Logan County Marriage License Records

Marriage license applications in Logan County are processed at the County Clerk's office in Lincoln. Both people planning to marry must visit the clerk in person with valid photo identification. Logan County is in central Illinois, and the Lincoln office is the only place in the county where you can apply for a marriage license. This page explains the full process, from what you need to bring and how much it costs to what happens after the ceremony and how to get copies of your marriage record later on. It applies whether you live in Logan County or are traveling here from somewhere else.

How to Get a Logan County Marriage License

Head to the Logan County Clerk's office in Lincoln. The phone number is (217) 732-4148. Both you and your partner must show up together. You cannot send one person alone or fill out the form by mail. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military ID all work fine. The IDPH valid ID page has the full list of accepted forms.

The clerk will ask for your social security number, date of birth, place of birth, and current address. You also need both parents' full legal names. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, both applicants must be at least 18 years old. Once both people sign the form and the fee is paid, the Logan County Clerk issues the license. No blood test is needed. Illinois has no residency rule for marriage licenses. You don't have to live in Logan County or in Illinois at all. Couples from Sangamon County, McLean County, or anywhere out of state can come to the Lincoln office and apply with no extra steps.

Logan County License Wait Time

There is a one-day waiting period in Illinois. Under 750 ILCS 5/207, the license takes effect the calendar day after it is issued. Same-day use is not allowed. Plan your visit to the Lincoln office at least two days before the ceremony.

The license is good for 60 days. After 60 days, it expires and you have to start over. You would need to go back to the Logan County Clerk, fill out a new application, and pay the fee again. The license only works inside Logan County. If your venue is in Sangamon County, Macon County, or McLean County, you need a license from that county instead. Central Illinois has a lot of rural event spaces that sit right near county lines. A quick call to your venue about which county they are in can prevent you from filing in the wrong place and having to start the whole process over.

Note: Call (217) 732-4148 to verify office hours, especially if you plan to visit near a holiday or on a Friday afternoon.

Prior Marriages in Logan County

If you or your partner had a prior marriage, the Logan County Clerk needs details about how it ended. Tell the clerk when and where the divorce was finalized or when the death occurred. Give the date, county, and state. If the prior marriage ended within the past six months, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate to the Lincoln office. Without it, the clerk will not issue a new license during that six-month window.

Under 750 ILCS 5/212, certain marriages are not allowed. You cannot marry if you are already in an active marriage or civil union. Close blood relatives cannot marry each other. First cousins may marry only if both are over 50, or if one provides a certificate of permanent sterility from a licensed physician. The Logan County Clerk checks these things during every application, so be prepared to answer questions honestly and bring any supporting documents you might need to prove the prior marriage has been fully resolved.

Marriage License Filing in Logan County

After the wedding, the officiant completes the marriage certificate and returns it to the Logan County Clerk within 10 days. This deadline is set by 750 ILCS 5/209 and applies to every marriage performed in Illinois. The Lincoln office records the marriage once the completed form arrives. Judges, retired judges, mayors, religious leaders, and village presidents can all officiate. Illinois does not need witnesses at the ceremony.

You can find the Logan County Clerk and all other clerk offices in the state through the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders directory. The IACCR website lets you look up contact info and confirm addresses. The screenshot below shows the IDPH marriage records page where the state handles verification requests.

For a certified copy of your Logan County marriage license, contact the clerk's office in Lincoln directly. The state does not give out certified copies. Only the county where the marriage was filed can provide the full document with the official seal on it.

Logan County Marriage Verification

The IDPH Division of Vital Records can verify that a marriage took place in Logan County. This is a verification, not a certified copy. It confirms names, dates of birth, date of the event, and the county where it was filed. The fee is $5. Mail a completed Application for Verification of Marriage Record to IDPH at 925 E. Ridgely Ave., Springfield, IL 62702-2737. Include a check or money order payable to the Illinois Department of Public Health and a clear copy of your photo ID. IDPH has marriage records from 1962 to now.

Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), marriage records in Illinois are not public. Access to certified copies is limited by law to certain eligible people. The Logan County Clerk will verify your identity before releasing any records. If you are not sure whether you qualify for a copy, call the Lincoln office at (217) 732-4148 and ask before you make the trip.

Note: IDPH mail requests for marriage verification can take several weeks to process, so plan accordingly if you need proof for a legal matter.

Nearby Counties

Getting married in a nearby county? You will need a license from that county instead. Here are the counties that border Logan County.