Access Perry County Marriage License

Marriage license filings in Perry County are handled at the County Clerk's office in Pinckneyville. Both people must appear together in person to apply for the license. Perry County is in southern Illinois, and the Pinckneyville office is the sole location for all marriage license applications in the county. This page goes over what you need to bring, how the process works, what the timing rules are, and how to get copies of your marriage record after the wedding is done. Whether you are a local resident or coming from outside the county, the steps are the same.

Getting a Perry County Marriage License

Go to the Perry County Clerk's office in Pinckneyville. Call (618) 357-5116 to check hours before you make the trip. Both you and your partner must be present. One person cannot apply alone. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military ID. The IDPH valid ID page lists all the accepted forms of identification.

You will need your social security number, date of birth, place of birth, and current address. The clerk asks for both parents' full legal names as well. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, both people must be 18 or older. The Perry County Clerk issues the license once both applicants sign and pay the fee. No blood test is needed in Illinois. There is no residency rule either, so you don't have to live in Perry County. Couples from Franklin County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, or from across state lines in Missouri can all walk into the Pinckneyville office and file.

Perry County Marriage License Timing

Illinois has a one-day wait. Under 750 ILCS 5/207, the license takes effect the calendar day after the clerk issues it. You cannot hold your ceremony the same day you apply. Plan to visit the Pinckneyville office at least two days before your wedding date so the timing works out.

Once it takes effect, the license is valid for 60 days. After that, it expires. If you miss the deadline, you go back to the Perry County Clerk and start all over with a new form and new fee. The license can only be used inside Perry County. A license from the Pinckneyville office is no good at a venue in Franklin County, Jackson County, or Washington County. Southern Illinois has many outdoor and rural venues that sit near county borders, so it is important to know which county your ceremony location falls in before you apply. A quick phone call to your venue or a look at a county map can save time and money.

Note: If you are planning a ceremony at a state park or lake venue in southern Illinois, ask the site manager which county the property is in.

Prior Marriage Rules for Perry County

If either you or your partner were married before, the Perry County Clerk needs to know. You must tell the clerk when and where that marriage ended. Give the date, county, and state of the final decree or death. If the prior marriage ended within the last six months, you must bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. The Pinckneyville office won't issue a new license without it when the ending was that recent.

Under 750 ILCS 5/212, there are marriages that Illinois will not allow. You cannot marry if you are still in an active marriage or civil union somewhere else. Close blood relatives cannot marry. First cousins may marry only if both are over age 50, or if one provides a certificate of permanent sterility from a licensed physician. The Perry County Clerk screens for all of these during the application. Having your paperwork ready and being upfront about your history makes the visit to Pinckneyville go faster for everyone involved.

After Your Perry County Ceremony

Once the wedding is over, the officiant must complete the marriage certificate and return it to the Perry County Clerk within 10 days. This rule comes from 750 ILCS 5/209 and it applies statewide. The Pinckneyville office records the marriage after the form is returned. Who can officiate? Judges, retired judges, mayors, religious leaders, and village presidents. No witnesses are needed under Illinois law.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders has a directory that lists Perry County and all 102 county clerk offices in Illinois. You can look up the Pinckneyville address and phone number there. Below is a screenshot of the IDPH marriage records page where the state processes verification requests.

To get a certified copy of your Perry County marriage license, contact the clerk's office in Pinckneyville. The state does not issue certified copies of marriage licenses. Only the county where the marriage was recorded can give you the full document with an official seal. Keep that in mind if you need the document for a name change, insurance, or any other legal purpose.

Perry County Marriage Verification

The IDPH Division of Vital Records can verify that a marriage happened in Perry County. A verification is not the same as 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 readable copy of your photo ID.

Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), marriage records in Illinois are not public. Only certain people can access certified copies, and the Perry County Clerk checks your identity before releasing any records. IDPH has marriage records going back to 1962. For a marriage that took place before 1962, reach out to the Perry County Clerk in Pinckneyville to ask about any older records that might be in local files.

Note: If you need proof of a Perry County marriage for a court case or government application, the certified copy from Pinckneyville is what most agencies accept.

Nearby Counties

If your wedding is in a neighboring county, you will need a marriage license from that county. Here are the counties that border Perry County.