Search Washington County Marriage License

Washington County is one of the biggest marriage license offices in northwest Arkansas. The County Clerk in Fayetteville issues and records every Washington County marriage license. Couples who plan to wed in the county come here to apply, and anyone who needs to pull an older marriage license record from the county starts at the same office. This page spells out the clerk's address, office hours, the fee, and the online search tools, so you can plan a visit or a records pull with less back and forth.

Washington County Clerk for Marriage License

The Washington County Clerk is the office that issues the Washington County marriage license. Becky Lewallen is the elected clerk. The office sits at 280 North College Avenue, Suite 300, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701. The phone line is (479) 444-1711. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on court-approved holidays. The office does not take appointments for marriage license applicants, so plan on a walk-in visit.

The clerk wears a lot of hats. Besides issuing a Washington County marriage license, the office handles voter registration, DBA certificates, ministers' certificates of record, and nurses' and physicians' credentials. The clerk is also the court secretary for County Court and Circuit Court Probate, and the secretary to the Equalization Board. So one elected office deals with the paper side of many different records all at once.

The Marriage Information page on the county site walks through the rules step by step. It's the fastest read before your trip to the window.

How To Apply for a Washington County Marriage License

Both parties must appear together at the clerk's office. Bring a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. A state driver's license, a state ID card, a passport, or a military ID all work. If either of you has been married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or the prior spouse's death certificate. If a name change came through a past divorce, the decree must show the name was restored.

The marriage license fee is $60 cash. No waiting period applies for applicants 18 and older, so adults can pick up the license the same day they file. Applicants who are 17 need both parents at the window, a notarized affidavit of consent, and the state's 5 business day wait before pickup.

Under Arkansas Code § 9-11-201, the license must be pulled from the clerk of the county court. Under § 9-11-102, no one under 17 may be issued a license except in narrow court-reviewed cases under § 9-11-103. Arkansas does not require a blood test, and there is no residency rule, so out-of-state couples may come in, get the license, and hold the ceremony anywhere in the state. The license is good for 60 days from the date it was pulled.

What to bring to apply in Washington County:

• Valid photo ID for each party
• Social Security number for each party
• Divorce decree or spouse's death certificate if you were married before
• $60 in cash, exact amount
• Notarized parental affidavit if a party is 17

Washington County Marriage License Search

Washington County takes part in the statewide CIS Arkansas search, which is the easiest way to look up a past marriage license record online. The Arkansas Marriage License Search for Washington County lets you search by either party's name and by date range. Date search types cover marriage date, issued date, or recorded date. The tool is free to use.

The portal shown above pulls Washington County's index of Washington County marriage license records and returns matching couples with names, dates, and record IDs. You can use it from any computer or phone.

For records older than what the online index covers, the Washington County Archives holds marriage books from 1845 to 1963. Marriage records through 1941 are available online through the archives. That is one of the deeper historical record sets in the state, so family history researchers often come here for leads.

Note that for birth and death records, the archives direct you to the Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records, and for cemetery and obituary info, to the Fayetteville Public Library.

Washington County Marriage License Rules

Washington County follows the statewide rules at Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11. The license is good anywhere in Arkansas, not just inside the county, so a couple can pull a Washington County marriage license in Fayetteville and hold the wedding in Hot Springs, Little Rock, or anywhere else in the state. The license must be returned to the same clerk that issued it, used or not, inside 60 days. Failure to return the license can bring a $100 fine under state law.

Under § 9-11-213, a short list of officials and clergy may perform the ceremony. Ministers must record their credentials with a county clerk before they can sign a Washington County marriage license. The credentials filing fee is $5.00. Arkansas law does not require witnesses at the ceremony, which is useful to know when the couple plans a small event.

The Elected Officials that Perform Marriages page lists officials who can sign a license in the county. Marsha Woodruff is listed as a Special Official in Fayetteville who also speaks Spanish, which is useful for couples who need a bilingual service.

A covenant marriage is the other option on the application, set out in Arkansas Code § 9-11-803. Couples who pick it must take premarital counseling and sign a declaration of intent. The divorce rules for a covenant marriage are tighter than for a regular marriage, so it's worth reading the statute before you choose at the window.

Certified Copies of Washington County Marriage License

A certified copy from the Washington County Clerk carries the clerk's seal and is what you'll need for Social Security name changes, passport updates, pension claims, and immigration paperwork. Call the clerk at (479) 444-1711 to confirm the current per-copy fee and the mail process. The office issues copies in person at the window or by mail after a written request and a check.

For a state-level copy of the marriage coupon, the Arkansas Division of Vital Records holds a central index from January 1917 forward. The state copy runs $10 per record. The state also accepts orders through VitalChek, the official online vendor, for a small extra processing fee.

The state-held coupon is not the full license. For the full paper, signed by the officiant and both parties, the county clerk is the right office to call.

Related Records and Resources

For court cases tied to a Washington County marriage, the Arkansas CourtConnect portal shows civil, probate, and domestic relations cases in many counties. It is the right tool if you need to trace a divorce filing or a name change order that ties back to a prior marriage.

The Association of Arkansas Counties page for Washington County lists all elected officials for the county, including the clerk, and links to each county department. It is a solid one-stop list when you are not sure which office to call.

Genealogy researchers often pull Washington County marriage records through FamilySearch, which indexes older Arkansas marriage books. The county archives site also carries ministers' credentials from 1845 to 1886, military pension records, and naturalization records going back to 1829. Those extra data sets can help fill gaps when a marriage license record alone is not enough.

Cities in Washington County

Several cities in Washington County share the same clerk for their marriage license. Fayetteville is the county seat and the home of the clerk's office. Springdale and Siloam Springs residents also apply here. Couples from any of these cities pick up the license at 280 North College Avenue and then hold the ceremony anywhere in Arkansas.

Nearby Counties

If the marriage license you need isn't on file in Washington County, try a clerk next door. A call to a neighbor county can save a trip, and the Washington County staff can point you to the right office.