Grant County Marriage License Search

Grant County sits just south of Pulaski County in central Arkansas. The combined Circuit and County Clerk in Sheridan runs the marriage license desk. A single counter handles both circuit court filings and county records, which makes Grant County one of the small-office counties where one trip takes care of marriage licenses, court paperwork, and land records. This page lays out the clerk's address, the fee, the rules, and the online tools for any Grant County marriage license search.

Grant County Clerk for Marriage License

The Grant County Circuit and County Clerk office sits in Sheridan, the county seat. The phone line is (870) 942-2631. Grant County runs both clerk posts in the same office, which means a single deputy may help you with a marriage license, a court filing, or a notary question in the same visit. The office also serves as the ex-officio recorder for deeds, mortgages, and liens, and acts as the secretary to the Quorum Court and the Equalization Board. The clerk is also the Official Voter Registrar.

Because Grant County is small, the office tends to run efficient walk-in service during regular business hours. A couple can often get the marriage license issued and walk out with it inside thirty minutes.

Grant County marriage records go back to 1869, the year the county was created. The county was carved out of parts of Jefferson, Hot Spring, and Saline counties, so researchers looking for the oldest Grant County families may need to check the parent counties for pre-1869 records.

How To Apply for a Grant County Marriage License

Both parties must appear at the Grant County Clerk in Sheridan together. No appointment is needed. Bring identification. The clerk accepts a valid driver's license, a state ID card, a military ID, or a passport. A non-expired photo ID is required.

The fee is $60.00 in cash. Grant County lists cash as the preferred way to pay. Applicants 18 or older face no waiting period. There is no blood test, and there is no residency rule in Arkansas, so an out-of-state couple is welcome to come in and apply.

The clerk issues the license on the spot once both parties sign, the ID is verified, and the fee is paid. The license is valid for 60 days from the date it was issued.

A party who is 17 must come in with both parents, who sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. The state's 5 business day wait applies for a 17-year-old. 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
• Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17

Grant County Marriage License Rules

Grant County follows the statewide rules in Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. A Grant County license is good anywhere in Arkansas for 60 days. After the wedding, the signed license must return to the same Grant County Clerk that issued it, used or not, inside 60 days. 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 marriage license. A phone call to the Grant County Clerk at (870) 942-2631 is enough to confirm a minister is on file before the wedding.

A covenant marriage option is available under Arkansas Code § 9-11-803. A covenant marriage requires premarital counseling, a declaration of intent, and a notarized affidavit from the counselor. Divorce options are narrower with a covenant license.

Copies are set at the statutory rate. The clerk's FAQ confirms non-certified copies are $0.50 each and certified copies are $5.00 each. Certified copies carry the clerk's seal.

Certified Copies of Grant County Marriage Records

A certified copy from the Grant County Clerk is $5.00. Certified copies carry the clerk's raised seal and are the copy you'll need for Social Security name changes, passport updates, pension claims, and immigration paperwork. Non-certified copies are $0.50 each and can be used for genealogy or personal records.

You can also mail the clerk a written request. Include 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, so plan ahead.

See the Grant County Clerk FAQs for the certified copy fee and general process.

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.

Grant County Marriage License Search

Grant County takes part in the CIS Arkansas online marriage license search. Search by either party's name and filter by marriage date, issued date, or recorded date. The search is free. A match shows the filing info you'll need to order a certified copy from the clerk.

The Grant County search page is shown below.

Use the portal to confirm the record is on file before you call or mail the clerk for a certified copy.

For court matters tied to a Grant County marriage, the Arkansas CourtConnect case search shows civil, probate, and domestic relations cases filed at the Sheridan courthouse. That's useful when a marriage record ties back to a divorce, a name change, or a probate case.

For older Grant County records, the FamilySearch Grant County genealogy wiki is a useful cross-reference. It lists the books and microfilms that index the 1869 to 1900 era.

Cities in Grant County

Sheridan is the county seat and the largest town in Grant County. Poyen, Grapevine, Prattsville, Leola, and Tull are the other small communities. None of them meet the threshold for a dedicated city page on this site, so couples from any of them apply at the same clerk office in Sheridan. The town sits right off U.S. Highway 270.

Grant County borders a few central Arkansas counties with bigger populations. Couples who live in the Bryant or Benton area of Saline County sometimes drive to Sheridan for a small courthouse ceremony because of the short highway trip. Grant County was carved out of parts of Jefferson, Hot Spring, and Saline counties in 1869, so older marriage books in the three parent counties may hold records of Grant County families from the decades before the split.

The Sheridan courthouse is a quiet small-office setup, which suits couples who want a low-key courthouse ceremony without the long lines of the larger city clerks. Call ahead to the Grant County Clerk to confirm the office is open and a deputy is at the counter before you drive in.

Nearby Counties

If your Grant County marriage license isn't on file in Sheridan, try one of the counties next door. The short drive between clerk offices can save a round trip.