Pike County Marriage License Records
The Pike County Clerk's office in Murfreesboro is the one place to apply for a Pike County marriage license and the spot where past license records are kept on file. A courthouse fire in 1895 destroyed the county's older books, but the records since 1895 are complete and on hand. This page lists the address, phone, fee, and ID rules for the office, plus the online tools you can use for a quick search. If you need to apply, order a copy, or look up an older record, start here.
Pike County Marriage License Overview
Pike County Clerk Marriage License Office
The Pike County Clerk's office is at 112 North Washington Avenue, Murfreesboro, AR 71958. The main phone line is 870-285-2231. Mailing address: P.O. Box 219, Murfreesboro, AR 71958. Staff can take calls about a marriage license during the working day. The phone line for the marriage license window is also listed as 870-285-2743 in some county directories, so either number will connect you to the right person.
Pike County is a rural county of about 10,000 people. Because of that, the office is small, and a call ahead of a trip can help confirm hours. The clerk issues new licenses, takes signed returns after the ceremony, and sends the short coupon to the state for the central index. The clerk also keeps the county's file of minister credentials and voter registration. For a clean entry on the office, the AR Marriage License Offices Pike County listing has the address and phone on one screen.
Most of the county's records run from 1895 forward. Older records were lost in the 1895 courthouse fire, although an abstract book was saved. The Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness Pike County guide walks through the record dates and points to the handful of surviving pre-fire pages.
The guide is useful for family history work when a search goes back past the fire line, since it lists the other places you can check for pre-1895 Pike County marriage license data.
How To Apply for a Pike County Marriage License
Both parties must appear at the clerk's office together. No appointment is needed. Bring a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID for each person. Options include a driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID. Under Arkansas Code § 9-11-201, the license must be pulled from the clerk of the county court.
The fee is $60. Cash is the safest way to pay in a small county office. A phone call to 870-285-2231 will confirm whether card payment works at the Pike County window. Adults 18 or older sign the papers and the clerk issues the license on the spot. There's no blood test and no waiting period for adults. Arkansas has no residency rule, so an out-of-state couple can pull a Pike County marriage license and use it anywhere in the state.
Applicants who are 17 need both parents present plus a notarized affidavit of consent under § 9-11-102. The clerk imposes the state's mandatory 5 business day wait in that case. The clerk cannot issue a license to anyone under 17 in most cases. A narrow pregnancy exception at § 9-11-103 sends the case to a circuit judge first. If either party was married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or the prior spouse's death certificate. If a prior divorce restored a maiden name, the decree must show that too.
Bring this to apply:
- Photo ID for each party
- Social Security number for each party
- Cash for the $60 fee
- Divorce decree or prior spouse's death certificate if applicable
- Notarized parental affidavit if one party is 17
Pike County Marriage License Rules
Pike County follows statewide rules in Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is good anywhere in Arkansas, so a couple can pull the paper in Murfreesboro and hold the wedding at Crater of Diamonds State Park, in Hot Springs, or anywhere else in the state. The signed license must come back to the Pike County clerk that issued it, used or not, inside 60 days of the issue date. A missed return can bring a $100 fine under state law.
Under § 9-11-213, a short list of officials can perform a wedding. That covers the Governor, any judge of a court of record, former Supreme Court justices, justices of the peace, ordained ministers or priests, mayors, and more. Ministers must register credentials with a county clerk before they can sign a Pike County marriage license. The clerk keeps the minister file.
Arkansas also offers covenant marriage under Arkansas Code § 9-11-803. A covenant marriage adds premarital counseling and narrower grounds for divorce. Couples pick the option on the application. Most couples in Pike County go with a standard marriage license.
Note: The Pike County clerk is a small office, so mail requests can take a week or two during peak weeks.
Certified Copies of Pike County Marriage Licenses
A certified copy from the Pike County Clerk runs about $5 per copy. Certified copies have the clerk's seal and are what you'll need for a Social Security name change, a passport update, a pension claim, or immigration paperwork. The clerk can make copies at the window during normal hours. Mail copies work when you can't get to Murfreesboro.
For a mail request, send a letter with both parties' full legal names, the marriage date if known, a daytime phone number, the copy fee by check or money order, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return trip. Call 870-285-2231 first to confirm the fee and the mailing address.
For a state-level copy, the Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records keeps a marriage coupon from 1917 forward at $10 per copy. The state doesn't hold the full license paper, only the short coupon. You can also order through the state's online vendor VitalChek. For records before 1917, the Pike County clerk is the only source, and many of those pre-1917 records are limited by the 1895 fire.
Pike County Marriage License Search
Pike County is not on the CIS Arkansas marriage license search portal at this time, so there isn't a free online name index for the county. A name search has to go through the clerk's office. Call 870-285-2231 with the full legal names and a year range. Staff can check the index and confirm whether a record is on file before you order a copy.
For court cases tied to a Pike County marriage, like a divorce filing, use Arkansas CourtConnect. The free tool shows case party names, filing dates, and docket entries for participating circuit courts. Pike County is part of the 9th Judicial Circuit along with Hempstead, Howard, Little River, Nevada, and Montgomery counties.
For genealogy work, the FamilySearch Pike County, Arkansas Genealogy wiki is a solid starting point. The wiki lists what records the clerk holds, when they start, and where the pre-fire data survives. Arkansas marriage records at the state level start in 1917, so some Pike County couples between 1895 and 1917 only show up in the county's own files.
Tip: Have a year or two of year range ready when calling the clerk, since staff search the index year by year in many small counties.
Pike County Cities and Area
Murfreesboro is the county seat and the home of the clerk's office. Other communities in Pike County include Delight, Glenwood, Antoine, and Daisy. None of those towns has its own marriage license office. Every couple in the county applies at the Murfreesboro clerk. A Pike County marriage license is good anywhere in Arkansas, so the ceremony can happen in another county if the venue calls for it.
Pike County is best known for Crater of Diamonds State Park, which draws thousands of visitors each year. Some couples pick the park for an outdoor ceremony. The clerk still has to issue the license, but the ceremony can take place on park grounds. For the clerk's current contact info, the Association of Arkansas Counties directory has the Pike County entry with phone and address.
Nearby Counties
If the Pike County clerk doesn't hold the license, try a county next door. A nearby clerk can often pull the record in one call.