Washington County Marriage and Divorce Records

Getting a Marriage License in Washington County

Marriage licenses in Washington County come from the Circuit Clerk. The office issues each license and keeps the record of the marriage once it is returned. Barbara Esters-Parker leads the office, which sits in the county seat of Greenville. Mississippi lets you apply in any county, so a couple may use Washington County even when neither party lives here. There is no county residency rule for the license itself. Both people apply together and swear to the facts on the form.

Mississippi sets the core rules for the license, found in Section 93-1-5 of the state code. The application is made in writing to the circuit clerk, sworn to by both applicants, and lists each person's name, age, and address. Proof of age is required. A birth certificate, driver's license, passport, tribal ID, baptismal record, or armed service document can all serve as proof. Applicants under 21 must provide parent or guardian consent under the statute. The clerk reviews the proof before the license is issued.

The county lists the Circuit Clerk as the marriage license office on its Washington County how-do-i FAQ. That FAQ is the local starting point, though some of its steps are older than current state law and should be checked before you apply.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

Both applicants go to the Circuit Clerk together. The county FAQ tells couples to bring a picture ID and, for anyone under 21, a parent's signature on the registration form. It also lists a blood test receipt dated within the last 30 days. That line is out of date for most couples. Washington County's older FAQ still references a blood-test receipt; call the Circuit Clerk to confirm current requirements before applying. Statewide Mississippi law no longer generally requires blood tests for a marriage license.

Plan the visit during regular clerk hours and call ahead about the fee, since the amount is not posted online. The steps below follow the county FAQ and the state statute.

1. Both applicants visit the Circuit Clerk in Greenville together. Call first to confirm hours and any current requirements.
2. Bring a valid picture ID and proof of age for each person, such as a driver's license or birth certificate.
3. If either applicant is under 21, bring a parent or guardian to sign consent on the registration form.
4. Complete and swear to the application, listing names, ages, addresses, and parent details where required.
5. Pay the license fee. Ask the clerk for the current amount and the forms of payment accepted.
6. Receive the license, hold the ceremony, and return the completed license so the marriage is recorded.

Marriage License Application Fields

The application is short but sworn. Each applicant signs under oath, so the facts must be true. The table maps the fields a Washington County couple will meet on the form, drawn from Section 93-1-5 and the county FAQ. A few items, such as a prior marriage date, are not spelled out in the county source and should be confirmed with the Circuit Clerk.

How to Look Up Washington County Marriage Records

The Circuit Clerk holds the original Washington County marriage record. For a certified copy, many people turn to the Mississippi State Department of Health. MSDH says Mississippi marriage records are kept by both state and county officials, and the department can search county files and issue a certified copy of a marriage record. That gives a couple two doors to the same record. You can ask the Circuit Clerk in Greenville, or you can order through the state.

Before you search, gather the basics. The full names of both spouses, the date of the marriage, and the county where it took place all speed the search. A maiden name helps when one spouse later changed it. Older marriages may sit only in paper county books, so a call to the Circuit Clerk is wise for anything far back.

The state explains vital records access on its MSDH vital records page. That landing page is the front door for state copies of Washington County marriage and other vital records.

The department keeps a separate page just for marriage and divorce records. Details on what MSDH can search and provide appear on the MSDH marriage records page. The page confirms that the state can pull a certified marriage record from county files like those in Washington County.

Ordering Certified Copies of Vital Records

A certified copy carries the state seal and is the version courts, banks, and agencies accept. MSDH offers four ways to order. You can apply online, by phone, by mail, or in person. The online and phone routes run through VitalChek, which adds a fee on top of the state's certified-copy charge. Plan for that extra cost when you order remotely. In-person and mail orders go straight to the department.

The department walks through each method on its MSDH online and phone ordering page. That page is the place to start a state order for a Washington County marriage record. To reach MSDH vital records by phone, call 601-206-8200.

For a divorce decree, the path is different. MSDH does not hold a county divorce-case file the way it holds a marriage record. A certified divorce decree comes from the Chancery Clerk who keeps the case. The Circuit Clerk likewise provides certified copies of marriage records held in the county. Either way, call ahead, because copy and certification fees are not posted online.

Washington County Marriage and Divorce Fees

Washington County does not post most of these amounts on its website. The marriage license fee is set by the Circuit Clerk, and divorce filing fees are set by the Chancery Clerk. State certified-copy charges are set by MSDH. The table lists each item and where to confirm the cost, since calling ahead is the only reliable way to get a current figure.

Marriage and divorce both sit beside other family filings that route through the same clerks, which you can read about on the Washington County probate records page. Knowing the office in advance saves a second trip and a second fee.

How to File for Divorce in Washington County

Divorce in Mississippi is a Chancery Court matter. Washington County Chancery Court hears divorce along with custody, property division, and alimony. The Chancery Clerk, Marilyn Hansell, keeps these case files and the final decrees. A no-fault divorce runs under Section 93-5-2 of the state code, the irreconcilable differences statute. That law requires the complaint to be on file for 60 days before a judge can hear it. The steps below trace the usual path.

1. Confirm that Chancery Court is the right venue for the case.
2. Prepare the complaint or petition and the required domestic-relations documents.
3. File with the Chancery Clerk and pay the filing fee from the official fee schedule.
4. Serve the other party, unless the couple files jointly or a waiver applies.
5. For irreconcilable differences, wait out the 60-day period set by statute.
6. Settle property, custody, support, and maintenance by agreement or at a hearing.
7. Obtain the final decree or judgment entered by Chancery Court.

How to Find Washington County Divorce Records

Divorce files and decrees live with the Washington County Chancery Clerk. The clerk is the place to request a copy of a decree or to inspect a case file. Some Chancery cases may also appear through the statewide MEC and PAMEC system for remote viewing, but the full file and any certified decree should be requested from the Chancery Clerk. A written request works when an in-person visit is not possible.

Not every part of a divorce file is open. Child custody details, adoption matters, and financial identifiers such as account numbers may be restricted or redacted. Sealed materials stay closed until a judge orders otherwise. To request a record, give the names of both parties, the rough date of the divorce, and a case number when you have one. More on the office and its filings sits on the Washington County clerk of court page.

Mississippi Vital Records Office

The Mississippi State Department of Health runs the state vital records office. It holds and issues certified copies of marriage and other vital records pulled from county files, including those in Washington County. The office takes orders online, by phone, by mail, and in person. Remote orders go through VitalChek and carry an added fee. For divorce, the office points you back to the county Chancery Clerk who keeps the decree.