Getting a Lauderdale County Marriage License
Marriage licenses in Lauderdale County are issued by the Circuit Clerk. Renee Covert leads that office at the courthouse complex on Courthouse Boulevard in Meridian. The same office keeps the marriage record once the license is returned and signed. Couples apply in person, and both parties should plan to appear together. You can reach the office through the county Circuit Clerk page, which lists current fees and the linked application form.
Mississippi sets no statewide waiting period for most couples, and there is no blood test rule. Bring valid photo identification and be ready to confirm your age, your full legal name, and any prior marriages. Rules can shift, so a quick call ahead confirms today's documentation and counter hours. The clerk records each license, and that filing becomes the marriage record the state and county both recognize. The Circuit Clerk also handles voter registration, juries, and many court filings, so the marriage counter is one of several services housed there.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
The process is short when you arrive prepared. Gather identification, know your key dates, and have payment ready before you walk in. The steps below follow the route the Circuit Clerk describes for a Lauderdale County marriage license.
- Call the Circuit Clerk to confirm current hours, accepted identification, and whether both parties must appear.
- Review the Marriage License Application linked from the Circuit Clerk page and gather what it asks for.
- Visit the office in Meridian with valid photo ID and your date and place of birth.
- Complete and sign the application; both partners verify their information at the counter.
- Pay the marriage application fee, then request certified certificate copies for your records.
Note: confirm payment methods before your visit, since counters may not accept every card or personal check.
Marriage License Application Fields
The Circuit Clerk links a Marriage License Application form, though the full PDF field list was not captured during research. The table below shows the standard information couples should expect to provide based on the application and counter process. Treat it as a preparation checklist rather than an exact reproduction of the printed form.
| Information Item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full legal name (both parties) | Yes | Match the name shown on your photo ID. |
| Date and place of birth | Yes | Used to confirm age and identity. |
| Current residence address | Yes | City and state of each applicant. |
| Photo identification | Yes | Driver license, state ID, or passport. |
| Prior marriages | Yes | How each ended, by death, divorce, or annulment. |
| Signatures of both parties | Yes | Signed at the counter before the clerk. |
Lauderdale County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Fees split between the issuing office and any copy you order later. The Circuit Clerk sets the marriage charges, while the state health department charges for its divorce index search. County copy and certification rates apply when you request documents in writing. The schedule below pulls the published amounts together.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage application | $37 |
| Marriage certificate (certified copy) | $17 |
| Each additional marriage certificate copy | $6 |
| Judgment enrollment | $6 |
| MSDH divorce index, five-year search | $17 |
| Public record copy, per page | $0.25 |
| Staff-made copy, per page | $0.50 |
| Certification of a copy | Extra charge |
Note: certification is added on top of the per-page copy cost, so a certified document always costs more than a plain printout.
Looking Up Lauderdale County Marriage Records
Two paths reach a marriage record. The Circuit Clerk holds the county file and issues certified certificate copies for licenses bought here. The Mississippi State Department of Health keeps a separate statewide collection and can search for the county where a license was issued. The state route helps when you are unsure which county to ask. The Mississippi State Department of Health explains its marriage record options and ordering steps.
State marriage records cover two date ranges: January 1, 1926 to June 30, 1938, and January 1, 1942 to present. Not every record sits in the state office, so the health department points researchers back to the Circuit Clerk in the county that issued the license. To find any record faster, bring both full names, the approximate marriage date, and the city or county of the ceremony.
Ordering Marriage Records From the State
The health department offers three ordering methods. You can mail the marriage record application with a cashier's check or money order. You can order online or by phone through a private vital records service using a credit card. You can also visit in person at the Ridgeland office at 222 Marketridge Drive, open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
In-person payment may be cash, cashier's check, money order, credit card, or debit card. Mailed records ship within seven to ten business days of the order. Questions about a marriage copy go to Vital Records at 601-206-8200 or VRInfo@msdh.ms.gov. Keep your identifying details handy so staff can match the right file.
Finding Lauderdale County Divorce Records
Divorce in Mississippi is an equity matter, so Lauderdale County divorce cases are heard in Chancery Court. Carolyn Mooney serves as Chancery Clerk and keeps the divorce case files and decrees. That office, not the state, issues a certified copy of a divorce decree. To request one, give the parties' names, an approximate date, and the book and page number if you already know it.
A divorce file can hold the complaint, the final decree, and orders on custody, support, and property. Some material stays open to the public, while parts touching minor children may be limited. The clerk redacts protected details and can explain what is releasable before you pay. For a clean request, identify the record well enough that staff can locate the exact case.
Older Chancery files may have moved off site. After a period, the court retires aged records to the County Archives, so a very old divorce or estate file might live there instead of the active clerk's vault. If a search comes up empty at the clerk's counter, ask whether the file was archived. Patience helps, since pulling a retired record can take longer than printing a recent one.
MSDH Divorce Index Search
The state does not keep divorce decrees, but it does keep a divorce index. The Mississippi State Department of Health offers a five-year index search for $17 covering January 1, 1926 to June 30, 1938, and January 1, 1942 to present. The search points you to the county where the divorce was granted plus the book and page in the Chancery Clerk's office.
That index is most useful when the county or year is unknown. Once the search returns a county, book, and page, the trail leads back to the Chancery Clerk for the certified decree itself. The state office cannot hand you the decree, so plan a second step with the county. Note: the index locates the record but does not prove the divorce, which is why the certified copy still matters.
Certified Copies and Mail Requests
Certified copies carry an official seal and hold up for legal, name-change, and benefit needs. Marriage certificates come from the Circuit Clerk; divorce decrees come from the Chancery Clerk. Plain copies cost $0.25 per page for public records and $0.50 per page when staff pull and copy them, with certification added on top.
A mailed request should name the record, list the parties, and give a date or book and page. Include payment by the method the office accepts and a stamped, self-addressed envelope so the copy can return to you. Family cases involving adoption or minors carry extra restrictions, and the clerk may withhold or redact those files. Land tied to a divorce, such as a property division or judgment, may show up in recorded instruments. The county's Chancery Official Records Inquiry portal searches those land filings, though it does not contain the divorce decree itself.
Mississippi Vital Records Office
The Office of Vital Records, part of the state health department, handles statewide marriage copies and the divorce index search. Its public counter sits in Ridgeland, north of Jackson. The Mississippi State Department of Health vital records pages outline ordering steps, hours, and accepted payments before you go or mail in.
For a county-specific marriage certificate or a certified divorce decree, the local clerks remain the surest source. The contact card lists the state office for searches that cross county lines.