Find Marriage License in Scott County

Scott County sits in west central Arkansas along the Oklahoma line. The Scott County Clerk in Waldron issues every Scott County marriage license and keeps the record on file after the wedding. Couples who plan to wed here come to this office to apply. Anyone who needs to pull an old Scott County marriage license for a name change, a pension claim, or a family tree also starts at the clerk. This page lays out the office details, the fee, the ID rules, and the online tools that help you track down a record.

Scott County Clerk and Marriage License Office

The Scott County Clerk's office is run by Brianna Freeman. Phone: (479) 637-2642. Fax: (479) 637-0124. Email: bnf@scottcountyar.com. The office sits in Waldron, the county seat. The elected post carries a 2-year term. The same office also handles voter registration and serves as probate court clerk, keeping records of adoptions and guardianships on the county's books.

Scott County is one of the Arkansas counties with combined elected clerk offices. Brianna Freeman also serves as the Scott County Circuit Clerk. The Circuit Clerk page shares the same phone and the same contact info. One stop covers the marriage license, court cases, and county records.

The clerk's page lists the ID rules for a Scott County marriage license.

The page above notes that applicants need a driver's license or valid ID, a Social Security card, and a birth certificate if under 21.

How To Apply for a Scott County Marriage License

Both parties must come to the clerk's office in Waldron at the same time. No appointment is needed. Scott County's clerk lists a driver's license or other valid ID, a Social Security card, and a birth certificate if either party is under 21 as the paperwork you need. If your photo ID does not show a name change from a prior divorce, bring a certified copy of that divorce decree showing the restored name.

The fee is $60. Applicants 18 or older sign the form, and the clerk hands the license over the same day. There's no wait and no blood test for adults. The license is good for 60 days from the date of issue. It works anywhere in Arkansas, not just inside Scott County.

Applicants who are 17 need both parents in the room. The parents sign a notarized affidavit of consent under Arkansas Code § 9-11-102. The clerk then holds the license for a 5 business day wait. If the parents are divorced, the custodial parent must bring the latest custody order. No one under 17 may get a license except in narrow court-reviewed cases under § 9-11-103.

What to bring to the Scott County Clerk:

• Driver's license or valid photo ID for each party
• Social Security card or number
• Birth certificate if under 21
• Divorce decree for any prior marriage
• $60 for the fee

Scott County Marriage License Rules

Scott County follows the statewide rules in Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. No residency test applies, so out-of-state couples may come in, pull the license, and hold the wedding anywhere in the state. The signed license must be returned to the same clerk's office that issued it inside the 60-day window, used or not. Failure to return the license can bring a $100 fine.

Who can officiate? Under § 9-11-213, the list of approved officiants covers any judge of a court of record, any former Supreme Court justice, any justice of the peace who served two terms since Amendment 55, the mayor of any city or town, any regularly ordained minister or priest, and any officer picked by the quorum court. Ministers must file their credentials with a county clerk in Arkansas before they sign a marriage license. The Scott County Clerk keeps the minister file for the county.

Arkansas does not require witnesses at the ceremony. The couple signs, the officiant signs, and the paper heads back to the clerk. A false return by an officiant is a misdemeanor under § 9-11-219.

The combined Circuit-County Clerk page lists all of the office's duties.

That page notes the dual role, which means one call or one trip covers both the clerk duties and the court duties linked to the Scott County marriage license.

Scott County Marriage License Search

Scott County takes part in the statewide CIS Arkansas marriage license search. The portal lets you search by either party's name with a date range. The date types cover the marriage date, the date the license was issued, and the date it was recorded. The tool is free to use. Results show the parties, the dates, and the county book and page for the Scott County marriage license.

The portal pulls straight from the Scott County Clerk's marriage index, so the results match what the clerk's staff would find at the office window.

For related court cases tied to a marriage, use Arkansas CourtConnect. It covers civil, probate, and domestic relations case data for many Arkansas trial courts. It helps if you need to trace a divorce file or a name change order linked to a past marriage.

For older marriage records before the state index begins in 1917, try FamilySearch. The genealogy wiki there lists the county's marriage book years and points to film copies held by archives.

Certified Copies of a Scott County Marriage License

A certified copy of a Scott County marriage license carries the clerk's seal and works for Social Security name changes, passport updates, pension claims, and immigration paperwork. The clerk charges a small fee for a certified copy, often around $5. Call the clerk at (479) 637-2642 to confirm the current fee before you visit. The clerk can hand a copy over the same day at the window.

If you can't make the drive, ask by mail. Send a written request with both parties' names, the date of the marriage if known, your mailing address, and a phone number. Include a check or money order for the fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The clerk mails the copy once the order is pulled.

For a state-level copy of the marriage coupon from 1917 forward, order from the Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records. The state fee is $10. The state's online vendor VitalChek handles orders for an added processing fee. The state coupon is short, so the county copy is the better option when you need the full paper.

Fees at the Scott County Clerk

The state sets the Scott County marriage license fee at $60. Under Arkansas Code § 9-11-201, the clerk of the county court is the officer that collects the fee and issues the paper. Card surcharges are common across Arkansas clerks. Cash keeps the total at $60 with no add-on.

Fee waivers exist for people who cannot pay. The clerk and the courts follow state rules for indigent filers. Ask at the window. The Arkansas Judiciary website holds the standard form for court-related waivers.

Nearby Counties

If a Scott County marriage license isn't on file, check one of the counties next door. The clerk staff can often point you to the right office if the license was pulled nearby.