Howard County Marriage License

The Howard County Clerk in Nashville issues every Howard County marriage license and keeps the returned record on file. Couples who plan to wed in this part of southwest Arkansas start here, and family members who need to pull an old Howard County marriage license record also come to this same office. The county takes part in the statewide online marriage search, which makes a name search quick from home. This page walks through the clerk's address, hours, fee, and the steps to apply for or look up a license.

Howard County Clerk for Marriage License

County Clerk Keri Teague runs the marriage license office. The office sits at 421 N. Main Street, Room 10, Nashville, AR 71852. Call (870) 845-7500, Ext. 2, or (870) 845-7502 for the direct marriage line. The fax is (870) 845-7505. The clerk handles voter registration, probate, and other county records, but marriage licenses are a big part of the daily work.

Howard County was formed on April 17, 1873 from Pike, Hempstead, Polk, and Sevier counties. The county seat moved from Center Point to Nashville back in 1905, and the clerk has held marriage license records from the county's first years forward. The office keeps the signed license with the officiant line, the return of the wedding, and the short coupon sent to the state.

The Association of Arkansas Counties directory for Howard County lists the clerk, the circuit clerk Angie Lewis, and County Judge Brent Pinkerton with direct numbers.

The page also lets you check the fax line and the office room number before you drive to Nashville for the license.

How To Apply for a Howard County Marriage License

Both parties must come to the clerk's office together. There is no appointment, so plan a walk-in trip during office hours. Bring a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A state driver's license, a state ID, a passport, or a military ID all work. If the photo ID does not show the correct legal name after a past divorce, bring a certified copy of the decree that shows the name was restored.

The license fee is $60, set by state law. Cash is always accepted. Many county clerks take a card with a small extra surcharge, but the rule varies, so call ahead to confirm. Applicants 18 or older sign the application and the clerk issues the license the same day. There is no blood test and no waiting period for adults.

If one party is 17, both parents must be present, sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102, and the clerk imposes a 5 business day wait before the license is released. No license goes to anyone under 17 except through a rare court-reviewed path under § 9-11-103. The license to marry must come from the clerk of the county court under § 9-11-201.

What to bring to the Nashville office:

• Photo ID for each party
• Social Security number for each party
• Prior divorce decree or spouse's death certificate if you were married before
• $60 fee in cash or a card
• Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17

The license is good for 60 days. After the wedding, the signed license must come back to the same Howard County Clerk, used or not, inside the 60 day window. Failure to return the license can bring a $100 fine.

Howard County Marriage License Search

Howard County is one of the counties that takes part in the Arkansas Marriage License Search for Howard County. The portal lets you search by either party's name. You can filter by marriage date, issued date, or recorded date. There is no fee to use the search.

This is a big help for couples who plan ahead, genealogists, and family members who need to confirm a marriage without a trip to Nashville. The site pulls straight from the clerk's system, so the results match what the office has on file.

You can click a result to see the basic details, then call the clerk for a certified copy if you need one for a legal use like a Social Security name change.

The search index starts from the point the county began entering records into the digital system. Older marriage license records for Howard County may only be available on paper at the clerk's office. The clerk staff will help you look through the old books if you give them the names and an approximate year.

Howard County Marriage License Rules

Howard County follows the statewide rules at Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is good anywhere in the state, not just inside the county line, so a couple may use a Howard County license for a wedding on the coast of Lake DeGray or in a church in Little Rock. The return of the signed license must still come back to the Nashville office inside 60 days.

Who can officiate is set by § 9-11-213. The list includes any current judge of a court of record, any regularly ordained minister or priest, the mayor of a city or town, any justice of the peace, and other officers named in the statute. A minister must record credentials with a county clerk before signing a license.

Arkansas does not require a blood test, does not require witnesses at the ceremony, and does not impose a residency rule. Out-of-state couples often pick a small clerk like Howard County for a quiet visit to apply, then hold the wedding at a park, a church, or a venue inside the state.

Covenant marriage is also an option in Howard County under § 9-11-803. Couples who pick covenant marriage take premarital counseling, sign a declaration of intent, and face limited grounds for a future divorce. The clerk provides the covenant declaration form with the standard license application.

Certified Copies of Howard County Marriage License

A certified copy from the Howard County Clerk carries the office seal and is the paper you need for Social Security name changes, passport updates, and other legal uses. Call the office first to confirm the copy fee and whether they accept a card or only cash or check by mail.

To order by mail, send a signed request to County Clerk, 421 N. Main Street, Room 10, Nashville, AR 71852. Include both parties' names, the date of the marriage if known, a phone number, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return.

For a state-level copy of the short marriage coupon, the Arkansas Division of Vital Records holds the central index from 1917 forward. The state fee is $10. You can also order through the state's online partner VitalChek.

For help with older family records, the FamilySearch page for Howard County has a useful overview of what records exist for the county and where to look for the early years.

The county service page linked above lists direct contact info for the clerk and the circuit clerk, which helps when a record crosses office lines, like a divorce filed at the circuit clerk after a past marriage.

Howard County Marriage License Resources

Use Arkansas CourtConnect for court cases tied to a marriage. The tool shows civil, probate, and domestic relations filings from many Arkansas trial courts. It is the second stop when a marriage license record alone does not cover what you are tracking down.

For a cross-county or family history hunt, the Association of Arkansas Counties site keeps clerk contact info up to date for all 75 counties. If a license turns out not to be in Howard County, the next county over may hold it. Clerks in Nashville are used to pointing callers toward the right office.

The clerk's office does not provide legal advice. For name change questions, prenuptial agreement review, or other legal matters tied to a marriage, the Arkansas Judiciary website at arcourts.gov lists standard forms and court contacts.

Nearby Counties

If a Howard County marriage license search comes up empty, try a nearby county. The license may have been pulled at the clerk next door.