Boone County Marriage License Lookup

Marriage license records in Boone County are managed by County Clerk Amy Ohlsen at the courthouse in Belvidere. Both applicants must visit the Belvidere office together with valid photo ID to apply. Boone County is one of the smaller counties in northern Illinois, located just west of the Rockford area. The clerk's office handles new marriage license applications, keeps completed records on file, and issues certified copies. This page covers the steps to get your license, what you need to bring, and how to access Boone County marriage records afterward.

Getting a Boone County Marriage License

Go to the Boone County Clerk's office in Belvidere. The phone number is (815) 544-3103. Clerk Amy Ohlsen and her staff handle all marriage license applications for the county. Both you and your partner must walk in together. One person alone cannot apply. Bring a valid photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID are the most common forms. The IDPH valid ID page has the full list.

Under 750 ILCS 5/203, the county clerk issues the license after both people sign the form and the fee is paid. You need your social security number, date and place of birth, current address, and parents' full legal names. There is no blood test. There is no residency rule in Illinois. Couples from Wisconsin or anywhere else can come to the Belvidere office and apply for a Boone County marriage license without any proof that they live in Illinois. The clerk will print the license while you wait, and your visit should take about 20 to 30 minutes if you have everything with you.

Boone County License Requirements

Both people must be 18 or older. If someone is 16 or 17, both parents need to come to the Belvidere office and sign a consent form under 750 ILCS 5/203. No one under 16 can apply.

If either person was married before, provide the date, county, and state of the divorce or death. A divorce finalized within the past six months requires a certified copy of the decree. The Boone County Clerk will not issue your marriage license without that document if the timeline applies. Older divorces just need the basic details. Under 750 ILCS 5/212, you cannot marry if you are still in an active marriage or civil union. Close blood relatives are barred from marrying each other. First cousins can marry only if both are over 50 or one presents a physician's certificate of permanent sterility. The Belvidere clerk checks all of this when you come in, so be prepared with your documents and personal details ready to go.

Note: Blood tests have not been required for an Illinois marriage license since September 1989.

Marriage License Waiting Period in Boone County

Under 750 ILCS 5/207, the marriage license takes effect the calendar day after it is issued. You cannot use the license the same day you pick it up in Belvidere. This one-day wait is set by state law and applies across all 102 counties. Plan to visit Clerk Amy Ohlsen's office at least two days before your ceremony date in Boone County.

The license is good for 60 days after its effective date. If 60 days pass without a ceremony, the license expires and you must start over. Pay the fee again. Fill out a new form. The license only works within Boone County borders. A license from Belvidere cannot be used in Winnebago County, McHenry County, or anywhere outside Boone County. The Rockford area spreads across multiple counties, so if your venue is near the Boone and Winnebago line, check the exact address to make sure it falls in the right county before you apply for your marriage license.

Boone County Marriage License Filing Process

After the ceremony, the person who performed the wedding must complete the marriage certificate and return it to the Boone County Clerk within 10 days. This is required under 750 ILCS 5/209. Judges, retired judges, mayors, village presidents, and religious leaders from any denomination can officiate in Boone County. State law does not require witnesses, but many couples have them anyway.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders directory lists Boone County and every other clerk office in the state. You can use it to look up the phone number and address for the Belvidere office. The screenshot below shows the Illinois counties by population, which gives context on where Boone County sits among the state's 102 counties.

Boone County is one of the smaller counties in Illinois by population. The Belvidere office is the only place in the county to get a marriage license or request certified copies.

Certified Marriage Records in Boone County

Once the marriage is on file, the Boone County Clerk in Belvidere can issue certified copies. These are the official documents you need for name changes at the Social Security office, the DMV, your bank, and other places. The IDPH marriage records page states clearly that certified copies come from the county clerk in the county where the marriage took place. For Boone County, that means the Belvidere office.

The state can only verify a marriage, not give you a certified copy. The IDPH Division of Vital Records verifies marriages from 1962 forward for a $5 fee. Mail a completed verification form to IDPH at 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702-2737 with a check or money order and a copy of your photo ID. Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), marriage records are not public information in Illinois. The Boone County Clerk will check your identity before releasing any certified copy of a marriage license record.

Nearby Counties

If your ceremony is happening outside Boone County, you need to apply for a marriage license in the county where the wedding will be. These counties border Boone County.