Arkansas Marriage Records

The Vital Records Office within the Program and Services Division at the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) is the state agency responsible for maintaining Arkansas Marriage Records. It has files dating from beginning 1917 up to the present. Marriages occurring before that date are not recorded in this office. Only the duplicate coupon of marriages in paper form can be issued at this office. The actual marriage license or decree is only available at the County Clerk or Circuit Clerk office in the county where the marriage was recorded.

By state law, Arkansas Marriage Records are not open to the public. Only the registrants and their immediate family members, designated representatives, academic research groups, and persons who can demonstrate a right to the information can obtain a copy of this information. To retrieve 3rd-party marriage information, a court warrant has to be presented and special rules apply. (The County Clerk’s office where the event was recorded may operate under different rules.) Each file copy costs $10, payable by cashier’s check, personal check, or money order made to the Arkansas Department of Health. The three ways in which Arkansas Marriage Records can be obtained are walk-in, mail and online.