Find Marriage Records in Randolph County

Randolph County marriage records are held by the County Clerk at the courthouse in Chester, the county seat in southwestern Illinois. The clerk issues all marriage licenses and files completed certificates once the ceremony takes place. Randolph County has a population of about 30,058 and covers a stretch of land along the Mississippi River between St. Clair County to the north and Jackson County to the south. If you need a new license or a copy of an existing marriage record, the Randolph County Clerk office in Chester handles both.

Randolph County Clerk Office

The Randolph County Clerk is the only office in the county that issues marriage licenses. The office is at 1 Taylor St. in Chester. Staff process license applications, record completed marriages, and handle copy requests. When the officiant signs the license after a wedding and returns it, the clerk files it as the official Randolph County marriage record.

Both people who want to marry must go to the clerk office together. Each person needs a valid photo ID showing their date of birth. A driver's license, state ID card, or passport works. If someone was married before, bring proof the prior marriage ended. That means a certified copy of a divorce decree or a death certificate. Under 750 ILCS 5, both applicants must be at least 18 to apply on their own. Those aged 16 or 17 need a parent present to give written consent at the Randolph County office.

You do not need to live in Randolph County or Illinois. Anyone can apply here.

Marriage License Process in Randolph County

The steps to get a marriage license in Randolph County follow Illinois state law. Both people show up at the clerk's office. You fill out the application and pay the fee. The clerk hands you the license that day, but you cannot use it right away.

Illinois has a 24-hour waiting period. No wedding can happen on the same day the Randolph County clerk issues the license. After 24 hours pass, the license becomes active and stays good for 60 days. If the couple does not get married within that window, the license expires. You would have to come back to the Randolph County Clerk office and file a new application with a new fee. The license is only valid in Randolph County. A ceremony held outside county lines would not count under that license.

After the wedding, the officiant fills out the license and sends it back to the clerk. That signed document becomes the permanent marriage record for the county. No blood test is needed. Illinois dropped that rule a long time ago.

Copies of Randolph County Marriage Records

The Randolph County Clerk can provide copies of marriage records on file at the office in Chester. Certified copies have the county seal and are accepted for legal purposes. You might need a certified copy for a name change, immigration paperwork, or insurance claims. Non-certified copies are fine for personal reference but most agencies will not accept them.

Under 410 ILCS 535, the Vital Records Act controls who can get certified copies. Not just anyone can request one. The people named on the certificate, their parents, children, legal agents, or someone with notarized written consent from either party can get a certified copy. Randolph County follows these state rules. When you visit the office, bring a current photo ID. For mail requests, send a copy of your ID, a written request with the names and approximate date of the marriage, a check or money order made out to the Randolph County Clerk, and a self-addressed envelope.

The IDPH page below gives an overview of how Illinois handles marriage records at the state level. Randolph County follows these same guidelines for access and copies.

This page shows the state verification process and rules that also apply to Randolph County marriage records.

Call (618) 826-5000 before you visit or mail a request. Staff can tell you the current fee for copies and let you know what they need to process your order.

Historical Randolph County Marriage Records

Randolph County is one of the oldest counties in Illinois. It was organized in 1795, long before Illinois became a state. Marriage records from those early years are rare but some do exist. The county seat moved to Chester in the 1840s, and the clerk has maintained records at the courthouse since then.

The Illinois State Archives runs a free online Statewide Marriage Index covering 1763 to 1900. Randolph County records are part of this database. You can search by name and see the marriage date and county. If you find a match, you can request a copy from the Randolph County Clerk or the Illinois Regional Archives Depository system. The IRAD branch at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale serves the southern part of the state, including Randolph County. They hold historical county records that may no longer be at the courthouse.

Under 410 ILCS 535/25, marriage records on file for 50 years or more can be released for genealogical purposes. These copies are marked "For Genealogical Purposes Only" and typically cost less than certified copies. Contact the Randolph County Clerk in Chester to ask about their genealogical copy policy and fees for older records.

State Marriage Verification for Randolph County

The Illinois Department of Public Health can verify facts about a Randolph County marriage from 1962 to the present. A verification confirms names, dates of birth, the date of the event, and the city or county where it happened. The cost is $5 per search. IDPH does not give out certified copies. Only the Randolph County Clerk can do that.

To get a verification, fill out the application and mail it to IDPH at 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Include a copy of your photo ID and a check for $5 payable to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Processing takes about 12 weeks. You can also call IDPH at (217) 782-6554 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays if you have questions about a Randolph County marriage verification.

Randolph County Marriage License Rules

All marriage licenses in Randolph County follow rules set by state law. Here is what you need to know before you go to the clerk office:

• Both people must be at least 18, or 16-17 with a parent present to consent
• Both must go to the clerk office in Chester together
• Bring a valid photo ID with your date of birth
• No residency rule for Randolph County or Illinois
• Proof the prior marriage ended, if applicable
• 24-hour wait after the license is issued

The Randolph County license is valid for 60 days after the wait period ends. The ceremony must take place within the county. If the 60 days pass with no wedding, it expires. A recently divorced applicant should bring a certified copy of the divorce decree, especially if the divorce was finalized in the past six months. The Illinois compiled statutes lay out all the requirements that apply to Randolph County and every other county in the state.

Randolph County Vital Records

The Randolph County Clerk office handles more than just marriage records. Birth records and death records for the county are also on file at the same office in Chester. If you need other vital records along with marriage documents, you can handle everything in one visit or one mailed request.

For people who are not sure which county a marriage took place in, the state IDPH office can help. Their central index covers Illinois marriages from 1962 forward. Once you confirm it was Randolph County, you go to the clerk in Chester for the official copy. City offices like those in Chester, Sparta, Red Bud, or Steeleville do not handle marriage records. Everything goes through the county level in Illinois.

Cities in Randolph County

Randolph County includes Chester, Sparta, Red Bud, Steeleville, and several smaller towns. None of these communities issue marriage licenses on their own. All marriage records for Randolph County go through the County Clerk in Chester. Whether you live in Sparta, Red Bud, or anywhere else in the county, you apply at the same Randolph County Clerk office on Taylor Street.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Randolph County. Make sure you apply at the right clerk's office for the county where you plan to hold the ceremony. A Randolph County marriage license is only valid within Randolph County.