Access Wabash County Marriage License

Marriage license applications in Wabash County are processed at the County Clerk's office in Mount Carmel, the county seat along the Wabash River at the Indiana border. Both people must appear in person at the Mount Carmel office with valid photo ID to complete the marriage license application. Wabash County is one of the smallest counties in Illinois by area, and the clerk's office at the courthouse is the only place to apply for a marriage license here. This page walks through every part of the process, including what to bring, the state rules on timing, who can perform the ceremony, and how to get copies of your record afterward.

How to Get a Wabash County Marriage License

Visit the Wabash County Clerk's office in Mount Carmel. The phone number is (618) 262-5671. Both you and your partner need to show up at the same time. One person cannot handle the form for the other. Bring a valid photo ID. A driver's license, state ID, U.S. passport, or military ID will work. See the IDPH valid ID page for the full list of accepted identification.

You will need your social security number, date of birth, place of birth, and current address. The application also asks for both parents' full legal names and their birth places. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, the Wabash County Clerk issues the marriage license once both people sign the form and pay. No blood test is required. Illinois has no residency requirement, so couples from Indiana or anywhere else can come to the Mount Carmel office and apply. The Wabash River forms the border with Indiana right at Mount Carmel, and couples from both sides of the river sometimes use this office when their wedding is on the Illinois side.

Prior Marriages and Wabash County

If either person had a prior marriage, give the Mount Carmel clerk the details. Share the date, county, and state where that marriage ended. When the prior marriage ended within six months, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate. The Wabash County Clerk will hold the new license until that proof is provided if the timing falls in the six-month range.

Under 750 ILCS 5/212, certain marriages are illegal in Illinois. A person still in a marriage or civil union cannot marry again. Close blood relatives cannot marry. First cousins may marry only if both are 50 or older, or one provides a physician's certificate of permanent sterility. The clerk at the Mount Carmel office checks for these issues as part of the application. Gather your documents before the trip so there are no surprises.

Note: Even if your divorce was more than six months ago, having the decree with you can speed things up at the counter.

Wabash County Marriage License Wait Period

There is a one-day wait. Under 750 ILCS 5/207, your marriage license becomes active the calendar day after the Wabash County Clerk issues it. You cannot use it the same day you pick it up. Visit Mount Carmel at least two days before the ceremony.

Once effective, the license is valid for 60 days. After that window closes, it expires and you start from scratch with a new application and fee. The license only works inside Wabash County. If your ceremony is in Lawrence County, White County, Wayne County, or Richland County, you need a license from that county. If you are getting married at a venue near the Wabash River or on a property close to the county line, check the exact county before you file. A phone call to the venue clears it up right away and avoids any trouble with the wrong license.

Filing a Wabash County Marriage Certificate

After the wedding, the person who performed the ceremony completes the marriage certificate and sends it to the Wabash County Clerk within 10 days. That rule comes from 750 ILCS 5/209 and it applies everywhere in Illinois. Judges, retired judges, mayors, religious leaders, and village presidents can all perform ceremonies. Witnesses are not required under state law. The Mount Carmel clerk registers the marriage once the form comes back.

You can find the Wabash County Clerk and other clerk offices through the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders directory. Below is a screenshot of the IACCR clerk directory where you can look up any county clerk in Illinois.

Certified copies of a Wabash County marriage license come from the Mount Carmel office directly. The state does not hand out certified copies. The IDPH marriage records page explains that IDPH can verify a marriage took place from 1962 on for $5, but the full certified document comes from the Wabash County Clerk.

Wabash County Marriage Verification

IDPH can verify that a marriage happened in Wabash County. The verification shows names, dates of birth, the date of marriage, and the county. It costs $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 photo ID.

The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) says marriage records in Illinois are not public. Only certain individuals are allowed to access certified copies. The Wabash County Clerk will verify who you are before releasing any records from the Mount Carmel office. If you need a copy, call (618) 262-5671 first and ask what the clerk needs to process your request.

Nearby Counties

Getting married in a county near Wabash? You need a marriage license from that county. Here are the counties next to Wabash County.