Find Marshall County Marriage License

Marriage license applications in Marshall County are handled at the County Clerk's office in Lacon. Both applicants must appear together with valid photo identification to file. Marshall County is a small county in north-central Illinois, and the Lacon office is where all marriage license applications for the county are processed. This page covers the steps to apply, what documents you need, timing rules, and how to get copies of your marriage record after the ceremony. The same state rules apply here as everywhere else in Illinois, but you file through the local clerk in Lacon.

Applying in Marshall County

Go to the Marshall County Clerk's office in Lacon. The phone number is (309) 246-6325. Both people must be there at the same time. You cannot send one person to file on behalf of the couple. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID will work. The IDPH valid ID page shows the full list of what the state of Illinois accepts.

You need your social security number, date of birth, place of birth, and your current address. The clerk also asks for the full legal names of both parents. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, both people must be 18 or older. The Marshall County Clerk issues the license after both applicants sign and the fee is paid. No blood test is needed in Illinois. There is no residency rule. You don't have to live in Marshall County or even in the state. Couples from Peoria County, Bureau County, or from out of state can come to the Lacon office and file without showing proof of residency or any kind of local connection.

Note: Call (309) 246-6325 before your visit to check office hours since the Lacon office may keep shorter hours than larger counties.

Marshall County Marriage License Timing

Illinois has a one-day waiting period. Under 750 ILCS 5/207, the license takes effect the calendar day after it is issued by the clerk. You cannot use it the same day you apply. If you file on a Wednesday in Lacon, Thursday is the first day you can hold the ceremony.

Once the license takes effect, it is valid for 60 days. If you don't use it within that window, it expires and you have to start over. Go back to the Lacon office, fill out a new form, and pay the fee again. The license is only good inside Marshall County. If your wedding venue is across the line in Woodford County, Peoria County, Bureau County, or LaSalle County, you need a license from that county. North-central Illinois has plenty of venues and parks that are close to county borders, so it is worth checking exactly which county your ceremony spot is in before you apply anywhere.

Prior Marriage Rules in Marshall County

Was either person married before? The Marshall County Clerk will ask about it. You need to give the clerk the date, county, and state where the prior marriage ended. If it ended within the past six months, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate to the Lacon office. The clerk cannot issue a new marriage license without that document when the prior marriage ended recently.

Under 750 ILCS 5/212, some marriages are not allowed in Illinois. You cannot marry someone if you are already in a marriage or civil union. Close blood relatives cannot marry. First cousins can marry only if both are over 50 years old, or if one brings a certificate of permanent sterility from a licensed physician. These rules are statewide and the Marshall County Clerk applies them the same as every other county in Illinois.

Note: If your divorce was finalized less than six months ago, get a certified copy of the decree before visiting Lacon to avoid a wasted trip.

After the Ceremony in Marshall County

The officiant has 10 days to fill out the marriage certificate and return it to the Marshall County Clerk. This is set by 750 ILCS 5/209 and it applies across Illinois. The Lacon office records the marriage once the form comes back. Who can officiate? Judges, retired judges, mayors, religious leaders, and village presidents. Illinois does not need any witnesses at the ceremony, though you are free to have them if you want.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders keeps a directory of all 102 county clerk offices in the state. You can use it to find or confirm the Marshall County Clerk contact details and the Lacon address. Below is a screenshot showing the IDPH valid ID requirements page, which lists all forms of identification accepted for marriage license applications.

For a certified copy of your Marshall County marriage license, go to the clerk's office in Lacon. The state does not hand out certified copies. Only the county where the marriage was recorded can give you the full, sealed document.

Marriage Record Verification for Marshall County

The IDPH Division of Vital Records can verify a marriage that took place in Marshall County. A verification is not a certified copy. It confirms the names, dates of birth, date of the marriage, and the county. The cost 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 to the Illinois Department of Public Health and a clear copy of your photo ID.

Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), marriage records are not public in Illinois. Only certain people can get certified copies. The Marshall County Clerk will check your identity before giving out records. IDPH keeps marriage records going back to 1962, so if the marriage you are looking for happened before that year, you may need to contact the Marshall County Clerk directly to see what older records they have on file in Lacon.

Nearby Counties

If your venue is in another county, you need to apply for a marriage license there instead. Here are the counties that border Marshall County.