Search Randolph County Marriage License
The Randolph County Clerk in Pocahontas issues every Randolph County marriage license and holds the full file of past licenses on record. Randolph County is one of the counties on the state's CIS Arkansas online search, so a name lookup for a past marriage is fast and free. This page walks through the clerk's address, phone, fee, ID rules, and the online search path. If you need to apply, order a copy, or pull a record for family history work, Pocahontas is the stop.
Randolph County Marriage License Overview
Randolph County Clerk Marriage License Office
Rhonda Blevins is the Randolph County Clerk. The office is at 101 East Broadway Street, Pocahontas, AR 72455. Phone (870) 892-5822. Hours run during the working day, Monday through Friday, central time. The clerk is the officer who issues a Randolph County marriage license, takes the signed return after the ceremony, and sends the short coupon to the state. The Circuit Clerk office sits next door at 107 West Broadway at (870) 892-5522, but that office handles court filings, not marriage licenses.
The Randolph County Clerk takes part in the CIS Arkansas marriage license search for Randolph County, which is the state-sponsored online search portal. That makes Randolph County one of the easier Arkansas counties to search online. The tool lets you look up records by either party's name, with date filters for marriage date, issued date, and recorded date.
The search page above lets you narrow by date and party name, then confirms whether a Randolph County marriage license record is on file before you call the clerk for a certified copy.
For additional contact info and the county hours, the Archives.com Randolph County vital records page lists current phone numbers for the recorder, assessor, treasurer, and elections offices in the same courthouse.
The page groups all the courthouse offices together, which helps when you need to stop by more than one department on the same trip.
How To Apply for a Randolph County Marriage License
Both parties must appear at the Pocahontas clerk's office together. No appointment is needed. Bring a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID all work. Under Arkansas Code § 9-11-201, the license must be pulled from the clerk of the county court. Social Security numbers are needed for the state record.
The fee is $60. Cash is safe. A phone call to (870) 892-5822 will confirm whether card payment works today. Adults 18 and older sign the papers and the clerk issues the license on the spot. No blood test. No waiting period for adults. Arkansas has no residency rule, so a couple from out of state can pull a Randolph County marriage license and use it anywhere in Arkansas.
Applicants who are 17 need both parents present plus a notarized affidavit of consent under § 9-11-102, and the clerk imposes the state's 5 business day wait. No one under 17 may be issued a license in most cases. A narrow pregnancy exception at § 9-11-103 sends the case to a circuit judge first. If either party has been married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or the prior spouse's death certificate. A prior name change from divorce must show on the paperwork.
What to bring:
- Photo ID for each party
- Social Security number for each party
- Cash or card for the $60 fee
- Divorce decree or prior spouse's death certificate
- Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17
Randolph County Marriage License Rules
Randolph County follows the statewide rules at Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is good anywhere in Arkansas, so a couple can pull the paper in Pocahontas and have the wedding in Jonesboro, Little Rock, or any other part of the state. The signed license must come back to the same Randolph County clerk, 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, the list of officials who can perform a wedding covers the Governor, judges of a court of record, former Supreme Court justices, justices of the peace, ordained ministers or priests, mayors, and more. Ministers must record credentials with a county clerk before they can sign an Arkansas marriage license. The Randolph County clerk keeps the local minister file.
Arkansas also offers covenant marriage under Arkansas Code § 9-11-803. A covenant marriage adds premarital counseling, a declaration of intent, and narrower grounds for divorce. The couple picks the option on the application. Most applicants pick a standard marriage license, but either form is on hand at the clerk.
Note: The Randolph County online search is one of only a handful in Arkansas, which makes name lookups here much faster than in most rural counties.
Certified Copies of Randolph County Marriage Licenses
A certified copy from the Randolph County Clerk is $5.00. Certified copies carry the raised seal and are the version you'll need for a Social Security name change, a passport update, a pension claim, or immigration paperwork. The clerk can make a copy at the window during normal hours.
Mail copies work when a trip to Pocahontas isn't practical. Send a written request 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. Call (870) 892-5822 first to confirm the fee and the right 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. You can also order online through VitalChek, the state's official online vendor. The state coupon is enough for many uses. The Randolph County clerk is the only source for the full license paper.
Randolph County Marriage License Search Online
Randolph County is one of the counties on the CIS Arkansas marriage license search. The tool lets you search the Randolph County index by either party's name. Date filters cover marriage date, issued date, and recorded date. The search is free. This is the fastest way to confirm that a marriage happened here before you order a certified copy. The direct link to the Randolph County filter is on the CIS Arkansas site.
For court cases tied to a Randolph County marriage, the Arkansas CourtConnect system is the next stop. CourtConnect shows civil, probate, and domestic relations case info for participating circuit courts. Randolph County is part of the 3rd Judicial Circuit along with Jackson, Lawrence, Sharp, and Independence counties. A divorce filing or a name change case often shows up here.
For a further clerk reference, the Randolph County clerk of courts directory lists contact details and service area info. Randolph County covers about 652 square miles with a population near 18,411, which keeps the clerk's caseload at a rural pace that's usually easy to work with.
Tip: When a marriage date is unknown, set a broad date range on the CIS Arkansas search to catch records that might be filed a few months off the ceremony.
Cities in Randolph County
Pocahontas is the county seat and home of the clerk. Other towns in Randolph County include Ravenden Springs, Maynard, Biggers, O'Kean, Reyno, and Warm Springs. None of those towns has a separate marriage license office. Every couple in the county applies at the Pocahontas clerk. A Randolph County marriage license is good anywhere in Arkansas.
The courthouse sits in the center of Pocahontas, and traffic at the clerk's window tends to move fast outside peak wedding months. For the official directory of all 75 Arkansas county clerks, the Association of Arkansas Counties is the spot to check before any county trip.
Nearby Counties
If the Randolph County clerk doesn't have the record, try a county next door. A nearby clerk can often pull the license in one call.