Lee County Marriage Records Lookup

Lee County marriage records are filed at the County Clerk office in Dixon, Illinois. You can apply for a marriage license, look up an existing record, or order certified copies all at this office. Lee County has around 33,900 residents in the northern part of Illinois, with Dixon as the county seat. The Lee County Clerk stores all marriage records and handles license applications for every community in the county. If you need to find a marriage record or get a new license, the clerk's office in Dixon is where you go.

Lee County Clerk Office

The Lee County Clerk is where all marriage licenses and marriage records are handled. The office is at 112 E. 2nd St. in Dixon. Call (815) 288-3309 to find out about hours, current fees, or what to bring. Staff at this office process license applications, store completed records after ceremonies, and issue certified copies to anyone who requests them.

Both people who want to get married must visit the Lee County Clerk office together. Bring valid photo ID. A driver's license, state ID, or passport works fine. If either person was married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or a death certificate. The clerk needs proof that the prior marriage is over before they issue a new license in Lee County. Under 750 ILCS 5, both parties must be 18 or older. If one or both are 16 or 17, a parent has to come along and sign a consent form. No blood test is needed in Illinois.

The Lee County website has information on county departments and services.

The Illinois compiled statutes page on the state legislature site covers the legal rules that apply to Lee County marriage records and licenses.

Getting Lee County Marriage Record Copies

Certified copies of Lee County marriage records are available at the clerk's office. You can go in person or send a mail request. For walk-in service, bring a photo ID and tell the staff the names on the record and the date of the marriage. The first certified copy of a Lee County marriage record costs $15, and extra copies ordered at the same time cost less. The fee follows the rules in 410 ILCS 535.

For mail requests, send a letter to the Lee County Clerk at 112 E. 2nd St., Dixon, IL 61021. Include the full names of both parties, the marriage date, your return address, and a check or money order payable to the Lee County Clerk. Plan on a few weeks for processing. Marriage records in Lee County are public. Anyone can request a copy regardless of whether they are one of the parties on the record.

Lee County Marriage License Details

Illinois has a 24-hour waiting period for marriage licenses. After you apply at the Lee County Clerk office, you wait one day before picking up the license. The license is then good for 60 days. Your wedding must happen in Illinois within that time. If the license expires, you need to start over at the Lee County Clerk office with a new application and fee.

There is no residency requirement for a Lee County marriage license. You do not have to live in Lee County or even in Illinois to apply. After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the Lee County Clerk within 10 days. That is when the license becomes a permanent marriage record on file. From that point on, certified copies are available from the clerk's office in Dixon whenever you need them.

Here are the basic requirements at a glance for a Lee County marriage license:

• Both people appear together with valid photo ID
• Both must be at least 18, or 16-17 with parental consent
• Bring divorce decree if previously married
• Pay the license fee at the time of application
• Wait 24 hours before picking up the license

Genealogy and Lee County Marriage Records

Lee County has marriage records going back many years. These older files are open to the public for genealogy work. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, records more than 50 years old can be accessed by anyone for genealogical searches. You do not need to prove a family tie. Visit the Lee County Clerk or send a mail request with the names and approximate date.

The Illinois State Archives marriage database has a free online index that covers many counties. Some Lee County records may appear in the search results. The index gives basic data like names and dates. For a complete certified copy, contact the Lee County Clerk. You can also try the Illinois Department of Public Health, which keeps a statewide file of marriage records. IDPH is a good backup if the county office cannot find what you need or if you are not sure which county the marriage happened in.

Note: The state archives index is free to search, but you still need to order certified copies from the Lee County Clerk for legal use.

Illinois Marriage Law for Lee County

The two main state laws that cover marriage licenses and marriage records in Lee County are 750 ILCS 5 (the Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act) and 410 ILCS 535 (the Vital Records Act). The marriage act sets the age rules, the waiting period, and the 60-day validity window. The vital records act governs how the clerk stores marriage records and who can get copies. Both laws are available for free on the Illinois General Assembly website. They apply the same way in Lee County as in every other Illinois county.

Cities in Lee County

Lee County has several communities. Dixon is the county seat and the home of the clerk's office. All towns in the county use the Lee County Clerk for marriage licenses and marriage records. Whether you live in Dixon or another part of Lee County, you go to 112 E. 2nd St. in Dixon for all marriage record services.

Nearby Counties

These counties share borders with Lee County. If the marriage record you need was filed in a different county, contact that county's clerk office. Each Illinois county clerk keeps only the records for marriages that took place in their jurisdiction.