Find Putnam County Marriage License

Putnam County marriage license records are kept at the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Palatka. The clerk's office on St. Johns Avenue is the only place in the county where you can apply for a new marriage license or request copies of an existing one. Residents of Palatka, Interlachen, Crescent City, Pomona Park, and every other Putnam County community all go to this same office. Both applicants have to show up at the same time to fill out the forms. The Putnam County Clerk handles the full process, from taking your application to recording the license after your ceremony.

Putnam County Clerk Marriage License Services

The Putnam County Clerk of the Circuit Court issues all marriage licenses in the county. The office is at 410 St. Johns Avenue in Palatka. Staff will verify your identification, collect the fee, and process the application while you wait. The visit usually takes less than half an hour if you bring everything you need. Putnam County is a smaller, more rural county in northeast Florida, so wait times tend to be shorter than in larger metro areas.

Under Florida Statute 741.01, only the clerk of the circuit court can issue a marriage license. No other office in Putnam County has the authority to do this. The clerk's website has links to forms and other recording services that might help you prepare for your visit.

The Putnam County Clerk's website is a good place to check office hours and get directions before making the drive to Palatka.

The screenshot above shows the Putnam County Clerk's website. You can find links to recording services and other public records tools from this page.

How to Get a Marriage License in Putnam County

Go to the Putnam County clerk's office with your partner. Both people must be there. Bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport. You need your Social Security number, but you do not have to bring the card. Under Florida Statute 741.04, both applicants must be at least 18. A 17-year-old can apply only with written consent from both parents, and the other person must be within two years of age.

If either person was married before, bring the date the prior marriage ended. The Putnam County clerk needs to know if it ended by divorce, death, or annulment, along with the state and county of any prior divorce. Read the Family Law Handbook from the Florida Bar before your visit. The clerk will ask if you have reviewed it.

Putnam County Marriage License Fees

The fee for a marriage license in Putnam County is $86. This matches every other county in Florida. Both people can reduce it to $61 by finishing a four-hour premarital course before applying. Florida Statute 741.0305 provides the $25 savings. Bring the original certificate of completion when you visit the clerk in Putnam County. The course must come from a registered provider.

Payment options at the Putnam County Clerk's office may include cash, check, and money order. Ask about credit card acceptance when you call. Part of the fee goes to the Domestic Violence Trust Fund and part to the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund, as set by state law.

Note: Certified copies of recorded marriage licenses are available at the Putnam County clerk's office for a small per-page fee.

Marriage License Waiting Period in Putnam County

Florida residents face a three-day wait after applying for a Putnam County marriage license. The license stays inactive for those three days. This comes from Florida Statute 741.04. You can skip it by taking a premarital course. Bring the certificate and the wait goes away. Out-of-state couples do not have to wait at all.

A Putnam County marriage license is good for 60 days. Florida Statute 741.041 sets this deadline. Miss it and you start over. The ceremony can happen anywhere in Florida, not just in Putnam County. After the wedding, the officiant sends the signed license back to the Putnam County Clerk. The clerk records it and passes a copy to the Florida Department of Health for state filing.

Under Florida Statute 741.07, ordained ministers, judges, clerks of the circuit court, and notaries public can all perform a wedding in Putnam County.

Copies of Putnam County Marriage License Records

The Putnam County Clerk has recorded marriage licenses on file. You can request copies in person or by mail. The MyFloridaCounty portal lets you search official records from Putnam County and all other Florida counties online. For state-level copies, the Florida Department of Health keeps certificates going back to 1927. You can also order through VitalChek, the only contracted vendor for the Florida Department of Health.

The state charges $5 for one year of search and one certified copy. Each extra copy costs $4.

Cities in Putnam County

Putnam County is home to Palatka, Interlachen, Crescent City, Welaka, and a handful of other small communities. None of these cities have a population above 75,000, so there are no individual city pages. All Putnam County residents use the clerk's office in Palatka for marriage license needs.

Nearby Counties

Several counties border Putnam County. A Florida marriage license works anywhere in the state, so you can pick whichever clerk's office is most convenient.