Union County Marriage License Lookup

Union County marriage license records are on file at the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Lake Butler. This small north-central Florida county handles all marriage license applications through the clerk's office on West Main Street. Couples who want to get married or need to look up an existing marriage license in Union County go to this one location. The clerk processes new applications, records completed licenses after the ceremony, and sends copies to the state. Every community in Union County, from Lake Butler to Raiford and Worthington Springs, uses this same office for marriage license help.

Union County Clerk Office for Marriage Licenses

The Union County Clerk of the Circuit Court is the only office in the county that issues marriage licenses. Located on West Main Street in Lake Butler, this is where both applicants must appear in person. Union County is one of the smallest counties in Florida by population, but the process for getting a marriage license here is the same as in any other county.

Under Florida Statute 741.01, the clerk has the sole power to issue a marriage license. The Union County Clerk is part of the 8th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, and Levy counties. If the Lake Butler office is not convenient, you can apply at any Florida county clerk's office since the license is valid statewide.

The clerk's office website at unionclerk.com may have updates on hours and procedures. It is a good idea to call before you visit, since smaller offices sometimes have limited walk-in hours.

Use the Find a Clerk tool to confirm contact information for the Union County Clerk or any other Florida county clerk.

Applying for a Marriage License in Union County

Go to the Union County clerk's office with the person you plan to marry. Both of you must be there at the same time. Bring a valid photo ID. A driver's license works, and so does a passport or state ID card. You also need to provide your Social Security number on the application form, though you do not need the actual card.

Both applicants must be at least 18 under Florida Statute 741.04. A 17-year-old can apply with written consent from both parents, as long as the other person is not more than two years older. If either person was married before, the Union County clerk needs the date the prior marriage ended, how it ended, and where the divorce took place. Without this info, your application cannot move forward.

The Florida Bar's Family Law Handbook is required reading. The clerk will ask if you have reviewed it before issuing the license.

Note: No blood test is needed to get a marriage license in Union County.

Union County Marriage License Fees

The fee for a marriage license in Union County is $86. This is the standard rate in every Florida county. Complete a four-hour premarital preparation course and the fee drops to $61. Florida Statute 741.0305 allows this $25 discount when both people finish the course and bring their original certificates to the clerk. Part of the fee funds the Domestic Violence Trust Fund. Another part goes to the State Courts Revenue Trust Fund.

Certified copies of a recorded marriage license run about $3 each from the Union County Clerk. Call the office at (386) 496-3711 to ask what payment methods they accept. Cash is always an option. Some clerks charge a small fee for credit card use.

Union County Marriage License Waiting Period

Florida residents who apply for a marriage license in Union County face a three-day wait. The license is not valid until those three days pass. You cannot hold the ceremony before the waiting period ends. This rule comes from state law and applies in every Florida county.

Skip the wait by taking a four-hour premarital course. Bring your completion certificate to the Union County clerk when you apply. The license becomes valid right away. You also save $25 on the fee. Out-of-state residents do not face any waiting period at all. The premarital course covers things like how to communicate, handle conflict, manage money, and deal with parenting duties. Both people can take it together or apart.

Note: Ask the Union County Clerk for a list of approved premarital course providers in the area.

After the Wedding in Union County

The signed marriage license goes back to the Union County Clerk after the ceremony. Under Florida Statute 741.041, the license is good for 60 days. If the ceremony does not happen within that window, you must apply again. The person who performs the wedding usually returns the signed license to the clerk.

The clerk records the license and sends a copy to the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. State-level filing takes about 60 days after the ceremony. Under Florida Statute 741.07, ordained ministers, judges, notaries public, and clerks of the circuit court can all perform a wedding in Union County or anywhere else in the state.

Get Copies of Union County Marriage Records

The Union County Clerk has recorded marriage licenses on file at the courthouse in Lake Butler. You can get copies in person or by mail. The MyFloridaCounty official records portal lets you search for filed documents in Union County and across the state online.

For marriage certificates from June 6, 1927 onward, the Florida Department of Health also has records. Use VitalChek to order copies online. The state search fee is $5 for one year and one certified copy. Marriages before 1927 are only on file at the county clerk where the license was first issued.

Cities in Union County

Union County is home to Lake Butler, Raiford, and Worthington Springs. None of these communities have a population large enough for a separate city page. All residents of Union County go to the clerk's office on West Main Street in Lake Butler for marriage license services.

Nearby Counties

Several counties border Union County. You can apply for a marriage license at any Florida county clerk's office, and the license is valid for use statewide.