.00 in Arkansas. Cash is easiest. Debit and credit cards are accepted at most clerk offices with a small added surcharge. If your name changed through a past divorce, bring the certified decree showing the name was restored.
Applicants 18 or older face no waiting period and do not need a blood test. A party who is 17 must come in with both parents, who sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102, and the state's 5 business day wait applies. No one under 17 may get a license except in narrow court-reviewed cases under § 9-11-103.
What to bring when you apply:
- Valid photo ID for each party
- Social Security number for each party
- Divorce decree or death certificate if there was a prior marriage
- $60 cash or a debit/credit card
- Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17
Note: A Franklin County marriage license issued at either the Ozark or Charleston office is good anywhere in Arkansas, and the signed license returns to the same office that issued it.
Franklin County Marriage License Rules
Franklin County follows the rules in Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. A license from the Ozark or Charleston clerk is good anywhere in the state, so couples can wed in Fort Smith, Fayetteville, or any town they like. The signed license must come back to the same clerk office inside 60 days, used or not. Failure to return it can bring a $100 fine.
Under § 9-11-213, a judge, justice of the peace, mayor, minister, or priest may perform the ceremony. Ministers must record their credentials with a county clerk before they can sign. A phone call to either district office is enough to confirm a minister is on file before the wedding.
Covenant marriage is also available in Franklin County. It requires premarital counseling and a signed declaration of intent. Covenant marriages sit at Arkansas Code § 9-11-803. Divorce grounds are narrower with the covenant option.
Certified Copies of Franklin County Marriage Records
A certified copy from the County Clerk carries the clerk's seal. Couples use the certified copy for Social Security name changes, passport updates, pension claims, and immigration paperwork. Each Franklin County Clerk office, Ozark and Charleston, can print a certified copy at the window. The fee runs about $5 to $6 per copy.
You can also send a written mail request to either office with the names of both parties, the date of the wedding if known, a phone number, a check for the fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail orders 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 the central index from 1917 forward. The state charges $10 per copy. You can also order through the state's online vendor, VitalChek.
For 19th century records, the FamilySearch Franklin County genealogy wiki is a good second stop. It lists books and microfilms that index marriages from 1850.
Franklin County Marriage License Search
Franklin County takes part in the CIS Arkansas online marriage license search for both districts. The Ozark side is searched at the Franklin County search page, and the Charleston district has its own page. Search by either party's name and filter by the marriage date, issued date, or recorded date. Both tools are free.
The Ozark district search is shown below.
Use the Ozark district page if the license was issued at the Ozark office.
The Charleston district has a separate index.
Search the Franklin Charleston district marriage license search for records filed on the south side.
If you are not sure which office issued the license, run both searches and pick the match that lines up with the couple's names and the filing date.
For related court matters, the Arkansas CourtConnect system lets you look up civil, probate, and domestic relations cases filed in the Franklin County Circuit Court. That can help when a marriage record is tied to a divorce or a name change.
Cities in Franklin County
Ozark is the county seat and the largest city in the north district. Charleston sits on the south side and hosts the second courthouse. Altus, Branch, Wiederkehr Village, Denning, and Cecil round out the county. None of those cities meet the threshold for a dedicated city page on this site, so couples from any of them apply at the clerk office that fits their district.
The county sits between Fort Smith in Sebastian County and Clarksville in Johnson County. Franklin County couples sometimes drive to Sebastian County for a city ceremony but the license is pulled in Ozark or Charleston. Couples from the Altus wine country on the southeast side of the county often use the Ozark office because of the shorter drive up Interstate 40.
Residents who live near the Franklin County line in Johnson, Logan, or Madison County sometimes apply in Franklin County by mistake, then learn that each county clerk only files for residents who come in person. Arkansas has no residency rule inside the state, so any Arkansas resident can apply in any county, but the signed license must return to the county that issued it.
Nearby Counties
If the marriage license you need isn't on file in Franklin County, try one of the counties next door. The nearby clerks often hold records for couples who lived on a county line.