Arkansas marriage records from 1917 onward are held by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) Vital Records office, which sells certified copies for $10 through its online portal, by phone, by mail, or at its Little Rock office. Older marriages, and any marriage you want to trace back to the original license, are available from the county clerk’s office that issued the license. A certified copy from either source carries the same legal weight.
One quick clarification before you order. The license is the pre-wedding document from the county clerk; the certificate (the ADH calls it a “marriage coupon”) is the post-wedding record that proves the marriage happened. For a name change, benefits claim, passport, or REAL ID, you want a certified copy of the certificate.
Who Can Request a Copy
Access depends on how old the record is. Marriages less than 50 years old are restricted. You can request a certified copy only if you are:
- One of the spouses named on the record.
- A current spouse, parent, grandparent, child, or grandchild of someone named on the record.
- An attorney, physician, funeral director, or other authorized agent acting for one of the people above.
- A genealogist working on behalf of a family member, with authorization from the person on the record or a relevant family member unless that person is deceased.
Once 50 years have passed from the date of the marriage, the record is open to anyone who can supply enough detail to locate it. The $10 fee is the same either way.
What to Have Ready Before You Order
Whichever method you use, pull this together first:
- Both spouses’ full names as they appeared at the time of the marriage, using the bride’s maiden name.
- The date of the marriage (month, day, year).
- The county where the license was issued.
- A clear photocopy of your government-issued photo ID.
If you are not one of the spouses, include documentation of your relationship, such as a birth certificate or court order. Mail and walk-in requests also require the ADH’s Marriage Coupon Application, available in English and Spanish on the ADH website.
Four Ways to Order From the Department of Health
The base cost is $10 per copy through every channel. That $10 is a nonrefundable search fee, so you pay even if no record is found.
Online
The fastest route for most people. Orders go through the ADH portal, managed by the Information Network of Arkansas. Online orders add a $5 processing fee and a $1.85 identity verification fee on top of the $10. Expedited shipping is available for an extra charge. Payment is by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.
By Phone
Call toll-free (866) 209-9482. The same card options and expedited shipping choices apply. Useful if the online portal isn’t cooperating.
By Mail
Send the completed Marriage Coupon Application, a photocopy of your ID, and a check or money order payable to the Arkansas Department of Health to:
Arkansas Department of Health
Vital Records, Slot 44
4815 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205
Do not send cash. Processing takes 10 to 14 business days once your request arrives, plus mail time in both directions. If anything is missing, the ADH will contact you, and the clock effectively restarts.
In Person
The Vital Records office in Little Rock is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on state holidays. Arrive by 4:00 p.m. with a completed application, valid ID, and payment, and most requests are filled the same day. Come in after 4:00 p.m. and you’ll either pick up the copy the next business day or receive it by mail. Same-day service isn’t guaranteed for non-routine requests, including genealogical searches for records before 1935.
When to Go to the County Clerk Instead
Every county clerk keeps the original marriage licenses issued in that county from the county’s founding forward. That makes the clerk the right stop for marriages before 1917, when the state’s centralized records begin, and a useful alternative when the ADH can’t locate a record you know exists.
Fees at the county level are set locally and are often lower than the ADH’s $10. Contact the clerk’s office in the county that issued the license to confirm the current fee, accepted payment methods, and whether they accept mail requests or require you to come in. A certified copy from the county clerk is legally equivalent to one from the ADH.
Records for Genealogy Research
If you’re tracing family history rather than filing paperwork, you have more options. County clerks hold marriage records that predate the ADH’s 1917 cutoff. For very old records, or when you don’t know which county to try, the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock keeps historical documents and microfilmed county marriage records covering the state.
Copies from the State Archives or third-party genealogy databases are usually uncertified. They’re fine for research but won’t satisfy an agency that requires an official certified copy. For genealogical orders through the ADH, the department suggests mail or online rather than walk-in service, since historical searches can take longer to process.
Getting an Apostille for Use Abroad
If a foreign government needs to accept your Arkansas marriage record, you’ll usually need an apostille. It certifies that the document is genuine, and countries that signed the 1961 Hague Convention accept it in place of full embassy authentication.
The Arkansas Secretary of State issues apostilles for $10 per document. Where you file depends on the source:
- For a marriage certificate from the ADH, submit to the Business and Commercial Services Division at 1401 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 250, Little Rock. This office accepts credit cards.
- For a marriage license from a county clerk, submit to the Elections Division at the State Capitol, Room 026, Little Rock. Credit cards aren’t accepted here; bring cash, a check, or a money order payable to the Arkansas Secretary of State.
If the destination country is not part of the Hague Convention, you’ll need a federal authentication certificate instead. Start with the Arkansas Secretary of State authentication, then send the document to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Authentications with Form DS-4194 and the additional federal fees.