Kankakee County Marriage License Records

Kankakee County marriage license applications are processed at the County Clerk's office in the city of Kankakee. Both partners must show up together with valid photo ID to apply. The clerk handles everything from issuing new licenses to recording completed marriage certificates after the ceremony. Kankakee County sits in the eastern part of the greater Chicago area and serves a steady flow of applicants throughout the year. This page covers the full process, including requirements, the waiting period, who can officiate, and how to request certified copies of your Kankakee County marriage license records.

How to Apply for a Kankakee County Marriage License

Go to the Kankakee County Clerk's office in person. Both you and your partner must be there at the same time. One person cannot apply on behalf of both. You fill out a marriage license application that asks for your full legal names, current addresses, dates of birth, places of birth, Social Security numbers, and parents' full names. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, the clerk issues the license after both people sign the form and pay the fee.

The Kankakee County Clerk website was not available when we last checked. Your best bet is to call the office directly at (815) 937-2990 to confirm hours, fees, and what payment methods they accept. Some Illinois clerk offices take cash only. Others take checks or credit cards. Calling ahead saves you a wasted trip. The IACCR statewide directory also lists the Kankakee County Clerk contact details.

There is no residency requirement in Illinois. Anyone from any state or country can get a Kankakee County marriage license. You just have to hold your ceremony inside Kankakee County since the license is only valid in the issuing county.

Kankakee County Marriage License ID and Age Rules

Both applicants need 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 shown below lists all the forms of identification that Illinois accepts for vital records purposes.

Both people must be 18 or older. A 16- or 17-year-old can apply with written consent from both parents. No one under 16 can get a marriage license in Kankakee County. There is no blood test requirement. Illinois ended that rule in 1989.

If you were married before and that marriage ended within the last six months, you need a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. The Kankakee County Clerk will not issue a new license without that proof. For marriages that ended more than six months ago, you only need to provide the date, county, and state of the prior dissolution. Under 750 ILCS 5/212, you cannot get a marriage license while a prior marriage or civil union is still in effect.

Kankakee County Waiting Period and License Validity

There is a one-day wait. Under 750 ILCS 5/207, your Kankakee County marriage license takes effect the day after the clerk issues it. You cannot use it the same day you pick it up. This means if you get the license on a Thursday, the ceremony can happen Friday at the earliest. Get your license a couple of days before the wedding to be safe.

The license stays good for 60 days from its effective date. If you do not hold the ceremony within that window, the license expires. You would have to start over with a new application and pay the fee again. The license also only works within Kankakee County. You cannot use a Kankakee County license for a ceremony in Will County, Grundy County, or any other county. Double-check which county your venue is in before you apply.

Who Can Officiate in Kankakee County

Illinois law gives you a range of choices for who performs your wedding. Judges of a court of record, retired judges, and mayors or village presidents can all officiate under 750 ILCS 5/209. Religious leaders of any denomination, Indian Nation, or Native Group can solemnize marriages too. No witnesses are required by state law, though many couples include them in their ceremony.

Your officiant is responsible for completing the marriage certificate after the ceremony. They must return it to the Kankakee County Clerk within 10 days. This is a firm deadline under state law. Late returns delay the recording of your marriage and make it harder to get certified copies. Remind your officiant about this 10-day rule well before the wedding.

Note: The Kankakee County Clerk cannot perform marriages since that authority only extends to counties with more than 2,000,000 people.

Getting Copies of Kankakee County Marriage Licenses

Certified copies come from the Kankakee County Clerk. Once the officiant returns the completed marriage certificate, the clerk records the marriage. After that, you can request certified copies. These are the official documents you need for name changes, insurance updates, and other legal matters. Call (815) 937-2990 to ask about the fee and whether you can order by mail or need to go in person.

The state of Illinois does not issue certified copies. The IDPH marriage records page explains that IDPH can only verify basic marriage facts from 1962 forward. A verification costs $5. It confirms names, dates of birth, the marriage date, and the county where it happened. But a verification is not the same as a certified copy of the actual marriage license. For the full document, you go through the county clerk.

Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), vital records in Illinois are not public. Only the people named on the record, their legal representatives, and certain authorized individuals can request certified copies. The Kankakee County Clerk follows these rules for every request.

Marriage License Laws That Apply in Kankakee County

The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act governs all marriage licenses across the state, including Kankakee County. The act covers who can marry, the waiting period, who can officiate, and how the license must be returned after the ceremony. The screenshot below shows the full text of Part II of the act, which contains the sections most relevant to getting a marriage license.

Every rule on this page comes from state law and applies equally to all 102 counties. Fees vary by county, but the legal requirements for age, ID, waiting period, and who can officiate are the same whether you apply in Kankakee County, Cook County, or anywhere else in Illinois.

Cities in Kankakee County

Kankakee County includes the city of Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Manteno, and several smaller communities. No city in the county reaches 50,000 in population. All residents apply for marriage licenses at the Kankakee County Clerk's office in the county seat of Kankakee.

Nearby Counties

If your wedding venue is in another county, you need a license from that county's clerk office. These border Kankakee County or sit nearby.