Arkansas Marriage License Requirements

If you're getting married in the state of Arkansas you must first apply for a wedding license at any in-state county clerk office. These offices, some of which are referred to as the "marriage license bureau," are usually located in the county probate court or circuit court. This document outlines the requirements you must adhere to in order to get a valid marriage license that can be used statewide. Let's begin…

Cost of Your License

How much does a marriage license cost?

The marriage license fee is roughly $58.00 dollars, although fees may vary from county to county. Accepted forms of payment are cash.

Residency Requirement

Are there any special residency conditions for in-state or out-of-state residents?

There are none. You do not have to be a previous or current resident of Arkansas to obtain a marriage license that will be valid statewide.

Waiting Period

After I submit my application how long do I have to wait before I receive my marriage license?

There is no waiting period. You will receive your marriage license immediately after you submit your application.

Is there a waiting period from the moment the license is given to me to the date I'm allowed to actually marry?

No, you can get married immediately after your marriage license is issued.

License Expiration

How long will my marriage license remain valid once it's been issued?

Your license will expire 60 days from the date it is issued. Once it expires, it can no longer be used to get married.

What happens if my marriage license expires before I get a chance to use it?

Unfortunately, you'll just have to get a brand new one as your expired one will no longer be recognized as valid by the state nor by the person who will be responsible for officiating your marriage.

Age Requirement

How old must I be to get married?

You must be at least 18 years of age or older to marry without parental consent. A birth certificate may be necessary to show proof of age.

What if one or both of us is younger than 18?

If either partner is under 18, one parent or legal guardian must be present. If a parent can not be present, due to death, separation, divorce or other circumstances, proper evidence must be presented for verification. You will need a certified copy of your birth certificate. Males under the age of 17 and females under the age of 16 can not marry without a court order.

Blood Test

Are blood tests and physical exams required?

No blood test or physical exam is required.

Divorced or Widowed Applicants

What if one or both partners have been divorced or have had a spouse die?

If you were previously married, the date of your divorce or the date of your spouse's death must be provided. Bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. If necessary, a copy of your divorce records or spouse's death certificate can be ordered from your local vital records office and mailed to you.

Marriage Name Change

How do I legally change my name before or after I get married?

When you are married, you will receive a marriage certificate, which is a piece of paper proving that you are legally married. This document will serve as evidence of your marriage, which you'll need to complete the process of notifying several government agencies about your name change, as well as any non-government institutions that you do business with (ie, banks, employers, credit cards, memberships, etc).

There is an online marriage name change kit that you can use and complete before or after your marriage takes place. It's applicable for Arkansas or any other state in the union. Completing all the necessary name change documentation prior to your wedding is recommended in order to expedite the name change process.

Proxy Marriage

What is a proxy marriage?

A proxy marriage, also known as a "proxy wedding," is when one or both partners to be married are unable to physically attend the ceremony. The missing person, or persons, will have someone "stand in" for them and serve as their "proxy."

Can I get married by proxy if I'm unable to to be present for the ceremony?

No, getting married by proxy is not allowed in Arkansas. There are actually only five states left that do allow marriage by proxy.

Common Law Marriage

What is a common law marriage?

The term "common law marriage" refers to an informal marriage, based upon cohabitation and a mutual understanding by both partners, rather than getting married through a civil or religious ceremony. The latter, more common approach, would require an actual Arkansas marriage license.

Is a common law marriage a legal option for me instead of undergoing a conventional marriage?

No, common-law marriages are not allowed in Arkansas. This is unsurprising as only one-fifth of the country currently recognizes common law marriage.

Cousin Marriage

Can I get married to my cousin?

No, cousin marriages are not allowed.

Same Sex Marriage

Are same sex marriages legal?

Yes, same-sex marriages are allowed and legally recognized in Arkansas.

Where to Go

Where do I physically need to go to get my marriage license?

Arkansas has 72 offices where a marriage license can be acquired. Simply choose a location below to visit. Phone numbers as well as map and accompanying driving direction links are provided for every address.

Arkansas County Clerks Office
P.O. Box 719
Stuttgart, AR 72160
870-673-7311
Ashley County Ashley County Clerk
Circuit Clerk Court House
Hamburg, AR 71646
870-853-2020
Baxter County Clerk
1 E 7th St
Mountain Home, AR 72653
870-425-3475
Benton County Circuit Clerk P.O. Box 699
Bentonville Square
Bentonville, AR 72712
501-271-1013
Boone County Circuit Clerk Boone County Courthouse
P.O. Box 957
Harrison, AR 72601
870-741-8428
Bradley County Clerk
100 E Cedar
Warren, AR 71671
870-226-3464
Calhoun County Clerk
Main St
So. Hampton, AR 71744
870-798-2517
Carroll County
210 W Church Ave
Berryville, AR 72616
870-423-2022
Chicot County Clerk
108 Main St
Lake Village, AR 71653
870-265-8000
Clark County Clerk
401 Clay St
Arkadelphia, AR 71923
870-246-4491
Clay County Circuit Clerk P. O. Box 29
Main St
Piggott, AR 72454
870-598-2813
Clay County Circuit Court
800 SW 2nd St
Corning, AR 72422
870-857-3480
Cleburne County Circuit Clerk
P.O. Box 543
Heber Springs, AR 72543
501-362-4620
Columbia County Circuit Clerk
P.O. Box 327
Magnolia, AR 71753
870-235-3774
Conway County Circuit Clerk
115 S Moose St
Morrilton, AR 72110
501-354-9621
Craighead East Craighead County Clerk
P.O. Box 537
Lake City, AR 72437
870-237-4342
Craighead West Craighead County
County Clerk P.O. Box 120
Jonesboro, AR 72401
870-933-4530
Crawford County Circuit & Chancery Clerk
Crawford County Court House
Van Buren, AR 72956
501-474-1312
Crittenden County
100 Court St
Marion, AR 72364
870-739-4434
Cross County Circuit Clerk
705 East Union, Room 9
Wynne, AR 72396
870-238-5735
Dallas County
206 W 3rd St
Fordyce, AR 71742
870-352-2307
Desha Circuit Clerk P.O. Box 309
Robert Moore Ave
Arkansas City, AR 71630
870-877-2323
Drew County
210 So. Main
Monticello, AR 71655
870-460-6250
Faulkner County Sharon Rimmer Circuit Clerk
801 Locust St Room 15
Conway, AR 72032
501-450-4910
Franklin County Courthouse Ozark District<BR>Circuit Clerk
211 West Commercial
Ozark, AR 72949
501-667-3607
Fulton County Clerk Main St
Court Square
Salem, AR 72576
870-895-3310
Garland County Circuit Chancery Clerk
501 Ouachita Ave, # 103
Hot Springs, AR 71901
501-622-3610
Grant County Clerk
101 W Center St, # 106
Sheridan, AR 72150
870-942-2631
Green County Circuit Clerk
P.O. Box 1028
Paragould, AR 72451
870-239-6311
Hempstead County 400 S Washington St
P.O. Box 1420
Hope, AR 71801
870-777-2241
Hot Spring Recorder Of Deeds
200 Locust St
Malvern, AR 72104
501-332-2291
Independence County Courthouse Circuit Clerk
192 E Main St
Batesville, AR 72501
870-793-8828
Izard County Clerk
Main St Courthouse
Melbourne, AR 72556
870-368-4316
Jackson County Circuit Clerk
208 Main St
Newport, AR 72112
870-523-7420
Jefferson County Circuit Clerk
100 W Barraque St
Pine Bluff, AR 71611
501-541-5322
Johnson County Clerk
215 W Main St
Clarksville, AR 72830
501-754-3967
Lafayette County Circuit Clerk<BR>Courthouse Square
P.O. Box 986
Lewisville, AR 71845
870-921-4633
Lawrence County Circuit Clerk
P.O. Box 581
Walnut Ridge, AR 72476
870-886-1111
Lee County Circuit Court
15 East Chestnut
Mariana, AR 72360
870-295-7715
Lincoln County Circuit Clerk
300 Drew St
Star City, AR 71667
870-628-5114
Logan County Circuit Clerk
P.O. Box 519
Paris, AR 72855
501-963-2618
Lonoke County Clerk N. Center St
P.O. Box 231
Lonoke, AR 72086
501-676-2368
Madison Circuit Clerk P.O. Box 416
Corner Of Courthouse & Main
Huntsville, AR 72740
501-738-2747
Marion County Clerk
P.O. Box 385
Yellville, AR 72687
870-449-6226
Miller County Circuit Clerk
412 Laurel St, #109
Texarkana, AR 75502
870-774-4501
Mississippi County Circuit Clerk<BR>Courthouse
2nd & Walnut
Blytheville, AR 72315
870-762-2411
Monroe County Circuit Court
123 Madison St
Clarendon, AR 72029
870-747-3632
Montgomery County Clerk P.O. Box 377
1 George St
Mount Ida, AR 71957
870-867-3521
Nevada Circuit Clerk P.O. Box 204
East 2nd South
Prescott, AR 71857
870-887-2710
Newton Circuit Clerk P.O. Box 14
Courthouse St
Jasper, AR 72641
870-446-5125
Ouachita County Clerk P. O. Box 667
145 Jefferson
Camden, AR 71701
870-837-2220
Perry County Clerk P.O. Box 358
Main St
Perryville, AR 72126
501-889-5126
Phillips County Circuit Clerk
620 Cherry St Ste. 206
Helena, AR 72342
870-338-5505
Poinsett County Clerk P.O. Box 46
401 Market St
Harrisburg, AR 72432
870-578-4410
Polk Clerk Of The Circuit Court
507 Church St
Mena, AR 71953
501-394-8123
Pope County Circuit Clerk
100 West Main St
Russellville, AR 72801
501-968-6064
Prairie County Clerk Prairie Ave
DeValls Bluff, AR 72041
870-998-2314
Pulaski Circuit Clerk Kark Building
201 West Third St
Little Rock, AR 72201
501-372-8433
Saline County Circuit Clerk Circuit Clerks Office
Saline County Court House
Benton, AR 72015
501-303-5630
Scott Circuit Clerk P.O. Box 464
210 S. Main St
Waldron, AR 72958
501-637-2642
Searcy County Clerk P.O. Box 935
Courthouse Square
Marshall, AR 72650
870-448-3807
Sebastian County Circuit Clerk<BR>Fort Smith District
P.O. Box 1179
Fort Smith, AR 72902
501-782-5065
Sebastian County Clerk Greenwood District
P.O. Box 310
Greenwood, AR 72936
501-996-4195
Sharp County Clerk
P.O. Box 307
Ash Flat, AR 72513
870-994-7361
St Francis County Clerk
P.O. Box 1775
Forrest City, AR 72335
870-261-1725
Stone County Clerk
P.O. Box 120
Mountain View, AR 72500
870-269-3271
Union County Clerk
101 N Washington Ave, # 102
El Dorado, AR 71730
870-864-1950
Van Buren County Clerk
Main & Griggs St
Clinton, AR 72031
501-745-4140
Washington County Clerk
280 N College Ave, # 300
Fayetteville, AR 72701
501-444-1711
White County Clerk White County Courthouse
301 W Arch Ave
Searcy, AR 72143
501-279-6203
Woodruff County Clerk
500 N 3rd
Augusta, AR 72006
870-347-2871
Yell County Clerk
101 Union St
Dardanelle, AR 72834
501-229-4404