Marion County Marriage Records Search

Marion County marriage records are managed by the County Clerk office in Salem, Illinois. If you want to search for a marriage record, apply for a new license, or order a certified copy, the clerk's office is where you go. Marion County has roughly 37,000 people, with Salem and Centralia as the main towns. The Marion County Clerk maintains all marriage license files and can pull records for you going back many years. Both current and older marriage records are on file at this single location.

Marion County Clerk Office

The Marion County Clerk handles all marriage-related services in the county. The office is at 101 E. Main St. in Salem. You can call (618) 548-3856 to ask about fees, hours, or what documents to bring. Staff at this office take marriage license applications, store completed marriage records after ceremonies, and issue certified copies to people who need them.

When you visit the Marion County Clerk for a marriage license, both people must be there at the same time. Each person needs a valid photo ID that shows their full name and date of birth. A driver's license, state ID, or passport works. If either person was married before, bring proof that the prior marriage ended. The clerk in Marion County will need to see a divorce decree or death certificate before issuing a new license. Under 750 ILCS 5, both parties must be at least 18, or 16 to 17 with written consent from a parent. No blood test is needed, and there is no residency requirement to get a marriage license in Marion County.

Visit the Marion County government website for more information about county offices and services.

The county website shows you how to contact the clerk and other Marion County departments.

Getting Marion County Marriage Record Copies

You can order certified copies of Marion County marriage records in person or by mail. If you go in person, visit the clerk's office in Salem. Bring a photo ID and tell the staff the full names on the record and the approximate date of the marriage. The first certified copy is $15, and extra copies at the same time cost less. The fees are set under 410 ILCS 535, the Illinois Vital Records Act, which applies to all counties in the state.

For mail orders, send a letter to the Marion County Clerk at 101 E. Main St., Salem, IL 62881. Include the names of both parties, the marriage date, your return address, and a check or money order for the fee payable to the Marion County Clerk. Give it a couple weeks for processing and delivery. Anyone can request a copy of a Marion County marriage record. You do not need to be named on the record.

Marriage License Details for Marion County

Illinois has a 24-hour waiting period for marriage licenses. After you apply at the Marion County Clerk office, you cannot pick up the license until the next day. Once issued, the license stays valid for 60 days. If you do not use it in that time, it expires and you need to apply again. The ceremony must happen in Illinois while the license is good.

After the wedding, the person who performs the ceremony signs the license. They must return the signed license to the Marion County Clerk within 10 days. The clerk then files it as a permanent marriage record. This process is the same whether you have a civil ceremony, a religious one, or something else entirely. All completed licenses become marriage records on file at the Marion County Clerk office in Salem. If the officiant fails to return the license on time, contact the clerk about how to fix the situation.

Note: There is no residency rule, so couples from outside Marion County or out of state can apply for a marriage license here.

Genealogy and Marion County Marriage Records

Marion County has marriage records stretching back many decades. These older files are useful for genealogy research. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, any marriage record that is more than 50 years old can be accessed by anyone for genealogical purposes. You do not have to prove a family connection. Just visit the Marion County Clerk office or send a mail request with the names and approximate date.

The Illinois State Archives marriage database is also worth checking. This free online index covers many counties, and some Marion County marriage records may appear in the search results. It lists basic info like names and dates. For a full certified copy, you still need to go through the Marion County Clerk.

The Illinois Department of Public Health keeps a statewide marriage record index too. If you cannot pin down whether a marriage happened in Marion County or a neighboring county, IDPH can help narrow it down. They charge a fee and processing takes several weeks, but it is a solid fallback when you hit a dead end at the local level.

Cities in Marion County

Marion County has a handful of towns, and all of them use the Marion County Clerk for marriage records and licenses. Salem is the county seat and where the clerk's office sits. Centralia is partly in Marion County and partly in Clinton County, so which clerk you use depends on your address. If you live on the Marion County side of Centralia, you apply for your marriage license in Salem.

Nearby Counties

These counties share borders with Marion County. If you are looking for a marriage record and the marriage did not take place in Marion County, try the clerk's office in one of these neighboring counties instead.