Bond County Marriage License Records

Bond County marriage license applications are handled by the County Clerk's office in Greenville, Illinois. Both people who plan to marry must go to the clerk's office in person and bring valid photo ID. County Clerk Meg Sybert runs this office and processes all marriage license requests for Bond County. The license takes effect one day after it is issued and stays good for 60 days. On this page you can find out what to bring, what the process looks like, and how to get certified copies of your Bond County marriage license after the ceremony is done.

Bond County Marriage License Application

You get a Bond County marriage license at the County Clerk's office in Greenville. Both of you must be there. You cannot send one person alone. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, the county clerk issues the license once both parties sign the form and pay the fee. County Clerk Meg Sybert and her staff will walk you through each step once you show up. The process is the same here as in all 102 Illinois counties, but Bond County is a small office, so the visit tends to go fast.

Call the Bond County Clerk at (618) 664-0449 to check hours and find out what forms of payment they take. Smaller county offices in Illinois sometimes keep limited hours, and some only take cash or checks. It is worth a quick call before you drive out to Greenville. The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders also lists the Bond County office in their statewide directory if you need a backup way to find contact details.

No blood test is needed. That rule ended in Illinois back in 1989. There is also no residency rule for Bond County. You can live anywhere and still apply here, as long as your ceremony takes place in Bond County.

What You Need for a Bond County License

Both people must be at least 18 years old. If one person is 16 or 17, both parents must show up and give written consent at the clerk's office. No one under 16 can apply in Bond County or any other county in Illinois. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license works. So does a state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID. The IDPH valid ID requirements page has the full list.

On the form you will fill out your full legal name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, address, and occupation. The clerk asks for your parents' full names, including your mother's maiden name. If you were married before, you need to give the date, county, and state where that marriage ended. Was it a divorce or a death? If it ended within the past six months, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. The Bond County Clerk cannot process the license without it.

The IDPH page below shows how valid ID requirements work across all Illinois counties, including Bond County.

Get all your documents ready before you go. Missing one piece means a second trip to Greenville.

Note: Under 750 ILCS 5/212, close blood relatives cannot marry in Bond County, and first cousins may only marry if both are over 50.

Marriage License Waiting Period in Bond County

There is a one-day wait. Under 750 ILCS 5/207, the Bond County marriage license takes effect the calendar day after it is issued. You cannot get married the same day you pick it up. Most couples come in a couple of days before the ceremony to be safe. A court can waive this wait, but that almost never happens.

Your license expires after 60 days from its effective date. If it expires, you have to start the whole process over and pay the fee again. The license also works only inside Bond County. If your ceremony is in Madison County or Fayette County, you need a license from that county's clerk instead. Check where your venue sits before you apply. This trips up more couples than you might expect, especially near county lines around Greenville.

Bond County Marriage License Fees

Marriage license fees vary from county to county in Illinois. There is no single state fee. Call the Bond County Clerk at (618) 664-0449 to get the current fee before your visit. Across Illinois, fees range from about $30 to $90 depending on the county. Some offices take cash only. Others take checks or cards. Ask about payment methods when you call.

Certified copies of the recorded marriage certificate cost extra. The first copy is usually more than extras. You can order copies in person at the Bond County Clerk's office or by mail. Keep in mind that the clerk's office in Greenville is small, so response times for mailed requests can vary. It helps to call ahead and ask what the turnaround looks like right now.

Note: Fees can change at any time, so always call the clerk's office to confirm the exact cost before you go.

Bond County Marriage License Copies

After your wedding, the officiant must sign the marriage certificate and return it to the Bond County Clerk within 10 days. Under 750 ILCS 5/209, this return deadline applies to every marriage in Illinois. Once the clerk records it, you can order certified copies. These are the official documents you need for name changes, insurance updates, and other legal steps after the wedding.

The state does not hand out certified copies. The IDPH marriage records page explains that the Illinois Department of Public Health can only verify basic facts about a marriage from 1962 to the present. A verification costs $5 and confirms names, dates of birth, event date, and the county. But for a full certified copy of your Bond County marriage license, the clerk's office in Greenville is the only place to go. You can also request a state verification by mailing the Application for Verification of Marriage Record to IDPH in Springfield.

The IDPH marriage records portal shown below covers how the state handles marriage record verifications for Bond County and all other Illinois counties.

Keep your certified copies in a safe place. You will need them for legal and financial tasks after the wedding.

Who Can Officiate in Bond County

Under 750 ILCS 5/209, judges, retired judges, mayors, and religious leaders can all perform weddings in Bond County. The mayor of Greenville or any other town in the county can officiate while in office. Illinois does not require witnesses at the ceremony. Your officiant must return the signed marriage certificate to the Bond County Clerk within 10 days after the wedding.

The Bond County Clerk's office does not perform wedding ceremonies. That option exists only in Cook County, where the population is over 2,000,000. If you want a courthouse ceremony in Bond County, check with the local circuit court about judges who may be willing to officiate. Vital records in Illinois are not public under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), so access to your marriage record after filing is limited to certain people under the law.

Cities in Bond County

Bond County includes Greenville, Mulberry Grove, Pocahontas, Sorento, and a few other small towns. No city in Bond County has a population over 50,000, so all residents go to the Bond County Clerk's office in Greenville for their marriage license. The same fees, rules, and process apply no matter which town you live in.

Nearby Counties

If your wedding venue is outside Bond County, you need a marriage license from that county's clerk instead. These counties sit near Bond County.