Tazewell County Marriage Records

Tazewell County marriage records are filed and stored at the County Clerk's office on Court Street in Pekin. With a population of about 130,290, Tazewell County sits in central Illinois just south of Peoria and covers communities like Pekin, Morton, and Washington. The clerk handles marriage license applications, keeps the official files, and issues certified copies of marriage records. Whether you need a new license or a copy of an older record, the Tazewell County Clerk is the primary source for all marriage-related documents in this part of the state.

Tazewell County Clerk Marriage Services

The Tazewell County Clerk issues marriage licenses and maintains all marriage records for the county. Both people who want to get married must visit the clerk's office in Pekin at the same time. You each need a valid photo ID that shows your date of birth. A driver's license, state ID card, or passport all work fine. The clerk collects the fee, has you fill out the application, and issues the license once everything checks out. The process usually takes about 30 minutes if you have your documents ready.

Under 750 ILCS 5, Illinois requires a one-day wait after the license is issued. That means you cannot hold the ceremony the same day you get the license from the Tazewell County Clerk. After the waiting period, the license is valid for 60 days. If it expires unused, you start over. The officiant who performs the ceremony fills out the license and sends it back to the Tazewell County Clerk within 10 days. At that point it becomes an official marriage record on file.

You must be at least 18 to get a marriage license in Tazewell County without parental consent. Applicants aged 16 or 17 need written consent and a court order.

How to Get Tazewell County Marriage Records

The fastest way to get a Tazewell County marriage record is to go to the clerk's office in Pekin. Bring your ID and tell the staff the names and approximate date of the marriage you are looking for. The clerk searches by name and date. If they find a match, you pay the copy fee and get your document. A certified copy has the official Tazewell County seal on it. That is the type you need for legal matters like name changes, court proceedings, or government applications.

The 410 ILCS 535 sets out who can get certified copies of marriage records in Illinois. The couple on the record, their children, direct family, and legal representatives all qualify. Anyone else needs notarized consent from one of the parties. Tazewell County follows these rules. For a plain copy that is not certified, the rules are a bit looser, but you should call the Tazewell County Clerk at (309) 477-2268 to ask about the process and current fees before making the trip.

You can also get a marriage verification from the state. The IDPH marriage records page explains how to request a $5 verification that confirms a marriage took place in Tazewell County or any other Illinois county.

The IDPH verification covers marriages from 1962 to the present and takes about 12 weeks to process by mail.

Tazewell County Marriage License Process

Getting a marriage license in Tazewell County is a straightforward process, but you need to follow the steps in order. First, both parties go to the clerk's office in Pekin together. You cannot apply alone or by mail. Each person provides a valid photo ID. The clerk takes down basic details from each of you: full name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number. If either person was married before, the clerk will want to know when that marriage ended. If the divorce was within the last six months, bring the certified divorce decree along with you.

After you pay the license fee, the Tazewell County Clerk issues the license. The one-day waiting period starts at that point. You can pick up the license the next day, or in some cases the clerk may hand it to you with a note about when it takes effect. The license is valid for 60 days from the day after it is issued. That gives you roughly two months to hold the ceremony. The person who performs the ceremony must be legally authorized under Illinois law. After the ceremony, they complete and sign the license, then return it to the Tazewell County Clerk to be filed as a permanent marriage record.

Note: A Tazewell County marriage license is only valid within Tazewell County lines.

Tazewell County Marriage Records for Genealogy

Tazewell County has marriage records going back many decades. For family history research, these records can fill in gaps and confirm connections between generations. Under 410 ILCS 535/25, marriage records that are at least 50 years old may be available for genealogical purposes. Copies from this category are stamped "For Genealogical Purposes Only" and are not certified. The Tazewell County Clerk can tell you what old records they have and what the fee is.

The Illinois State Archives also holds a free marriage index that covers Tazewell County records from the 1800s. You can search the State Archives marriage database online for names, dates, and county citations. If you find a Tazewell County entry, the index gives you the volume and page number so you can request the full record from the clerk's office in Pekin. This tool has over one million marriages from across Illinois and is one of the best free resources for tracing family lines through Tazewell County and the surrounding area.

Details in Tazewell County Marriage Records

A Tazewell County marriage record shows the facts of the marriage as they were reported at the time of the license application and the ceremony. The record lists both parties' full legal names, dates of birth, home addresses, and the date of the marriage. It also names the person who performed the ceremony and where it took place. Some records note whether either party was previously married.

People request Tazewell County marriage records for a wide range of reasons. Legal name changes after marriage are the most common. You may also need a certified copy of a Tazewell County marriage record for an insurance claim, a benefits application, a property transfer, or immigration paperwork. Courts and government agencies across Illinois accept certified copies from the Tazewell County Clerk. If you just need the record for personal reference or genealogy, a plain uncertified copy from Tazewell County may be enough and might cost less.

Illinois State Resources for Tazewell County

The IDPH verification service is a useful backup if you cannot get to the Tazewell County Clerk's office in person. You mail in a completed application form, a copy of your ID, and a $5 check to the IDPH Division of Vital Records in Springfield. The verification confirms that a marriage took place and lists the names, dates of birth, date of the event, and the county. It is not a certified copy of the marriage record itself. Processing takes about 12 weeks from when IDPH gets your paperwork.

The Illinois Secretary of State's office can provide an apostille for marriage records that need to be used outside the country. This is a separate step after you get a certified copy from the Tazewell County Clerk. Call 800-252-8980 for details on the apostille process.

Communities in Tazewell County

Tazewell County includes Pekin, Morton, and Washington among other communities. All marriage licenses for residents of these areas are issued by the Tazewell County Clerk in Pekin. There are no separate city offices for marriage records. The clerk's office on Court Street serves everyone in the county, regardless of which town or village you live in.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Tazewell County. Your marriage license must come from the county where the ceremony will take place, so check your location before you apply.