Search Clark County Marriage Records
Clark County marriage records are held by the County Clerk in Arkadelphia and cover all licensed marriages from 1818 to the present day. Whether you need a certified copy for legal use or want to trace family history, the clerk's office is the right place to start.
Clark County Marriage Records
Clark County Clerk Office
The Clark County Clerk handles all marriage license applications and keeps the official record of every marriage performed in the county. The office is at 4th and Crittenden Streets in downtown Arkadelphia, close to both Ouachita Baptist University and Henderson State University. You can reach the clerk at (870) 246-4281. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Both people who plan to marry must appear in person at the clerk's office. You each need a valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or passport. There is no blood test needed, and Arkansas has not recognized common law marriage since 1941. Once the license is issued, you must wait 72 hours before the ceremony can take place. The license stays valid for 60 days from the date it is issued.
Note: The 72-hour waiting period begins the moment the clerk issues the license, so plan your ceremony date accordingly.
Clark County Marriage License Requirements
Anyone 18 or older can apply without parental consent. If one applicant is 17, a parent or legal guardian must appear and sign the consent form at the clerk's office. Applicants under 17 need a court order before the clerk can issue a license. These rules come from Arkansas Code Title 9, which governs marriage law in the state.
If you were previously married, bring proof that the prior marriage ended. A divorce decree or a death certificate will work. The clerk may ask for the exact date the prior marriage was dissolved. Having those papers ready can save time. There is no waiting period related to a prior divorce under current Arkansas law.
Clark County is home to two universities, so the clerk regularly serves students, faculty, and staff getting married in the area. The office handles a steady mix of young couples and those who have relocated from elsewhere in the state.
Note: Bring original documents or certified copies; the clerk cannot accept photocopies as proof of a prior divorce or death.
Get a Certified Copy of a Clark County Marriage Record
After a ceremony is complete, the officiant returns the signed license to the County Clerk. The clerk then records it and keeps the full certified copy in the county. A coupon is sent to the Arkansas Department of Health, which has maintained statewide records since 1917.
To get a certified copy from Clark County, contact the clerk's office at (870) 246-4281 or visit in person at 4th and Crittenden Streets, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. The clerk can tell you the current fee and what identification you need to provide. Certified copies issued by the county are accepted by courts, financial institutions, and government agencies.
If the marriage took place after 1917 and you prefer to order by mail or online, the Arkansas Department of Health also holds a record. You can order through the state at healthy.arkansas.gov for $10, or use the authorized third-party vendor VitalChek if you need the copy quickly.
Clark County Marriage Records for Genealogy
Clark County was established in 1818 when Arkansas was still a territory, so the records go back a long time. Marriage records from that era can show maiden names, ages, parents who gave consent, and the name of the official who performed the ceremony. These details matter for genealogical research.
FamilySearch has indexed many Clark County marriage records and makes them free to search at familysearch.org. The Arkansas State Archives at archives.arkansas.gov also holds historic county records and can assist researchers looking for older documents. For university-connected families, records tied to Ouachita Baptist University (founded 1886) and Henderson State University are often found among Clark County filings.
Note: Records predating 1917 exist only at the county level and are not part of the statewide vital records system.
Ouachita Baptist University and the Clark County Community
Ouachita Baptist University has been in Arkadelphia since 1886. The presence of two universities in Clark County means the clerk's office serves a younger, more mobile population than many rural Arkansas counties. Students who meet in Arkadelphia and want to marry here often do so before or after graduation.
The university setting also means the records contain marriages tied to faculty and long-term staff who have made Clark County their permanent home. If you are tracing a family line connected to either institution, Clark County marriage records are a good starting point. The Ouachita Baptist University library may also hold relevant institutional records.
The image below is from the Ouachita Baptist University website, which serves the Clark County community in Arkadelphia. Source: obu.edu.
Ouachita Baptist University has been part of Clark County since 1886 and the county clerk's office in nearby downtown Arkadelphia handles marriage licenses for students, faculty, and all county residents.
Arkansas Marriage Law Overview
Arkansas marriage law is found in Title 9 of the Arkansas Code. Key rules that apply in Clark County and every other county in the state include the 72-hour waiting period between when the license is issued and when the ceremony can happen, and the 60-day window before the license expires. If you don't use it within 60 days, you must apply again and pay again.
The state stopped recognizing common law marriages in 1941. That means if two people lived together in Clark County and never got a license, the state does not treat that relationship as a legal marriage regardless of how long they lived together. This matters for probate, insurance, and benefits claims. If you need to prove or dispute a marriage for legal reasons, the county clerk's official record is the authoritative source.
Title 20 of the Arkansas Code governs vital records, including how marriage records are created, filed, and preserved. The Arkansas Department of Health uses these rules to maintain the statewide index of marriages since 1917. Both state and county records carry legal weight.
Other Ways to Search Clark County Marriage Records
Beyond the county clerk and the state health department, a few other sources may help. The Arkansas State Archives holds older records and can assist with research requests by mail or in person in Little Rock. The Arkansas Legislature website has the full text of marriage statutes if you need to understand a specific legal provision.
Third-party genealogy databases like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch have digitized many older Clark County records, though their coverage varies. Always confirm what you find in those databases against the official county or state record. Unofficial sources can have transcription errors, especially for older documents where handwriting was hard to read.
If you are searching for a record and the clerk's office cannot locate it, ask about older index books or ask if the Arkansas State Archives has a copy. Some early Clark County records were duplicated or transferred over the years.
Note: The Arkansas State Archives can assist with research requests by mail if you cannot visit in person.
Nearby Arkansas Counties
Clark County borders several other southwest Arkansas counties. If a marriage took place near a county line, it may have been recorded in a neighboring jurisdiction. Counties near Clark include Nevada County, Ouachita County, Dallas County, Hot Spring County, and Pike County. Each keeps its own marriage records through its County Clerk.