Getting a Marriage License in Monroe County
Marriage licenses in Monroe County are issued by the Circuit Clerk. Dana Sloan serves as Circuit Clerk, and the office sits in the Monroe County Courthouse at 301 South Chestnut Street in Aberdeen. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., apart from legal holidays. A couple applies in person, not online. The same office stores the original marriage return after the ceremony, so it handles both the front end and the back end of the record.
Eligibility rules are short and clear. Both parties must be present when they apply. Each person must be at least 21 years old. Each must show proof of age with a valid driver's license, passport, or state-issued ID. Mississippi does not require blood work for a license, and there is no waiting period before the license is valid. Once the clerk issues it, the license is good forever and does not expire.
Applicants who are under 21 face an added step. If either party is under 21, both parents or legal guardians must appear and show photo ID. A legal guardian must bring a certified copy of the court order that named the guardian. When a parent cannot attend, a parental-consent affidavit may be signed before a notary instead. The couple arranges its own ceremony with a licensed minister or another official allowed to solemnize marriages.
The official requirements page from the Circuit Clerk lays out the rules and the documents an applicant should expect to provide. The Monroe County marriage license requirements page covers fees, ID, age proof, and the consent process for minors.
That page is the most reliable starting point before a courthouse visit, since it reflects current local policy on age, identification, and payment.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Applying is straightforward once both parties gather the right documents. Bringing exact payment and proper photo ID prevents a second trip. The steps below follow the Circuit Clerk's stated process for Monroe County applicants.
- Confirm both parties can attend together, since each must appear in person at the Circuit Clerk's office in Aberdeen.
- Bring a valid driver's license, passport, or state-issued ID for each party as proof of age.
- If either party is under 21, arrange for both parents or guardians to appear with photo ID, or sign the parental-consent affidavit before a notary.
- Complete the marriage license information form the office provides at application.
- Pay the license fee in exact cash, money order, cashier's check, or by card, and show ID if paying by card.
- Receive the license, which never expires, then arrange a ceremony with a minister or other authorized official.
No blood test is needed, and the couple may marry the same day because Mississippi sets no waiting period for a Monroe County license.
Note: The Circuit Clerk asks applicants to download and complete the marriage license information form ahead of time and bring it to the office at application.
How to Search Monroe County Marriage Records
Monroe County marriage records can be searched without a courthouse visit through an unofficial index. Delta Computer Systems hosts a marriage-license search for the county that lets users query by party name, marriage date, or book and page. The tool is a finding aid, not a certified source, so results should be confirmed with the Circuit Clerk before being relied on.
The lookup is reached through the Delta marriage license search for Monroe County. Its fields are simple, and most are optional, which helps when a researcher knows only one spouse's name.
The screen accepts the search fields shown below, returning index entries that point a user toward the underlying record held by the clerk.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name1 | Text | Optional | One party's name. |
| Name2 | Text | Optional | The other party's name. |
| Marriage Date | Date | Optional | Search by the date of marriage. |
| Book/Page | Text | Optional | Search by record book and page. |
These same search terms double as a practical inventory of what identifies a marriage record. The official paper application form was not independently confirmed during research, because the county's application PDF returned an error when fetched, so its exact field list is not verified here. The documented requirements covered above remain the safest guide to what an applicant provides at the counter.
Monroe County Marriage Records Back to 1821
The Circuit Clerk holds marriage records from 1821 through the current date. These records have been scanned into the office computer system for access and preservation, which makes older entries easier to retrieve. North Mississippi's oldest county records sit in this courthouse, so the marriage index runs deep for genealogists and title researchers alike.
Copies can be requested by mail. The marriage page states that a copy may be obtained for a fee by sending the request and payment to the Circuit Clerk. To order a copy by mail, include the items below so the office can locate the right entry.
- The complete name of the bride.
- The complete name of the groom.
- The date of the marriage.
- Payment to the Circuit Clerk's Office, P.O. Box 843, Aberdeen, MS 39730.
An unofficial index also carries a disclaimer worth reading before treating any online result as final. The Delta Monroe County records disclaimer page explains that the data is provided as a convenience and may not match the official record.
That notice underscores why a certified copy from the Circuit Clerk, not a screen print, is what courts and agencies accept.
Monroe County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Fees vary by what a person needs, from a new license to a certified copy of an old return. The license itself carries one set price, while copy and search charges depend on the format and the office. One copy fee is reported differently across two official Circuit Clerk pages, so the exact amount should be confirmed with the clerk before mailing payment.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $37.00 (add $1.00 if paid by card) |
| Marriage record copy by mail (Circuit Clerk) | $17.00 per the marriage page; the clerk fee schedule lists a lower figure, so verify the exact copy fee with the clerk |
| Clerk-made copy, per page | $1.00 |
| Certified copy, per document | $1.00 |
| Record search, per hour | $12.00 |
| MSDH five-year divorce index search | $17.00 |
No Monroe-specific divorce filing fee or certified divorce decree copy fee was located in the available records, so a person seeking a divorce decree copy should ask the Chancery Clerk for the current charge. Payment rules at the Circuit Clerk favor cash, money orders, cashier's checks, and cards over personal checks.
Note: Because the marriage copy fee differs between two official Circuit Clerk pages, confirm the exact amount and accepted payment with the office before sending a mail request.
Finding Monroe County Divorce Records
Divorce records in Mississippi are Chancery Court matters, not Circuit Clerk records. In Monroe County, a divorce is filed and granted in the Chancery Court, and the Chancery Clerk keeps the suit file. Ronnie Boozer serves as Chancery Clerk, and the office is housed at the Chancery Building on West Commerce Street in Aberdeen, a separate location from the Circuit Courthouse.
The state health department does not hold certified divorce decrees. It offers a five-year index search that can identify the county, book, and page where a divorce was recorded. Certified copies of the decree itself must come from the Chancery Clerk where the divorce was granted. A divorce file may contain custody, financial, and minor-child details, and adoption or sealed material within it can be restricted or redacted.
The state divorce index is reached through the Mississippi State Department of Health divorce index search. It is a locator, pointing a requester to the right county office for the actual decree.
Once the index confirms Monroe County, the certified decree request goes to the Chancery Clerk at the address below.
Monroe County Chancery Clerk
Ronnie Boozer, Chancery Clerk
201 West Commerce Street
Aberdeen, MS 39730
P.O. Box 578
662-369-8143
Mississippi Marriage and Divorce Records at MSDH
The Mississippi State Department of Health provides a statewide channel for marriage and divorce searches. For marriage certificates, the department notes that not every required record may be on file and directs requesters to the Circuit Clerk in the county where the license was issued. For Monroe County, that means the Circuit Clerk in Aberdeen remains the source for the original return.
The statewide marriage page explains what the department can and cannot supply. The Mississippi State Department of Health marriage records page describes its access and the referral back to the county clerk.
For a Monroe County marriage, the county Circuit Clerk almost always holds the better copy, while the state office is the fallback when a county source is unclear.
Mississippi State Department of Health
Vital Records, statewide marriage and divorce search
Refers marriage requests to the issuing county Circuit Clerk
Note: The health department offers an index search for divorces and certificate access for marriages, but the binding certified copy still comes from the county office that issued or granted the record.
Getting Certified Copies in Monroe County
Certified copies matter when a record must satisfy a court, an employer, an insurer, or a government agency. A printout from an online index does not carry the clerk's certification, so it will not be accepted for legal proceedings. A certified marriage record comes from the Circuit Clerk, while a certified divorce decree comes from the Chancery Clerk who keeps the granted case file.
To order a certified marriage copy, send the bride's and groom's full names, the marriage date, and payment to the Circuit Clerk by mail, or visit the office in Aberdeen. For a divorce decree, confirm the county through the state index, then request the certified copy from the Chancery Clerk and ask for the current fee.