Lincoln County Marriage License Lookup

The Lincoln County Clerk in Star City issues the Lincoln County marriage license and keeps the file for the county. County Clerk Stephanie James runs the office, and couples who plan to wed in southeast Arkansas start here. Anyone tracking down an older Lincoln County marriage license record for family history or a legal use goes to the same clerk. The county has marriage, probate, and land records from 1871 forward, with no known courthouse disasters. This page lays out the clerk's contact, the fee, and the steps to apply for or look up a license.

Lincoln County Clerk for Marriage License

County Clerk Stephanie James runs the marriage license office. The address is 300 South Drew Street, Star City, AR 71667. Phone the office at (870) 628-5114, with the fax at (870) 628-5794. Email is lincolnclerk@arkansasclerks.com. The office is at the Lincoln County Courthouse, the same building that houses the other elected offices.

Lincoln County was formed on March 28, 1871 from Arkansas, Bradley, Desha, Drew, and Jefferson counties. The county was named for President Abraham Lincoln. Star City has been the county seat from the start. The County Clerk has marriage, probate, and land records from 1871 forward. There are no known courthouse disasters, so the record chain is unbroken from the county's first year.

The Association of Arkansas Counties directory for Lincoln County lists the clerk, the circuit clerk, and the county judge. Circuit Clerk Cindy Glover runs a separate office in the same courthouse at (870) 628-3154, and the circuit clerk keeps divorce and court records.

The directory page is a useful quick reference for the full list of elected offices at the Star City courthouse.

How To Apply for a Lincoln County Marriage License

Both parties come to the Star City clerk's office together. The application 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 for proof of age and identity.

The fee is $60. That's the state rate set under Arkansas Code § 9-11-201. Cash is accepted. A card may be accepted with a small extra surcharge. Call (870) 628-5114 first to confirm payment options at the Lincoln County Clerk.

Applicants 18 or older sign the application and pick up the license the same day. No blood test. No residency rule. No waiting period for adults.

If one party is 17, both parents must be present and sign a notarized affidavit of consent under § 9-11-102. 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 to the Star City office:

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

Lincoln County Marriage License Rules

Lincoln County follows the state rules in Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is good anywhere in Arkansas, not just inside Lincoln County. The signed license must come back to the same Star City clerk's office, 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 covers 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 before signing a Lincoln County marriage license.

Arkansas does not require a blood test. No witnesses are required at the ceremony. Out-of-state couples are welcome to apply at the Lincoln County Clerk and hold the wedding elsewhere in the state.

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 clerk has the covenant form at the window.

Certified Copies of Lincoln County Marriage License

A certified copy from the Lincoln County Clerk carries the seal of the office. It is the paper needed for a Social Security name change, a passport update, a pension claim, or immigration paperwork. The clerk can issue copies at the Star City window or by mail.

Mail a signed written request to the Lincoln County Clerk at 300 South Drew Street, Star City, AR 71667. 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. Call (870) 628-5114 first to confirm the copy fee.

For a state 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 older Lincoln County marriage license research, the FamilySearch guide for Lincoln County helps with records from 1871 to 1917. The unbroken record chain at the clerk makes family history work in this county a bit easier than in counties with courthouse fires.

The county services page shown above lists direct contact info for the clerk and other elected offices, which helps when a question crosses office lines in the courthouse.

Lincoln County Marriage License Search

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

For court cases tied to a past marriage, use the Arkansas CourtConnect system. CourtConnect shows civil, probate, and domestic relations cases for many Arkansas trial courts. It is a useful second stop for tracing a divorce filing or a name change order tied to a past Lincoln County license.

The Circuit Clerk office listed above is where divorce and court records live, so that is the right stop if the marriage license search pulls up a case number for a divorce or an annulment.

The clerk's staff is used to helping family history researchers and estate workers. Bring the names and an estimated year of the wedding. The older paper books can be searched by year if the online index does not cover that year yet.

Lincoln County Marriage License Resources

Star City is the county seat and the home of the Lincoln County Clerk. Small towns in the county like Gould, Grady, and Tamo all apply at the same Star City clerk's office. There is no separate city clerk for marriage licenses.

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

Arkansas marriage license records at the county level are public records. Anyone can ask the Lincoln County Clerk to look up a license by name, no proof of relationship needed for the basic record.

Nearby Counties

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