Hempstead County Marriage License Records

Hempstead County is one of the original counties of Arkansas, created in 1818. The County Clerk in Hope issues every Hempstead County marriage license and keeps the signed record on file after the wedding. Couples who plan to wed in the Hope area apply at the Hempstead County Courthouse, and anyone who needs to pull a past marriage license record for Hempstead County, Arkansas starts at the same office. This page lays out the clerk's info, the fee, the ID rules, and the state online tools.

Hempstead County Clerk for Marriage License

The Hempstead County Clerk office sits in the Hempstead County Courthouse at 400 South Washington Street, Hope, Arkansas 71801. The phone line is 870-777-2381. The clerk issues marriage licenses, records DBAs for $25.00, keeps the Quorum Court records, files probate court documents, and serves as secretary of the Board of Equalization.

Hempstead County was created on December 15, 1818, which makes it one of the oldest counties in the state. Marriage records at the clerk go back to 1817, even predating the county's creation by a year because the records were passed along from the territorial system. That means researchers looking for early 19th century Arkansas marriages may find an entry in the Hempstead County books.

Hope is the county seat and the largest city in Hempstead County. The county sits in southwest Arkansas and is bordered by Nevada, Lafayette, Miller, Little River, and Howard counties.

The Association of Arkansas Counties directory lists the clerk for every county in the state, including Hempstead.

Use the directory to confirm the clerk's current phone number before you call to ask about a Hempstead County marriage record.

How To Apply for a Hempstead County Marriage License

Both parties must appear at the Hempstead County Clerk office in Hope together. No appointment is needed. Bring a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. The clerk also asks for each party's Social Security card. Applicants ages 18 to 21 must provide a birth certificate under the county's listed rule.

The fee is $60.00 in cash. Hempstead County does not accept checks for the marriage license. Debit and credit cards are accepted with a small added fee, which varies by the card processor. Plan to bring cash if you want to avoid the card surcharge.

A party who is 17 must come in with both parents, who sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. Hempstead County imposes the state's 5 business day waiting period for a 17-year-old. If the parents are divorced, the custodial parent must bring the latest custody paperwork. 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 card for each party
• Birth certificate if you are ages 18 to 21
• Divorce decree or death certificate if there was a prior marriage
• $60 cash, no checks
• Notarized parental affidavit and custody order if a party is 17

Hempstead County Marriage License Rules

Hempstead County follows the statewide rules in Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. A Hempstead County license is good anywhere in Arkansas for 60 days from the date it was issued. Couples can drive to any other county, town, or unincorporated area for the ceremony. After the wedding, the signed license must come back to the Hope 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 record their credentials with a county clerk before they can sign a marriage license. A phone call to the Hempstead County Clerk at 870-777-2381 confirms a minister is on file.

Hempstead County also offers the Covenant Marriage option, which sits at Arkansas Code § 9-11-803. A covenant marriage requires authorized premarital counseling, a signed declaration of intent, and a notarized counselor affidavit. Divorce grounds are narrower with a covenant license, and couples pick this option on the application form.

Certified Copies of Hempstead County Marriage Records

A certified copy from the Hempstead County Clerk carries the clerk's raised seal. Couples use the certified copy for Social Security name changes, passport updates, pension claims, and immigration paperwork. The clerk prints the copy at the Hope courthouse office. The fee runs about $5 to $6 per copy.

You can also mail the Hempstead County Clerk a written request 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 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 the central index from 1917 forward. The state charges $10 per copy. You can order by walk-in at Little Rock, by mail, or through the state's online vendor at VitalChek.

For older Hempstead County marriage records, the FamilySearch Hempstead County genealogy wiki is a useful cross-reference. The clerk's 1817 books are among the oldest in Arkansas, and the FamilySearch page lists the microfilms that index them.

Hempstead County Marriage License Search

Hempstead County does not currently appear in the CIS Arkansas statewide marriage license search, so online lookups for Hempstead County marriages may need to run against the state vital records index at the Division of Vital Records or against court filings in CourtConnect. A phone call to the Hope clerk is the most reliable way to confirm a record.

The statewide partner search portal below covers a long list of participating counties.

Even though Hempstead is not listed, the CIS Arkansas portal is still useful because it covers neighboring counties where a couple's record may also sit.

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

The main Hempstead County Arkansas government portal links out to the other county offices and general news about the courthouse.

Cities in Hempstead County

Hope is the county seat and the largest city in Hempstead County. It's the birthplace of President Bill Clinton, which brings some national visitors, but the clerk's office itself is a quiet small-town office. Other communities in the county include Fulton, Washington, McCaskill, Ozan, Blevins, and Perrytown. 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's office in Hope.

Hempstead County borders several rural counties. Out-of-state couples from Texas or Louisiana often come across the border, and Arkansas has no residency rule, so they can apply at Hope with no extra steps.

Nearby Counties

If the Hempstead County marriage record you need isn't in Hope, try one of the counties next door. Southwest Arkansas clerks often hold records for couples who crossed a county line.