Access Johnson County Marriage License

The Johnson County Clerk in Clarksville issues the Johnson County marriage license, keeps the file after the wedding, and sends the short coupon to the state. Couples in western Arkansas who plan to wed near the Arkansas River valley often start at this office, and anyone who needs to pull an older Johnson County marriage license record goes to the same clerk. The clerk has marriage records back to 1838. This page lays out the office contact, the fee, and the ID rules so you can plan a trip.

Johnson County Clerk for Marriage License

The marriage license office sits at the Johnson County Courthouse, 215 W Main St, Clarksville, AR 72830. The mailing address is PO Box 57, Clarksville, AR 72830. The clerk phone is (479) 754-3967, and the fax is (479) 754-2286. The office is listed as cash only for the license fee, so bring cash for the $60 payment.

Johnson County was formed on November 16, 1833 from Pope County. Clarksville has been the county seat from the start. The County Clerk has marriage records from 1838 forward. The Circuit Clerk, in the same courthouse, keeps divorce, civil, and criminal court records.

The Johnson County marriage license office overview lists the address, the phone, and the payment rules in a single page. The Association of Arkansas Counties directory for Johnson County shows the other elected offices in the courthouse.

The page above shows the office type, the address, and the accepted payment type, which helps when a couple is coming from out of town to apply.

How To Apply for a Johnson County Marriage License

Both parties come to the Clarksville office together. The office is a walk-in, no appointment needed. Each party shows a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A state driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID all work.

The marriage license fee is $60, paid in cash at the Johnson County Clerk. The office has been listed as cash only, so plan for that. If you can only pay by card, call (479) 754-3967 to ask about current payment options. The state fee itself is set under Arkansas Code § 9-11-201.

Applicants 18 or older sign the application and pick up the license the same day. There is no blood test, no residency rule, and no waiting period for adults. Out-of-state couples may apply at the Clarksville clerk and hold the wedding anywhere inside Arkansas.

Under § 9-11-102, a 17-year-old applicant needs both parents present and a notarized affidavit of consent. The clerk imposes a 5 business day wait before the license is released. No one under 17 may get a license except in rare court-reviewed cases under § 9-11-103.

Items to bring:

• Photo ID for each party
• Social Security number for each party
• Divorce decree or spouse's death certificate for any prior marriage
• $60 in cash for the fee
• Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17

Johnson County Marriage License Rules

Johnson County follows the state rules in Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is good anywhere in Arkansas, not just inside Johnson County. The signed license must come back to the same Clarksville clerk, used or not, inside 60 days. Failure to return the license can bring a $100 fine.

Officiants are set by § 9-11-213. The list includes any current judge of a court of record, the Governor, any ordained minister or priest, mayors of cities and towns, justices of the peace, and other officers named in the statute. A minister must record credentials with a county clerk in Arkansas before signing the license.

Arkansas does not require a blood test. Arkansas does not require witnesses at the ceremony. The state's rules on residency, age, and the return of the license all apply in Johnson County in the same way they apply in Little Rock or Fort Smith.

Couples who want a covenant marriage pick that option on the application under § 9-11-803. The extra steps include premarital counseling, a signed declaration of intent, and a notary witness. The county clerk has the covenant form ready at the window.

Certified Copies of Johnson County Marriage License

A certified copy from the Johnson County Clerk carries the seal of the office. It is the paper you need for a Social Security name change, a passport update, a pension claim, or immigration paperwork. The clerk can make a copy at the Clarksville window or by mail. Call (479) 754-3967 first to confirm the copy fee and the mail steps.

Mail a signed written request to the Johnson County Clerk at PO Box 57, Clarksville, AR 72830. Include both parties' names, the date of the marriage if known, a phone number, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of the copy.

For a state-level copy of the marriage coupon, the Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records holds the central index from 1917 forward. The state fee is $10. The state's online partner VitalChek is another option for an online order.

For pre-1917 Johnson County marriage license research, the FamilySearch guide for Johnson County is a good starting point. It lists where early county records are held and what the clerk has on file.

The county directory page above helps when a question crosses office lines, like a divorce filing at the circuit clerk that ties to a past marriage license on file at the county clerk.

Johnson County Marriage License Search

Johnson County does not currently take part in the CIS Arkansas statewide marriage search portal. A call or a walk-in to the Clarksville clerk is the main way to look up a Johnson County marriage license. The staff will search the index with the names and a rough year.

For court cases tied to a past marriage, try the Arkansas CourtConnect public case search. The system pulls civil, probate, and domestic relations cases from many Arkansas trial courts. CourtConnect does not hold the marriage license paper, but it can help trace a divorce filing, an annulment, or a name change order.

For a cross-county search, the Association of Arkansas Counties directory lists every clerk in the state. That's the right tool when you're not sure which county holds the license.

Johnson County Marriage License Resources

Clarksville is the county seat and the largest city in Johnson County. Small towns like Coal Hill, Hartman, Knoxville, and Lamar all apply at the same Johnson County Clerk at the Clarksville courthouse.

The Arkansas Judiciary website at arcourts.gov lists standard court forms for name change, divorce, and annulment. The clerk does not give legal advice, so those questions go to the courts or a private attorney.

For quick confirmation that a marriage record exists, Arkansas marriage license records at the county level are public records. Anyone can ask the Johnson County Clerk to look up a license by name, no proof of relationship needed.

Nearby Counties

If a Johnson County marriage license search comes up empty, try one of the counties next door. The Clarksville clerk can often point you to the right office.