Arkansas Marriage Records

With the creation of the Board of Health, now the Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas mandated the statewide centralized record-keeping of vital records, including marriage records, effective January 1, 1917. Before 1917, individual county clerks recorded marriages locally. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Arkansas has a marriage rate of 7.8 marriages per 1,000 people. Arkansas' marriage rate is over 20% higher than the national average of 6.2 marriages per 1,000 people.

Arkansas marriage records are official documents that prove the legal union between two people. Arkansas marriage records comprise two types of documents:

• Marriage License: A marriage license is a legal permit obtained by intending couples, permitting them to get married. It verifies the individual's eligibility to get married and includes information about the intending couple, including their names, addresses, birth dates, and the name they intend to use after the wedding. It also includes the issue and expiry date of the marriage license.
• Marriage Certificate: A marriage certificate issued after the wedding ceremony serves as legal proof that two people have been legally joined together in marriage. After the wedding ceremony, the officiant signs and returns the marriage license to the county clerk's office, which records and files the document. The clerk then issues the marriage certificate. which forms part of the couple's permanent records. Marriage certificates typically include the couple's information, parents' information, date and location of the wedding, and the officiant's information.

How To Look Up Marriage Records in Arkansas?

Marriage records are issued by the following agencies in Arkansas

• The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) Vital Records holds marriage certificates from January 1, 1917, to the present
• The county clerk's office issues and maintains records of marriage licenses filed within their respective jurisdictions.

You may order certified copies of marriage certificates by mail, in person, or online from the Arkansas Vital Records Office. Online requests for marriage certificates are through the Vital Records Online Service provided by the ADH.

Persons ordering certified marriage records by mail or in person may complete the Marriage Coupon Application form. You may also order certified marriage records by mail at your Local Health Unit. Submit the request to:

Access to marriage licenses is typically at the county clerk's office where the license was issued. Generally, most county clerks do not issue certified copies of marriage licenses but may permit the inspection and copying of marriage licenses after completing an application form. You may also look up certified copies of marriage certificates at the county clerk's office.

Generally, all requests for marriage records in Arkansas may contain the following:

• The couple's full names
• The exact date of marriage
• Vital Records Authorization form if not the registrant ordering the document
• A valid government-issued photo ID
• The fees

Are Marriage Records Public in Arkansas?

Arkansas marriage records are generally considered public records, but with restrictions. Under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, recent marriage records are restricted from the public for a predetermined number of years. During this period, only eligible persons, including the record holder, immediate family members, and legal representatives, may obtain certified copies of marriage records. After the period lapses, marriage records become publicly accessible to anyone upon request.

How Much Do Arkansas Marriage Records Cost?

A certified copy of a marriage certificate ordered at the Arkansas Vital Records Office or Local Health Unit costs $10, with additional copies also costing $10. In addition to the cost of a certified copy of the marriage certificate, there is a $1.85 transaction fee and a $5.00 processing fee if ordering the record online.

Mail requests for marriage certificates processed at the State Vital Records office are typically processed within 10-14 days from the date your request is received. There may be additional time due to shipping. Online requests are processed within 7-14 business days. Expedited processing for online requests can reduce the time frame to 2-5 business days.

There is no expedited processing for mail requests for marriage certificates in Arkansas. However, walk-in requests for marriage certificates at the Arkansas Vital Records Office or the Local Health Unit may be processed the same day, provided the requester arrives before 4:00 p.m.

Is It Possible to Make Your Marriage Records Confidential in Arkansas?

No. Arkansas does not offer confidential marriage licenses, which would make the marriage certificate confidential and restricted from everyone except the couple. Marriage records are classified as public records in Arkansas and are open to eligible persons for inspection and copying. Similarly, the state does not permit couples to seal their marriage records. Once a marriage record is filed with the county clerk's office, it is open to the public.

How Do I Verify the Authenticity of Arkansas Marriage Records?

Verifying the authenticity of your Arkansas marriage records is crucial for legal, administrative, and personal purposes. Generally, you may verify your marriage record for legal proceedings, such as inheritance claims or divorce cases, accessing government benefits, such as Social Security, tax filings, or insurance claims, name changes, visa applications, and confirming family histories.

In Arkansas, you can verify the authenticity of your marriage records at the State Office of Vital Records or at the county clerk's office where the marriage license was issued. Generally, authenticated marriage records include distinct features to ensure the document's validity. A legitimate marriage record will display a raised or embossed county seal, the county clerk's signature, a unique certificate number, and a filing date stamp. In addition, certified copies of marriage records are printed on security-enhanced paper to prevent forgery.

Can I Find Arkansas Marriage Records Online for Free?

While certified copies of Arkansas marriage records are typically obtained through government agencies, several non-governmental platforms provide free or low-cost access to historical and modern marriage records.

FamilySearch.org is a free genealogy platform that offers digitized and indexed Arkansas marriage records. The platform offers access to marriage licenses and certificates, with information on the couple's names, marriage dates, and officiant's information from 1821-1857. It also has a microfilm collection from 1933-1939 of digitized copies of Arkansas marriage licenses.

Ancestry.com, although the platform requires a subscription to access marriage records, provides free access to indexed Arkansas marriage records from 1984-2016. It also houses historical marriage records from the 1800s-1940s, which include church marriage registers and county-level certificates.

PublicRecords.us compiles public records from multiple government databases to provide you with a vast number of vital records, including Arkansas marriage records. You can typically access basic details of marriage records post-1917, such as name and dates, for free. While basic information is free, detailed access may require a very minimal fee.

What Is Required to Get an Arkansas Marriage License?

To legally marry in Arkansas, couples must follow specific state requirements and submit certain documents to obtain their marriage license.

• Both parties must be 18 years old to get married.
• Applicants aged 17 need parental consent and a court order to get married. Judicial approval is also required for anyone under 17 years old.
• Both parties must be present together at the county clerk's office.
• A valid government-issued photo ID for both parties.
• Present a divorce decree or death certificate if either party was previously married.
• Birth certificate and Social Security number.
• The marriage license fees.

Marriage license fees differ per county, but expect to pay up to $60. There is no waiting period for marriage licenses procured by applicants aged 18 or older. You may get married immediately after the county clerk issues the license. However, persons under 18 must wait 5 business days before proceeding with the wedding ceremony. All marriage licenses are valid for 60 days from the date of issue. After 60 days, unused licenses expire and must be reissued.

Can You Amend Marriage Records in Arkansas?

You may correct your marriage license or certificate if you notice an error in the document. Arkansas permits amendment for clerical errors and factual inaccuracies, including:

• Misspelled names, incorrect dates, or typos in the marriage location
• Errors in the officiant or witness information
• Parental information, such as correcting a parent's name after legal adoption, requires a court order
• Legal name changes after marriage -requires a court order

Amending the Arkansas Marriage License

You can correct any inaccuracies on your marriage license before the wedding by contacting the county clerk's office that issued the license. While the process differs per county, most counties require a sworn statement detailing the error and stating the correct information to amend the document. Some counties provide amendment application forms obtainable at the county clerk's office.

To submit the amendment request, include a copy of the original marriage license and documents supporting the correct information, such as a driver's license or passport. Most counties correct clerical errors on marriage licenses for free.

Amending the Arkansas Marriage Certificate

To amend your marriage certificate in Arkansas, obtain a marriage amendment form from your local health department or the State Vital Records Office. You will also provide a sworn statement signed by both spouses, detailing the error and the accurate information. You may include the original marriage certificate and supporting evidence for the correct information, such as a birth certificate or driver's license. If the amendment to marriage certificates involves major changes, such as changing legal names, it requires a court order.

You may submit the amendment application in person or by mail to your local health department or the State Vital Records Office. It costs $10 to amend your marriage certificate in Arkansas.