Access Grundy County Marriage License

Marriage license applications in Grundy County are handled by County Clerk Kay Olson at the courthouse in Morris. Couples who want to marry in Grundy County must visit the clerk's office in person. Both people show up, fill out the form, present valid photo ID, and pay the fee. Grundy County sits southwest of the Chicago suburbs, and the Morris office serves as the only location for marriage license services in the county. This page has all the details on getting your license, the rules that apply, and how to get copies after your wedding day.

How to Get a Grundy County Marriage License

Visit County Clerk Kay Olson's office in Morris. The phone number is (815) 941-3222. Both people need to be there. You cannot apply by mail or online. Walk into the Morris courthouse together and bring valid photo ID. A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID all work. Check the IDPH valid ID page for the full list of accepted forms.

You will fill out the marriage license application on site. The clerk needs your social security number, date of birth, place of birth, current address, and both parents' full legal names. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, the Grundy County Clerk issues the license once both people sign and the fee is paid. No blood test is needed. No residency rule exists. Anyone from any state can come to the Morris office and apply. The license is printed while you wait, and the whole process usually wraps up in under half an hour if you come prepared with everything the clerk needs.

Note: Call (815) 941-3222 to check hours before your visit, especially around holidays or long weekends.

Grundy County Marriage License Rules

Both applicants must be at least 18. A 16 or 17-year-old can apply with both parents present to sign consent at the Morris office. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, no one under 16 can get a marriage license in Illinois. The age requirement is strict.

If either person has been married before, the Grundy County Clerk needs the details. You must provide the date, county, and state where the prior marriage ended. Divorces finalized within the last six months require a certified copy of the decree. Bring it with you to the Morris office. Without it, the clerk will hold your application until you can produce the document. If your divorce or the death of a prior spouse was more than six months ago, just know the basic facts. Under 750 ILCS 5/212, you cannot get a Grundy County marriage license if a prior marriage or civil union is still active. Close blood relatives cannot marry, and first cousins can only marry under certain conditions. Clerk Kay Olson's staff checks for all of these during the application.

Waiting Period for a Grundy County License

Illinois has a one-day wait. Under 750 ILCS 5/207, the license takes effect the day after the clerk hands it to you. You cannot have your ceremony the same day you get the license in Morris. Plan ahead. Come to the office at least two days before the wedding.

Your Grundy County marriage license is good for 60 days from its effective date. After that, it expires. You would need to come back to Morris and start the whole thing over, new form, new fee. The license is also limited to Grundy County. It cannot be used in Will County, Kendall County, LaSalle County, or any other place outside Grundy County lines. The area around Morris borders several counties, so if your venue is near the edge of Grundy County, call the venue and ask which county they sit in. Getting the wrong county's license is more common than you might think, and it means having to go through the process twice at two different clerk offices with two separate fees to pay.

Grundy County Marriage Records and Verification

After the wedding, the officiant fills out the marriage certificate and returns it to the Grundy County Clerk within 10 days. Under 750 ILCS 5/209, this deadline is set by state law. Once the form is on file, the Morris office can issue certified copies. The IDPH marriage records page confirms that certified copies come from the county, not from the state. The screenshot below shows the Marriage Act text that governs these rules.

The IDPH Division of Vital Records can verify a marriage from 1962 on for $5. Mail a completed verification form to Springfield with a check or money order and a photo ID copy. A verification confirms names, dates, and the county. Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), marriage records are not public in Illinois.

Who Can Perform a Marriage in Grundy County

Judges, retired judges, mayors, village presidents, and religious leaders can all officiate a wedding in Grundy County. State law does not require witnesses. The Grundy County Clerk in Morris cannot perform ceremonies herself, as that power is only given to clerks in counties with 2,000,000 or more people.

Make sure your officiant knows they have 10 days to return the completed marriage certificate to the Morris office. Late returns cause delays when you need certified copies later on. The IACCR directory can help you find the Grundy County Clerk's contact details if your officiant needs them. A quick call to (815) 941-3222 will also get them the mailing address for the return.

Nearby Counties

A marriage license from Grundy County works only inside Grundy County. If your ceremony is elsewhere, get the license from that county. These counties are closest to Grundy County.