Sangamon County Marriage License

Sangamon County marriage license applications go through the County Clerk's office in Springfield, the state capital. You can start the process online, but both people must come in together to show ID and pick up the license. The clerk's office sits in the Sangamon County Complex on South Ninth Street. Sangamon County charges $75 for a marriage license and accepts several payment types. This page covers fees, what to bring, the online application process, and how to get certified copies of your Sangamon County marriage license records.

Sangamon County Marriage License Application

Sangamon County lets you fill out a marriage application online before your visit. Once you submit it, a clerk employee will call you when the form is processed. Then both people come to the office together, show valid photo ID, and pick up the license. The Sangamon County Clerk marriage license page has the online form and full instructions. The screenshot below shows the clerk's portal for new marriage license applications.

The office is in the Sangamon County Complex at 200 S. Ninth Street, Room 101, Springfield, IL. Walk-ins are welcome, but filing online first saves time at the counter. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, the clerk issues the license after both people sign the form and pay the fee. You cannot send just one person. Both names go on the application.

Apply at least one day before your ceremony. You cannot use the license on the day it is issued. The license stays valid for 60 days and your wedding must take place in Sangamon County.

What You Need for a Sangamon County License

Sangamon County asks for a lot of personal details on the marriage license form. Both people need to provide their full legal name, maiden name (if it changed), current address, date of birth, age, birth state, Social Security number, and occupation. You also need both parents' full names, including your mother's maiden name, along with parents' cities, states, and birth states. The form asks for your race, education level, and how many times you have been married before.

Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID all work. The IDPH valid ID page lists every form of ID the state accepts. There is no blood test needed. Illinois got rid of the blood test rule back in 1989. You also do not have to live in Sangamon County or even in Illinois to apply here.

Under 750 ILCS 5/212, you cannot get a marriage license if you are still in a prior marriage or civil union. Close blood relatives cannot marry. First cousins can marry only if both are over 50. The Sangamon County Clerk checks all of this during the application.

Note: If you were married before and it ended within the last six months, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate.

Marriage License Fee in Sangamon County

The fee is $75. Sangamon County accepts cash, checks, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Unlike some Illinois counties that limit payment types, you have plenty of options here. The $75 covers the marriage license itself. Certified copies of the recorded marriage certificate are a separate charge after the officiant returns the signed license to the clerk.

The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders lists all county clerk offices across the state with phone numbers and addresses. You can call the Sangamon County Clerk at (217) 753-6700 to check on current fees or ask about payment methods. Fees can change from time to time, so a quick call before your trip is always a good idea.

Sangamon County License Waiting Period

There is a one-day wait. Under 750 ILCS 5/207, the license takes effect the calendar day after it is issued. You cannot get married on the same day you pick up the license in Sangamon County. Most couples come in a few days before the wedding. A court can waive this wait in special situations, but that almost never happens.

Your Sangamon County marriage license expires after 60 days. If you do not use it, you start over. That means a new application and a new $75 fee. The license is only valid in Sangamon County. If your ceremony is in a neighboring county like Menard or Christian, you need a license from that county instead. Double check your venue address before you apply so you go to the right clerk's office.

Sangamon County Vital Records Access

The Sangamon County Clerk's office has a strict rule about vital records. They will not give out any information over the phone. This includes marriage license records, birth certificates, and death certificates. You must go in person or submit a written request. Under the Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535), only certain people have legal access to vital records in Illinois. The clerk's office notes that vital records are not public information and are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

This means you cannot just call and ask for details about someone's marriage license in Sangamon County. Access is limited to the people named on the record, their legal representatives, and a few other categories set by law. This is different from court records, which are generally open to the public. Marriage license records fall under vital records rules, and those rules are more restrictive across all 102 Illinois counties.

The IDPH marriage records page can verify basic facts about a marriage from 1962 on. A verification costs $5 and confirms names, dates of birth, date of the event, and the county. The screenshot below shows the state's marriage records information page.

For a full certified copy of your Sangamon County marriage license, go to the clerk's office at 200 S. Ninth Street, Room 101, in Springfield.

After Your Sangamon County Wedding

The person who performs your wedding must complete the marriage certificate and send it back to the Sangamon County Clerk within 10 days. Under 750 ILCS 5/209, this return deadline applies statewide. A late return can delay your ability to get certified copies. Judges, retired judges, religious leaders, and mayors can all perform the ceremony in Sangamon County. No witnesses are required by state law.

Once the clerk records the marriage, certified copies are available. These are the official documents you need for name changes, insurance updates, and other legal purposes. Contact the Sangamon County Clerk at (217) 753-6700 for pricing on certified copies and processing times. Remember that the clerk will not discuss vital records over the phone, so you may need to visit in person or send a written request for copies of your Sangamon County marriage license.

Note: Your ceremony must take place within Sangamon County for the license to be valid.

Cities in Sangamon County

Springfield is the county seat of Sangamon County and the state capital of Illinois. Residents of Springfield use the Sangamon County Clerk's office for marriage licenses.

Nearby Counties

If your ceremony is in a different county, you need a marriage license from that county's clerk. These counties border Sangamon County.