Clinton County Marriage Records

Clinton County marriage records are held at the County Clerk office in Carlyle, Illinois. You can apply for a marriage license, search for older marriage records, or order certified copies all at this one office. Clinton County sits in the southern part of central Illinois with about 37,000 residents. Carlyle and Breese are the main towns. Whether you need a new marriage license or a copy of an old marriage record for legal or personal reasons, the Clinton County Clerk office in Carlyle is your starting point.

Clinton County Clerk Office

The Clinton County Clerk is the official keeper of all marriage licenses and marriage records in the county. The office is at 850 Fairfax St. in Carlyle. You can reach them by phone at (618) 594-2464. The clerk takes walk-in applications for marriage licenses during regular business hours. Staff also handle requests for certified copies and can search older marriage records in the Clinton County files.

Both people must appear at the Clinton County Clerk office together to apply for a marriage license. Each one needs a valid photo ID, such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport. Under 750 ILCS 5, both parties have to be at least 18 years old. Minors who are 16 or 17 can apply in Clinton County with a parent or guardian present to give written consent. If either person was married before, bring your divorce decree or a death certificate showing the prior marriage ended. The clerk will check this before issuing a new license.

The Clinton County website has contact information and details about county departments.

You can find directions and office hours for the Clinton County Clerk on this site.

Copies of Clinton County Marriage Records

Certified copies of marriage records from Clinton County are available in person and by mail. Walk into the clerk's office in Carlyle with a photo ID and tell the staff the names on the record along with the marriage date. The first certified copy costs $15. Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time cost less per copy. The Illinois Vital Records Act under 410 ILCS 535 sets the fee structure that Clinton County follows.

For mail requests, write to the Clinton County Clerk at 850 Fairfax St., Carlyle, IL 62231. Include both names from the marriage, the date, and a check or money order payable to the Clinton County Clerk. Put your return address on the letter and allow a couple of weeks for processing. Marriage records in Clinton County are public documents, so anyone can request a copy. You do not have to be a party to the marriage.

A certified copy has the official county seal on it. This is the type you need for legal matters like name changes, court filings, or benefits applications. Plain copies without the seal are cheaper but may not be accepted for official purposes.

Note: Call (618) 594-2464 before mailing a request to verify the current fee.

How the Marriage License Works

After you apply for a marriage license at the Clinton County Clerk office, there is a mandatory 24-hour waiting period before you can pick it up. This is a state rule under 750 ILCS 5 that applies to all Illinois counties. Once you have the license, it is valid for 60 days. The wedding ceremony must happen in Illinois within that window. If the 60 days pass without a ceremony, the license expires and you must start over with a new application and fee in Clinton County.

The person who performs your ceremony signs the marriage license. Illinois law requires them to return the signed license to the Clinton County Clerk within 10 days of the wedding. Once the clerk files the completed license, it becomes an official marriage record in Clinton County. You can then request certified copies of your marriage record from the clerk's office. This process is the same for all types of ceremonies, whether civil, religious, or otherwise. There is no residency requirement, so out-of-county and out-of-state couples can apply for a Clinton County marriage license.

Clinton County Marriage Records for Family Research

Older marriage records in Clinton County are a valuable resource for genealogy. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, marriage records more than 50 years old are open to the public for genealogical purposes. Anyone can request copies of these older records without proving a family relationship. The Clinton County Clerk has files going back many years, so there is a good amount of material for family history work.

The Illinois State Archives maintains a free online marriage index that includes records from various counties across the state. Some Clinton County records may show up in this database. The index has basic details like names and dates. If you find a match, contact the Clinton County Clerk for a full certified copy. The Illinois Department of Public Health also keeps a statewide marriage file that can help when you are not sure which county the marriage took place in.

Cities in Clinton County

Clinton County has several communities, and the County Clerk in Carlyle serves all of them for marriage records and marriage licenses. Carlyle is the county seat. Breese is another well-known town in Clinton County. Centralia sits partly in Clinton County and partly in neighboring Marion County, so which clerk you deal with depends on your specific address. If you are on the Clinton County side, you go to the clerk at 850 Fairfax St. in Carlyle for your marriage license.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Clinton County. If the marriage happened in one of these neighboring counties, you will need to contact their clerk's office for records. Each Illinois county clerk keeps only the marriage records filed in their county.