Arlington Heights Marriage Records Search
Arlington Heights marriage records are filed and maintained by the Cook County Clerk. The village does not handle marriage licenses or vital records on its own. With about 76,000 residents, Arlington Heights is one of the bigger suburbs in the northwest part of Cook County. If you need a marriage license, want to search for a past marriage record, or need a certified copy of a marriage certificate from Arlington Heights, the Cook County Clerk's office is where you go. The suburban Cook County courthouse in Rolling Meadows is the closest branch for most Arlington Heights residents.
Arlington Heights Quick Facts
Marriage Licenses for Arlington Heights Residents
Arlington Heights residents get marriage licenses from the Cook County Clerk. The main office is at 118 N. Clark Street in downtown Chicago, but the suburban Cook County courthouse in Rolling Meadows at 2121 Euclid Avenue is much closer for most people in Arlington Heights. Both people must come in together. You each need a valid photo ID. The fee is $60 for a Cook County marriage license. Cash, checks, and cards are accepted at the main office. Payment options may differ at suburban branches, so call ahead.
Under 750 ILCS 5, there is a one-day waiting period after the license is issued. You cannot have the ceremony on the same day. The license is good for 60 days after it takes effect. It works anywhere in Illinois, not just in Arlington Heights or Cook County. There is no residency requirement either. You do not need to live in Arlington Heights or Cook County to get a license here.
The Cook County Clerk also lets you start your application online before visiting the office. This saves time at the counter. You still need to show up in person, but the online step cuts the wait for Arlington Heights couples who want to get in and out quickly.
You can see details on the village website at vah.com, which links to relevant county resources for Arlington Heights residents.
The village site covers local services and can direct you to the right Cook County office for marriage records in Arlington Heights.
| Office | Cook County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Main Office | 118 N. Clark Street, Room 120 Chicago, IL 60602 |
| Suburban Office | Rolling Meadows Courthouse 2121 Euclid Avenue, Rolling Meadows, IL |
| Phone | (312) 603-7790 |
| Website | cookcountyclerkil.gov |
Certified Copies of Arlington Heights Marriage Records
The Cook County Clerk issues certified copies of marriage records for marriages that took place in Cook County, including Arlington Heights. A certified copy carries the county seal. It is the type of document that courts, the Social Security office, passport agencies, and insurance companies accept as proof of marriage. Most Arlington Heights residents who need to show they are married will want a certified copy rather than a plain one.
Illinois law restricts who can get a certified copy. Under 410 ILCS 535, only certain people qualify. The couple named on the record can always get copies. So can their children, parents, grandparents, and legal representatives. Anyone else needs notarized consent from one of the parties named on the Arlington Heights marriage record. If you do not fit any of those categories, the Cook County Clerk will not release a certified copy to you.
- The couple named on the marriage record
- Children of either person
- Parents and grandparents
- Legal representatives with documentation
- Anyone with notarized consent from a named party
Plain copies without the county seal may be available for personal reference. They do not carry legal weight, so they will not work for name changes or government applications. If you are not sure which type you need for your Arlington Heights marriage record, the Cook County Clerk's staff can help you figure it out.
What to Bring for an Arlington Heights Marriage License
When you go to the Cook County Clerk's office for a marriage license, there are a few things you need to have with you. Both people must come in at the same time. Each person needs a valid government-issued photo ID that shows their date of birth. A driver's license, state ID card, or passport all work. You do not need to bring witnesses. You do not need a blood test. Illinois dropped the blood test rule years ago.
If either person was married before, you must tell the clerk when and where that marriage ended. This is a state requirement that applies to all Arlington Heights residents and everyone else in Illinois. Anyone divorced in the past six months must bring a certified copy of the divorce decree. The clerk will not issue a new marriage license until they see proof that the old marriage is done. Bring the decree with you to avoid an extra trip back to the office. If you were widowed, bring a death certificate for your former spouse.
The $60 fee is due when you apply. After you pay and sign the forms, the clerk issues the license. Then the one-day waiting period starts. You can have your ceremony any time after that, as long as the license has not expired. It is good for 60 days. The officiant who performs the ceremony must sign the license and return it to the Cook County Clerk within 10 days. Once it is filed, it becomes a permanent marriage record for Arlington Heights on file with Cook County.
Arlington Heights Village Clerk
The Arlington Heights Village Clerk at 33 S. Arlington Heights Road handles village government business. This includes things like meeting minutes, local ordinances, and village records. Marriage licenses and marriage records are not something the village clerk deals with. That is a county function in Illinois. All marriage record requests for Arlington Heights go to the Cook County Clerk.
If you call the village clerk at (847) 368-5000, they can direct you to the right place for marriage records. The village website at vah.com also has general information about village services. But for marriage licenses, certified copies, or searching for old marriage records in Arlington Heights, contact the Cook County Clerk at (312) 603-7790.
Arlington Heights Marriage Records for Genealogy
Arlington Heights was incorporated in 1887, so Cook County has marriage records from the area going back well over a century. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, marriage records on file for more than 50 years may be available for genealogy. These copies are marked for genealogical use and are not certified. The Cook County Clerk has an online search tool for older records that can help you look up Arlington Heights marriages from decades past.
The Illinois State Archives marriage database is another free resource. It covers the years 1763 to 1900 and includes Cook County records. If you find a match for an Arlington Heights ancestor, you can request the original record from the clerk's office. The state also has a Death Index for records before 1916 and from 1916 to 1950. Combining marriage and death records can help fill in gaps when building a family tree tied to Arlington Heights.
Note: Genealogy copies of Arlington Heights marriage records cannot be used for legal purposes like name changes or passport applications.
State Marriage Verification
The Illinois Department of Public Health offers a verification service for marriages that took place anywhere in the state, including Arlington Heights. This is not a copy of the marriage record. It is a letter that confirms basic details: the names of the couple, their dates of birth, the date of the marriage, and the county where it happened. The IDPH keeps these verification records from 1962 to the present.
The fee is $5 per search. You mail a completed form and a copy of your photo ID to the IDPH Division of Vital Records in Springfield. Processing takes about 12 weeks. For most Arlington Heights residents who need a marriage record for legal use, going straight to the Cook County Clerk is the faster choice. The state verification is more suited for situations where you just need to confirm that a marriage took place and do not need the full document.
Cook County Marriage Records
Arlington Heights is in Cook County, and all marriage filings go through the Cook County Clerk. The county handles licenses, certified copies, and genealogy requests for Arlington Heights and more than 130 other municipalities. For the full list of Cook County branch offices, fee details, and additional resources, visit the Cook County marriage records page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Arlington Heights. Each page covers local details on where to get marriage licenses and records in that area.