Montmorency County Marriage and Divorce Records

Getting a Marriage License in Montmorency County

The Montmorency County Clerk issues every marriage license in the county. The Clerk, who also serves as Clerk of the 26th Circuit Court, takes applications at the counter. Michigan residents apply in the county where one party lives. If both parties live out of state, they apply in the county where the ceremony will take place. Once the Clerk issues the license, the couple may marry anywhere in Michigan. Only one applicant must appear in person, as long as that person brings the required details for both parties. License service runs Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 989-785-8022 before you visit.

The county's marriage license page lists the fees, age rules, and residency steps in one place. It also links the affidavit couples sign at the counter.

Age rules are simple. The legal age to marry without parental consent is 18. Applicants who are 18 to 21 may prove age with a certified birth certificate or a valid driver's license. A minor who is 16 or 17 must appear with a parent or legal guardian to sign a consent form, and the parent may need to show identification. Michigan no longer requires a blood test or HIV counseling. A three-day waiting period follows the application. The license stays valid for 33 days from the date you apply. Witnesses at the ceremony need not be 18, but each must sign a legal name and understand what they witness.

Note: The Clerk holds marriage records only for couples who applied for a license in Montmorency County, so verify the county of application first.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

Good preparation makes the counter visit short. Gather both parties' details before you arrive, since the Clerk records information for each person on the affidavit. Have a valid photo ID ready and know how you will pay, because cash is not always accepted for mailed requests. The steps below follow the county process.

1. Confirm one applicant lives in Montmorency County, or if both live out of state, confirm the ceremony will take place in Montmorency County.
2. Gather both parties' names, birth dates, birth places, Social Security numbers, county of residence, prior-marriage count, parents' full names, parents' birth places, and photo ID.
3. Apply at the Clerk's office during license hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
4. Pay the $20 resident fee or the $30 out-of-state fee. Ask for a waiver of the waiting period only if you need one, and pay the $25 extra charge.
5. Wait three days after applying unless the waiting period is waived.
6. Use the license within 33 days of the application date.
7. Return the completed license through the clerk process after the ceremony so the record is entered.

Montmorency County Marriage Application Fields

The marriage affidavit asks for the same facts about each party. Because one applicant may appear alone, that person should carry every detail for both people. The table below lists the fields from the official clerk FAQ, so you can write them down before the visit. Each entry is required unless the note says otherwise.

Finding Montmorency County Marriage Records

Marriage licenses are public record in Montmorency County. Anyone may request a copy, not just the couple. To find a record, you need the names of both parties and the date of the marriage. The Clerk's office serves as Register of Vital Statistics and keeps the county index of births, deaths, and marriages. Requests are handled at the vital-record counter, by mail, or by phone at 989-785-8022.

The clerk's vital records page spells out how to order marriage and divorce records and what fees apply. It also confirms that many records, including marriage and divorce, are open to the public.

Mail requests carry a few rules. Include payment, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a copy of a valid driver's license. Pay by check or money order, and do not send cash. A certified copy costs $10 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. If the Clerk must search for a record in certain cases, a $5 search fee may apply. In-person requests at the counter follow the same fee schedule and let you leave with the copy the same day.

Montmorency County Marriage and Divorce Fees

Fees stay modest and cover the license, any waiver, and certified copies. Divorce records are court files, so their copy charges come from the court rather than the vital-record desk. The table below sets out the published marriage and vital-record charges from the Clerk's office.

Note: A waiver of the waiting period is optional, so add the $25 charge only when a couple cannot wait the full three days.

Searching Montmorency County Divorce Records

Divorce records are court records, not vital-record desk files. In Montmorency County, divorce cases run through the Circuit Court and its Family Division. The County Clerk also serves as Clerk of the 26th Circuit Court, so the same office holds the case files. To confirm a divorce, start with the public case register.

Use the state MiCOURT portal for the 26th Circuit, Family, Juvenile, and Friend of the Court in Montmorency. The search shows the register of actions, parties, hearing dates, and case status when a case is public. It does not provide document copies. For a certified copy of a judgment of divorce or another filing, contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 989-785-8022. Court staff pull the file and certify the copy you request.

A divorce file can hold more than the final judgment. It may include the complaint, the answer, motions, and orders about property, support, and custody. Because divorce is a domestic relations matter, it sits with the Family Division rather than the district level. The Friend of the Court also touches many of these cases, since it handles support and parenting-time enforcement. That is why the same MiCOURT path covers Circuit, Family, Juvenile, and Friend of the Court matters for the county.

Divorce files can hold sensitive material. Information about minor children, financial accounts, home addresses, and protected parties is often redacted or restricted. If a case is sealed or confidential by court rule, it may not appear in the public search at all. For a wider look at how the local courts store and release case files, the Montmorency County court records overview explains the register-of-actions system and the limits on document images.

Ordering Certified Record Copies

You need a certified copy for many legal tasks, such as changing a name, claiming benefits, or settling an estate. A plain printout will not carry the county seal, so ask for the certified version when the record must be official. Marriage copies come from the Clerk's vital-record counter. Divorce copies come from the Clerk of the Circuit Court, because a divorce lives in the court file.

Counter service is the fastest route when you can visit Atlanta during business hours. Mail service works when travel is hard, though it adds delivery time on both ends. Either way, list the full names on the record and the event date so staff can find the right file. Double-check the county of application before you order, since the Clerk holds only the licenses issued here. The Clerk of the Circuit Court, who keeps the county's court records, can guide requests that cross both the vital-record and court-file systems.

Michigan Vital Records Backup

The state vital records office backs up the county for wider searches and older records. When a record was filed outside Montmorency County or a couple applied elsewhere, the state office can help. The county vital records page lists the Michigan phone lines for ordering, records service, and corrections. One rule stands apart: an adopted person's original Michigan birth record is sealed by a court, so the local Clerk cannot release it.