White County Marriage License Records

Marriage license filings in White County are processed at the County Clerk's office in Carmi, a small town in southeastern Illinois that serves as the county seat. Both people who want to marry must go to the Carmi office in person at the same time and bring valid photo ID to complete the application. White County is a rural county in the southern part of the state, and the clerk's office at the courthouse is the only place to file for a marriage license within county lines. This page covers the requirements, timing, who can perform the ceremony, and how to handle your records after the wedding.

Getting a White County Marriage License

Head to the White County Clerk's office in Carmi to apply. The phone number is (618) 382-7211. Both you and your partner must show up together. No one can fill out the form for someone who is not there. Bring valid photo ID. A driver's license, state-issued ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID all work. See the IDPH valid ID page for the full list of what the state accepts.

You will need your social security number, date of birth, place of birth, and home address. Both parents' full legal names and their birth places are part of the form too. Under 750 ILCS 5/203, the White County Clerk issues a marriage license once both parties sign and the fee is paid. No blood test is required. Illinois does not have a residency rule, so people from Indiana, Kentucky, or any other state can drive to Carmi and get a White County marriage license. Southeastern Illinois sits at the meeting point of several states, and the Carmi office regularly sees couples from across the region.

Prior Marriage Information for White County

If either person had a prior marriage, the Carmi clerk needs the details. Provide the date, county, and state where it ended. If the divorce or death happened within six months, bring a certified copy of the decree or death certificate with you. The White County Clerk cannot issue a new marriage license without that document when the prior marriage ended so recently.

Under 750 ILCS 5/212, Illinois law bars certain marriages. You cannot marry while still in an active marriage or civil union. Close blood relatives are not allowed to marry each other. First cousins can marry only when both are 50 or older, or when one party has a doctor's certificate of permanent sterility. The clerk in Carmi checks for these restrictions during the process, and having all your paperwork gathered before you arrive helps the whole thing go much more smoothly and prevents delays at the counter.

Note: Even with a divorce that is older than six months, keeping the decree handy can help if the clerk has questions about the timeline.

White County Marriage License Timing

You have to wait one day. Under 750 ILCS 5/207, the marriage license becomes effective the calendar day after the White County Clerk issues it. Same-day ceremonies are not allowed. Plan your visit to the Carmi office at least two days before the ceremony date.

Once active, the license is good for 60 days. After that, it expires and you need to start over with a new application and a new fee. The license is only valid in White County. If your ceremony is in Wabash County, Wayne County, Franklin County, or Massac County, you need a license from that county instead. Southeastern Illinois has lots of country properties and river venues that sit close to county lines. Check which county your wedding spot is in before you drive to Carmi and apply. A phone call to the venue can answer that question in a minute and keep you from filing in the wrong place.

Filing the Certificate in White County

After the wedding, the person who performed the ceremony fills out the marriage certificate and sends it back to the White County Clerk in Carmi within 10 days. This is required by 750 ILCS 5/209 and applies to every marriage in Illinois. Judges, retired judges, mayors, religious leaders, and village presidents can all perform ceremonies in White County. Witnesses are not required by state law. The Carmi clerk records the marriage once the completed certificate comes back.

You can look up the White County Clerk and all other Illinois clerk offices through the Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders directory. Below is a screenshot of the IDPH page about valid ID requirements, which apply to every marriage license application in Illinois.

Certified copies of a White County marriage license are available from the Carmi office. The state does not provide certified copies. The IDPH marriage records page can verify a marriage from 1962 on for $5, but for the full document you need to contact the White County Clerk.

White County Marriage Verification

IDPH can verify that a marriage happened in White County. A verification shows names, dates of birth, the 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. Send a check or money order to the Illinois Department of Public Health and include a readable photo ID with the form.

The Vital Records Act (410 ILCS 535) says marriage records in Illinois are not public. Access to certified copies is limited to certain individuals. The White County Clerk verifies your identity before releasing any records. If you need a certified copy of a White County marriage license, call (618) 382-7211 and ask the Carmi office what documentation you need to bring or mail in with your request.

Nearby Counties

If your ceremony is in a neighboring county, you need a marriage license from that county. Here are the counties closest to White County.