Search El Dorado Marriage Records

El Dorado is the county seat of Union County in south Arkansas, and marriage records for the city and surrounding area are managed by the Union County Clerk. From applying for a marriage license to requesting a certified copy of a past record, the county clerk's office is the starting point for all marriage record functions in El Dorado. This page covers how to use those services, what documents you need, and how to access records remotely if you cannot visit the courthouse in person.

Union County Clerk and El Dorado

The Union County Clerk is located at 101 N. Washington Street in El Dorado, AR 71730. Since El Dorado is the county seat, the clerk's office is right in the city. You do not need to travel to another town to apply for a marriage license or pick up a certified copy. The phone number is (870) 864-1910, and office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. El Dorado is the main population center in Union County, and the clerk's office here serves residents from across the county, not just from the city itself.

Union County has maintained marriage records going back to 1829. That is a long record history, making this a valuable resource for genealogists researching south Arkansas families. Older records may be in physical form only, and retrieval can take longer than for modern records. If you are looking for something from the 1800s, it is best to call (870) 864-1910 before visiting to confirm what is available and how to request it. The Arkansas State Archives may also hold related historical materials for Union County.

El Dorado has a strong civic identity in the region, with institutions like South Arkansas Community College and an active local chamber represented by the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce. These resources sometimes help connect residents to local government services and legal aid referrals, though for marriage records the county clerk is the right starting point. The City of El Dorado's website covers city services but does not handle marriage record functions, which remain at the county level.

Note: El Dorado residents who have recently moved from another Arkansas county may find that their prior marriage was recorded in a different county; contact the Department of Health for help locating statewide records if you are not sure where a specific marriage was filed.

Applying for a Marriage License in El Dorado

Both people must appear in person at the Union County Clerk's office. There is no online application process and no proxy option. Each person needs a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport. If either person was previously married, you need documentation showing how that marriage ended. A certified copy of the divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate both work. The clerk's staff will review the documents and confirm that you are eligible to receive a license.

Once the license is issued, Arkansas law requires a 72-hour waiting period before the ceremony can take place. The license is valid for 60 days. If the wedding does not happen within that period, the license expires and you will need to apply again. There is no residency requirement to get a license in Union County. Out-of-state couples can apply here and marry in Arkansas without any special steps, as long as they meet the state's age and eligibility rules.

The minimum age to marry without parental consent is 18. A 17-year-old may marry with written parental consent. Anyone under 17 needs a court order authorizing the marriage. No blood test is required in Arkansas. Common law marriage has not been recognized in the state since 1941. All of these requirements are set by Arkansas Code Title 9, which is available online through the state legislature's website. The fee for a marriage license is around $60, but confirm the current amount with the clerk before you visit.

Finding El Dorado Marriage Records Online

If you cannot visit El Dorado in person, you have a few reliable online options. The Arkansas Department of Health holds certified marriage records for the entire state from 1917 forward. Their vital records office is at 4815 W. Markham Street in Little Rock, but you can submit requests by mail. The cost is $10 per certified copy. This is the go-to option for records within that date range and is widely accepted by government agencies and courts.

For online ordering without mailing a paper form, VitalChek is the state's authorized third-party vendor. You fill out the request form online, pay by credit card, and VitalChek routes the order to the Arkansas Department of Health for processing. Additional service fees are added by VitalChek beyond the state's $10 base fee. Check the site for current pricing and expected processing times. This option is especially useful for residents of El Dorado who need a copy on short notice.

For older records, the Arkansas State Archives holds historical Union County records and can assist with genealogical research. The FamilySearch Arkansas Vital Records wiki outlines which Arkansas records have been digitized and indexed, and some Union County marriage records from the 19th century may be accessible online through that platform without any cost. For records that are not yet digitized, a written or in-person request to the Union County Clerk is typically required.

Note: When ordering through VitalChek or by mail to the Department of Health, include as much detail as possible about the marriage, including the approximate year and the full names of both parties, to speed up the search process.

Certified Copies and What You Need Them For

A certified copy of a marriage record is an official document with a raised seal or certification stamp. This is what banks, courts, insurance companies, the Social Security Administration, the IRS, and immigration authorities require when you need to prove a marriage took place. Printouts from genealogy websites, personal photos of records, or uncertified photocopies do not meet this standard. You need the official document.

For marriages from 1917 onward, the Arkansas Department of Health is the primary issuing agency. The fee is $10 per copy. For marriages before 1917, the Union County Clerk is the primary source, with records going back to 1829. Contact the clerk at (870) 864-1910 to ask about the process for older records. For very old documents, the clerk may need extra time to locate and reproduce the record, and a mail request may take several weeks to process.

One thing to keep in mind: a marriage license and a marriage certificate are separate documents. The license is issued before the wedding. The certificate is what gets signed during or just after the ceremony by the officiant and witnesses, then filed with the county. Certified copies are made from the certificate of record, not the original license application. If you are not sure which document your situation calls for, the clerk's office can usually clarify based on the purpose of your request. Court cases, name change requests, and immigration filings all typically require the certificate, not the license.

Marriage Law in Arkansas and Union County

Marriage law in Arkansas is uniform across all 75 counties. The City of El Dorado has no separate marriage code or local ordinances affecting how licenses are issued or records are kept. Everything is governed by Arkansas Code Title 9. The county clerk is required by state law to issue licenses to eligible applicants, maintain records, and comply with the state's fee schedule and procedure rules. This means the process in El Dorado is the same as anywhere else in Arkansas.

Common law marriage comes up regularly in south Arkansas, where many families have long multi-generational roots and informal family arrangements are common. Arkansas stopped recognizing new common law marriages in 1941. No matter how long a couple has lived together since then, they are not legally married unless they went through the formal license and ceremony process. This matters for estate disputes, survivor benefits, joint tax filings, and many other legal matters where marital status determines rights and responsibilities.

El Dorado is in Union County, which borders Louisiana to the south. Couples near the state line should be aware that Louisiana has different marriage laws, and an Arkansas license does not carry legal weight for a ceremony performed in Louisiana. Likewise, a Louisiana marriage would be recorded in Louisiana and would need to be obtained from Louisiana vital records, not from Union County or the Arkansas Department of Health.

Arkansas State Records and Secretary of State Reference

The Arkansas Secretary of State's office maintains state-level government records and provides a range of public record services. The screenshot below is from the Secretary of State's official website, which can be a useful starting point when navigating Arkansas government agencies.

While the Secretary of State does not issue marriage records directly, the site at sos.arkansas.gov can help you navigate state government contacts and understand which agency handles specific types of records. For marriage records specifically, the Arkansas Department of Health is the correct state-level contact.

The authorized third-party vendor for online vital records orders is VitalChek. The screenshot below shows the VitalChek portal for Arkansas vital records, which is where online orders for certified copies are processed.

VitalChek routes all orders through the Arkansas Department of Health, so using this vendor is a safe and legitimate way to get certified copies without visiting in person.

Nearby Cities

El Dorado is in the southern part of Arkansas. The qualifying cities closest to El Dorado are below, each served by separate county clerks.

• Texarkana - Miller County (Arkansas side)
• Pine Bluff - Jefferson County

Texarkana is to the southwest, in Miller County. Pine Bluff is to the north, in Jefferson County. Records for marriages in either of those cities would be held by their respective county clerks. The Arkansas Department of Health at healthy.arkansas.gov can help you find the right county if you are not sure where a specific marriage was recorded.