Logan County Marriage Records
Logan County marriage records are maintained by the County Clerk, but this county is one of a small number in Arkansas that operates with two separate courthouse districts. Paris serves the Eastern District and Booneville serves the Southern District. Both offices issue marriage licenses and hold records for their respective parts of the county. If you need a license or a copy of a past marriage record in Logan County, you should go to the district courthouse closest to where the marriage took place or where you live. The county has kept records since its formation in 1871.
Logan County Marriage Records
Two Courthouse Districts
Logan County has two active clerk offices, which sets it apart from most Arkansas counties. The Eastern District courthouse is in Paris at 366 N. Broadway, Paris, AR 72855, phone (479) 963-2618. The Southern District courthouse is in Booneville at 201 N. Parrott Drive, Booneville, AR 72927, phone (479) 675-2711. Both handle marriage licenses and county records.
Call before you go. Either office can tell you whether to come to Paris or Booneville for your specific request. In general, if you live or plan to marry in the eastern part of the county, use the Paris office. If you are in the southern part of the county, use Booneville. The Logan County website has contact information for both offices.
Both applicants must appear in person to get a marriage license, regardless of which district office you visit. You cannot apply by mail or send a representative in your place. Bring valid photo ID for each person.
Note: If you are unsure which district office holds a particular older record, call both offices to check before making a trip.
Getting a Marriage License in Logan County
Arkansas law requires both parties to be present when applying for a marriage license. You do not need to be a resident of Logan County or even of Arkansas. The state has no residency requirement for marriage licenses under Arkansas Code Title 9. Couples from other states can apply here without issue.
You must be at least 18 to marry without outside approval. At 17, you need written parental or guardian consent. Anyone younger than 17 needs a court order. No blood test is needed. The license is valid for 60 days after the clerk issues it. If the ceremony does not happen within those 60 days, you must apply again. The fee runs around $60, but confirm the exact amount with whichever district office you use since fees can vary slightly or change over time.
If either person was previously married, bring documentation showing how that marriage ended. A certified divorce decree or a death certificate works. The clerk will want to see it before issuing the new license.
Arkansas does not recognize common law marriage. Any couple who wants a legally valid marriage must get a license and hold a proper ceremony. A license without a ceremony does not create a legal marriage.
Searching Past Marriage Records
To find a marriage record in Logan County, start by calling the clerk's office in the district where the marriage occurred. If you are not sure which district, call both. Give the full names of both parties and the approximate year. The clerk will search the index and let you know if a record exists.
Certified copies cost a small fee per document and are used for legal and personal purposes. You can request in person or by mail. For mail requests, write a letter with the names, the approximate date of the marriage, and your return address. Include payment by check or money order. Call the relevant district office first to get the correct fee and confirm the mailing address.
Records going back to 1871 may be in ledger format rather than a digital database. Older requests take more time. If you are doing genealogy research, allow extra time and consider reaching out to the Arkansas State Archives, which holds historical county records from across the state.
State Vital Records Office
The Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records office holds statewide marriage records dating back to 1917. Their office is at 4815 W. Markham Street, Little Rock, AR 72205, and the phone number is (501) 661-2336. A certified copy from the state costs $10.
You can order online through VitalChek, the state's authorized third-party vendor. Online orders add a service fee on top of the base cost. For marriages before 1917, the state office will not have a record. In those cases, the county clerk and state archives are the right places to look.
The state office is useful when you are not sure which county a marriage took place in. They have a broader index that covers all 75 counties for the post-1917 period.
Genealogy and Historical Research
Logan County was formed in 1871 in the Arkansas River Valley of western Arkansas. The county was named for James Logan, an early settler of the area. Marriage records from the late 1800s and early 1900s can be valuable for tracing families who farmed or worked in this part of the state during that period.
The FamilySearch Logan County page lists available collections and tells you which ones have been digitized. Some early Logan County records are accessible online through FamilySearch at no cost. The Arkansas State Archives can also help with older records, particularly those that have been transferred from the courthouse for preservation.
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas has a Logan County entry that gives background on the two-district structure and the county's history, which can help put records in context when you find them.
The City of Paris operates a local website that reflects the character of the Eastern District seat. The image below is from the City of Paris, Arkansas website, which serves as a reference point for the eastern courthouse district.
Paris is the larger of the two county seats and houses the Eastern District clerk's office where many Logan County marriage license requests are handled.
Legal Requirements Summary
Arkansas marriage law is uniform across the state. The rules are the same in Logan County as anywhere else in Arkansas. Both parties must appear in person, both must meet the age requirement, and both must have valid photo ID. If either was previously married, proof of dissolution is required.
The person who performs the ceremony must be legally authorized to do so under Arkansas law. This includes ordained ministers, judges, and certain other officials. After the ceremony, the officiant must sign the license and return it to the county clerk within a specific number of days. This step is required for the marriage to be officially recorded. If the signed license is not returned, the couple may face difficulty getting certified copies in the future.
Proxy marriages are not permitted in Arkansas. Both people must be physically present at the ceremony. There is no waiting period between when the clerk issues the license and when the ceremony can take place, as long as both parties have met all the application requirements.
Note: Always confirm current fees and hours directly with the Paris or Booneville clerk's office before visiting, as both may have different schedules.
Nearby Counties
The counties surrounding Logan County in western Arkansas each have their own clerk offices and record collections. If your research covers this part of the state, these neighboring counties may also hold relevant records.