Sangamon County Marriage Records

Sangamon County marriage records are managed by the County Clerk office in Springfield, the state capital of Illinois. The clerk handles marriage license applications, keeps records of all marriages performed in the county, and issues certified copies. With close to 195,000 residents, Sangamon County is one of the more active counties in central Illinois for marriage filings. In 2024 alone, the office issued 968 marriage licenses. You can apply for a license online, schedule a courthouse wedding, and order certified copies of marriage records all through the same office in Springfield.

Sangamon County Marriage Records Office

The Sangamon County Clerk is the official source for all marriage records in the county. The office is in Room 101 at 200 S. Ninth Street in Springfield. You can call (217) 753-6700 for general questions or send a fax to (217) 535-3233. For vital records requests, email VitalRecords@co.sangamon.il.us. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

The Sangamon County Clerk website lists all the services the office provides. Marriage licenses, birth certificates, death records, and other vital records are all handled here. The staff can help you figure out what you need and walk you through the steps. Sangamon County has a steady volume of marriage license applications each year. The office processed 968 in 2024, 953 in 2023, and 1,012 in 2022. These numbers show that the demand for marriage records stays consistent from year to year in Sangamon County.

Applying for a Sangamon County Marriage License

Sangamon County lets you apply for a marriage license online and pay the fee before you visit the office. This speeds up the process. The fee is $75. Both people must appear at the clerk's office in Springfield with valid photo IDs. A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID all work. Non-citizens must bring a valid passport. Under 750 ILCS 5, both parties must be at least 18 years old, or 16 to 17 with parental consent.

The Sangamon County marriage license application page has the online form and explains every step of the process.

The page walks you through the online application and tells you what IDs to bring to the Springfield office.

There is a 24-hour waiting period after you apply. You cannot have the ceremony on the same day you get the license. The Sangamon County marriage license stays valid for 60 days. The ceremony must take place within Sangamon County for the license to be good. After the wedding, the officiant signs the license and files it with the clerk's office. Once filed, it becomes an official marriage record in Sangamon County.

Note: If you were divorced within the last six months, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree to the Sangamon County Clerk office.

Sangamon County Vital Records

The vital records division of the Sangamon County Clerk handles marriage certificates along with birth and death records. You can request a certified copy of a marriage record in person, by mail, or by fax. The Illinois Vital Records Act under 410 ILCS 535 sets the rules for how these records are stored and who can get copies. In Sangamon County, marriage records are public. Anyone can request a copy by providing the names of the parties and the date of the marriage.

Visit the Sangamon County vital records page for full details on how to request copies and what forms to use.

This page covers all vital record types the Sangamon County Clerk provides, including marriage records and the fees for each.

For mail requests, send a letter to the clerk at 200 S. Ninth Street, Room 101, Springfield, IL 62701. Include the full names of both people, the date of the marriage, and a check or money order for the fee. Allow time for processing and return mail. Fax requests go to (217) 535-3233. In-person requests at the Springfield office are usually the fastest way to get Sangamon County marriage records.

Sangamon County Marriage Ceremonies

Sangamon County offers courthouse wedding ceremonies at the county building in Springfield. These are done by appointment only. Call (217) 535-3186 to schedule a time. The ceremony takes place in Room 404. There is a $10 fee for the courthouse ceremony, which you pay to the Circuit Clerk in Room 405. This fee is separate from the $75 marriage license fee.

Courthouse weddings in Sangamon County are a simple option for couples who want a quick, legal ceremony without the cost and planning of a larger event. The ceremony is brief. You can bring a few guests if you like, but space in Room 404 is limited. After the ceremony, the signed license goes to the clerk's office and becomes part of the official Sangamon County marriage records. Most couples who choose this route have their marriage record on file within a few days of the ceremony.

Sangamon County Marriage License ID Rules

When you go to the Sangamon County Clerk to get a marriage license, you need to bring the right kind of ID. Both people must have a valid photo ID that shows their date of birth. The office accepts several forms of identification.

The following IDs are accepted at the Sangamon County Clerk office for marriage license applications:

• Driver's license
• State-issued ID card
• Valid passport (required for non-citizens)
• Military ID

If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must bring a valid passport to the Sangamon County Clerk office. A foreign driver's license or national ID card will not work on its own. The clerk staff will verify your IDs at the time of your visit. If your documents do not meet the requirements, you will need to come back with the right ones. It is worth double-checking that your IDs are valid and not expired before you make the trip to Springfield for your Sangamon County marriage license.

Sangamon County Marriage License Statistics

Sangamon County tracks the number of marriage licenses issued each year. The numbers give a picture of how active the county is when it comes to marriages. In 2024, the Sangamon County Clerk issued 968 marriage licenses. The year before that, in 2023, the total was 953. In 2022, the office processed 1,012 licenses. These figures show that Sangamon County sees roughly 950 to 1,000 new marriage records added to its files every year.

Each one of those licenses becomes a marriage record once the ceremony takes place and the signed form comes back to the clerk. Over time, these records build up into a large collection. Sangamon County marriage records go back many decades, and the oldest ones are useful for genealogy work. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, records that are more than 50 years old are open for public genealogical searches. Anyone can request copies of these older Sangamon County marriage records without having to show a family tie to the people named on them.

What Sangamon County Marriage Records Contain

A Sangamon County marriage record has the key facts about a marriage. It shows the legal names of both parties, dates of birth, home addresses, and the date the license was issued. The record also includes the date and place of the ceremony and the name of the person who performed it. If either party was married before, the record may note prior marriages.

People use Sangamon County marriage records for a range of purposes. Name changes are one of the most common reasons to get a certified copy. Banks, the Social Security Administration, and the Secretary of State all ask for a certified marriage record when you want to update your name. Insurance claims, immigration applications, and estate matters also call for proof of marriage from time to time. A certified copy from the Sangamon County Clerk has the county seal and serves as legal proof that the marriage took place.

Cities in Sangamon County

Sangamon County includes Springfield, the state capital, along with several smaller communities. All marriage licenses in the county are issued by the Sangamon County Clerk in Springfield. Chatham and Rochester are also in Sangamon County. No matter which part of the county you live in, the clerk's office at 200 S. Ninth Street handles all marriage record needs.

Other communities in Sangamon County include Chatham and Rochester. All marriage records for these areas are kept at the Sangamon County Clerk office in Springfield.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Sangamon County. A marriage license from Sangamon County is only valid for ceremonies that take place within the county. If you live near the border, check your location before you apply.