Springfield Marriage Records
Springfield marriage records are managed by the Sangamon County Clerk at the county building in downtown Springfield. As the state capital and county seat, Springfield has the Sangamon County offices right in the city. Marriage licenses in Illinois are issued at the county level, so Springfield residents go to the Sangamon County Clerk for new licenses and copies of existing marriage records. The county clerk processes nearly 1,000 marriage licenses each year for couples across Sangamon County, with most of that volume coming from Springfield residents.
Springfield Quick Facts
Springfield Marriage License Office
The Sangamon County Clerk issues marriage licenses at 200 S. Ninth Street, Room 101, in Springfield. The fee is $75. Both parties must appear in person with valid photo IDs to pick up the license. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. You can apply and pay for the license online ahead of time through the Sangamon County Clerk website, which saves time at the counter. But you still have to show up in person to pick it up with your IDs.
Under 750 ILCS 5, there is a 24-hour waiting period after the license is issued. You cannot marry on the same day you get it. The license stays valid for 60 days after it takes effect, and it can only be used for a ceremony held in Sangamon County. If either person was married before, bring proof that the prior marriage ended. A certified divorce decree or a death certificate is what the clerk needs to see.
| Office | Sangamon County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 S. Ninth Street, Room 101 Springfield, IL 62701 |
| Phone | (217) 753-6700 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| VitalRecords@co.sangamon.il.us |
The office accepts several forms of ID: valid driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military ID. People who are not U.S. citizens must bring a valid passport. Both parties need to be at least 18. Minors aged 16 or 17 need parental consent and a court order.
Springfield City Clerk and Marriage Records
A common point of confusion in Springfield is the difference between the city clerk and the county clerk. The Springfield City Clerk at 300 S. 7th Street, Room 106, handles some vital records, but not marriage records. The city clerk maintains birth and death records from 1985 to the present for Springfield. Marriage records are not part of what the city clerk does. For any marriage license or marriage certificate request, you must go to the Sangamon County Clerk instead.
You can reach the Springfield City Clerk at (217) 789-2217 or by fax at 217-789-2144. Their email is city.clerk@springfield.il.us. If you call about marriage records, they will direct you to the county clerk. It is a simple mix-up that happens a lot, since both offices are in downtown Springfield and deal with records. Just keep in mind: city clerk for births and deaths, county clerk for marriages.
Springfield Marriage Records Online
The Springfield City Clerk website provides information about city services and the vital records they maintain, though marriage records are not among them.
For actual marriage license applications and records, Sangamon County's online system is the tool to use. The county lets you start the marriage license application online and pay the $75 fee before you visit the Springfield office. This is one of the more convenient county systems in Illinois for handling marriage records.
Courthouse Weddings in Springfield
Sangamon County offers courthouse wedding ceremonies in Springfield. A judge performs the ceremony in Room 404 of the county courthouse. The fee is $10, paid to the Circuit Clerk in Room 405. You need to schedule an appointment by calling (217) 535-3186. Ceremonies are available Monday through Friday during regular business hours. You must already have your marriage license from the Sangamon County Clerk before you can book a ceremony.
After the ceremony, the judge files the signed marriage certificate with the Sangamon County Clerk within 10 days, as required by 410 ILCS 535. Once that is on file, you can request certified copies. Many Springfield couples choose the courthouse route because it is quick, affordable, and close to the clerk office where they got the license. The 24-hour waiting period still applies, so plan to get the license one day and come back for the ceremony the next.
Note: Call (217) 535-3186 at least a few days ahead to schedule a Springfield courthouse ceremony.
Springfield Marriage License Trends
Sangamon County tracks the number of marriage licenses it issues each year. The numbers give a picture of marriage activity in the Springfield area. In 2024, the county issued 968 marriage licenses. That was up from 953 in 2023. In 2022, the count was 1,012 licenses. The slight dip in 2023 followed by a partial rebound in 2024 mirrors trends seen in other mid-size Illinois counties.
Most of these licenses go to Springfield residents. As the largest city in Sangamon County by a wide margin, Springfield accounts for the bulk of the county's marriage filings. The remaining licenses go to couples in smaller communities like Chatham, Rochester, and Sherman. All of them use the same county clerk office in Springfield.
How to Find Springfield Marriage Records
The Sangamon County Clerk keeps records of all marriages filed in the county. To request a copy of a Springfield marriage record, contact the office at (217) 753-6700 or email VitalRecords@co.sangamon.il.us. You can also visit in person. Bring the names of both spouses and the approximate date of the marriage to speed up the search. Certified copies are available for a fee.
Under 410 ILCS 535, certified copies are restricted to the couple in the record, their children, direct family, legal agents, or someone with written notarized consent. If you do not fit one of those groups, you can get a non-certified verification from the Illinois Department of Public Health for $5. IDPH verifies marriages from 1962 to the present. Send a completed form, a copy of your ID, and a check to IDPH at 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702. Since IDPH is based in Springfield, it might seem like you could walk in, but the service is handled by mail and takes about 12 weeks to process.
The Illinois State Archives, also in Springfield, holds a statewide marriage index covering 1763 to 1900. You can search it free online at ilsos.gov. For genealogy work on early Sangamon County families, this is a valuable tool. The archives building is at the Capitol Complex in Springfield, so local researchers can visit in person for records that are not in the online index.
Illinois Marriage Law in Springfield
The rules for marriage in Springfield come from the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, 750 ILCS 5. Section 207 sets the 24-hour wait and the 60-day validity window. Section 209 lists who can perform a ceremony: judges, retired judges, and ordained or licensed clergy. The officiant must return the signed certificate to the county clerk within 10 days of the wedding.
The Vital Records Act, 410 ILCS 535, controls access to marriage records in Springfield. Marriage records are not considered public records under this law. They are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. Only authorized individuals can get certified copies. For older records, 410 ILCS 535/25 allows access for genealogy if the record has been on file for 50 or more years. Springfield is home to both the state archives and IDPH, which means the two main state-level sources for marriage record information are based right in the city.
Nearby Cities
Springfield is the largest city in central Illinois. Several other mid-size cities sit within a couple hours' drive, each with their own county clerk for marriage records. Champaign is about 85 miles east in Champaign County. Decatur is roughly 40 miles east in Macon County. Bloomington is about 65 miles northeast in McLean County. Each city has its own county clerk who handles marriage licenses for that area.
- Champaign (Champaign County)
- Decatur (Macon County)
- Bloomington (McLean County)
If you plan to marry outside Sangamon County, remember that your Springfield-issued license will not work. You need to get the license from the county where the ceremony will take place. A Sangamon County license is valid only in Sangamon County.
Sangamon County Marriage Records
Springfield is the county seat of Sangamon County, and the county clerk office in downtown Springfield is where all marriage records are kept. Sangamon County has about 195,000 residents. For the full breakdown of county-level marriage license requirements, fees, acceptable IDs, and how to get copies of records, visit the county page.