Arkansas Marriage License Requirements 2026: $60, No Wait for Adults

Arkansas marriage licenses come from the county clerk, and you can apply in any county in the state under Ark. Code 9-11-201. Adults face no waiting period, the license must go back to the county clerk within 60 days of its date, and the counties we checked charge $60. A 17-year-old can marry only with notarized parental consent and a five-business-day wait.

For other states, see our guide to marriage license requirements by state.

Information last verified on October 7, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers getting a marriage license and marrying in Arkansas under Chapter 11 of Title 9 of the Arkansas Code (Ark. Code 9-11-101 and following), plus the published procedures of the Pulaski County and Pope County clerks. The Arkansas Code text quoted here was read from the Justia copy of the code, because the legislature's own site does not offer readable section text. This article does not cover divorce, ordering older marriage records, common-law marriage, or the rules of other states.

Where to Get a Marriage License in Arkansas

You apply to a county clerk. Ark. Code 9-11-201(a) says:

"All persons hereafter contracting marriage in this state are required to first obtain a license from the clerk of the county court of some county in this state."

The statute lets you use any Arkansas county, and nothing in Ark. Code 9-11-201 through 9-11-218 ties the wedding to the county that issued the license. You do not need to live in that county, and those sections contain no Arkansas residency requirement.

Both applicants sign a notice of intention to wed that states each person's name, age and address (Ark. Code 9-11-205(a)). In practice, both of you appear: Pulaski County's clerk says "Both applicants must be present and apply together to obtain a marriage license." Pulaski also links an online application you can start before your visit, but you still finish in person.

One more statutory condition: the clerk may not issue a license to an applicant who is visibly intoxicated (Ark. Code 9-11-207).

What to Bring

The statute asks for the information on the notice of intention to wed. The clerk verifies each applicant's age and may accept a birth certificate as prima facie proof of age (Ark. Code 9-11-205). The county clerk also records each applicant's Social Security number on the application, noting if an applicant has none, and sends it to Vital Records (Ark. Code 9-11-201(b)-(c)).

County clerks add their own ID rules, and they differ:

• Pulaski County: a government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport or military ID) showing your correct name and date of birth. If your ID shows a different name because of a divorce, bring the divorce decree.
• Pope County: a state picture ID and a Social Security card for adult applicants.

Call or check the website of the county clerk you plan to use before you go.

How Much a Marriage License Costs in Arkansas

The license chapter does not print a dollar amount; the fees are set in a separate marriage license fee statute, Ark. Code 14-20-111. Ark. Code 9-11-206 says "The fee prescribed by law for the issuance of the marriage license shall be paid to the clerk at the time the applicants apply." The counties we checked charge $60.

County fees can change, and the county clerk's page is the final word. Other counties were not checked for this page.

Arkansas also requires a $100 bond. When you apply, you enter a penal bond payable to the county general fund, and the bond becomes void when you return the license on time (Ark. Code 9-11-210). The return deadline below is what keeps that bond from staying in force.

Waiting Period and the 60-Day Return Deadline

There is no waiting period when both applicants are 18 or older. Pope County puts it this way: "There is no waiting period required unless it is an underage marriage...then there is a (5) five working day waiting period." The five-day rule comes from Ark. Code 9-11-102(b)(6), which applies only to licenses issued to 17-year-olds.

After the license is issued, the clock that matters is the return deadline. Ark. Code 9-11-218(a) says anyone obtaining a license must "return the license to the office of the clerk of the county court within sixty (60) days from the date of the license." Pope County says the license "MUST be returned to the office of the County Clerk no later than (60) SIXTY days from the date of issuance."

The statute frames the 60 days as a return deadline, not an expiration date. If the license is not returned on time, the $100 bond stays in force. The safe plan is to marry and return the license within 60 days of its date, and to return it even if you did not marry.

Minimum Age to Marry in Arkansas

The general rule is 18. Arkansas does not ban marriage under 18: since Act 849 of 2019, a 17-year-old may marry with parental or guardian consent, and no one younger may marry under Ark. Code 9-11-102. The statute says "a male or female who is at least seventeen (17) years of age but under the age of eighteen (18) years may contract marriage as provided under this subsection."

For a 17-year-old, Ark. Code 9-11-102(b) requires:

• A verified, notarized affidavit of consent filed with the clerk.
• Both parents' consent, unless one parent has sole custody under a divorce order, a parent surrendered custody through abandonment or desertion, or a guardian has been appointed (then the guardian's consent is enough).
• A five-business-day waiting period before the license can be picked up (Pulaski and Pope describe it this way).

A circuit court may void the consent if clear and convincing evidence shows the parent or guardian is unfit and the marriage is not in the minor's best interest.

The age history matters because older text is still in the code. Act 849 of 2019 (approved April 10, 2019) raised the floor to 17 for both sexes and removed the pregnancy route for younger applicants. Act 470 of 2021 (approved March 25, 2021), a technical-corrections act, rewrote 9-11-102 into its current form, including the guardian path. Two older sections, Ark. Code 9-11-208(b) and 9-11-105(a), still print a split of 16 for females and 17 for males. Those sections were never conformed. Ark. Code 9-11-102, the most recently amended rule, controls.

A separate section, Ark. Code 9-11-103, lets a circuit judge order a license when a party is under 18 but over 16 and the female is pregnant or has given birth. Because that bracket covers only 17-year-olds, it adds a court route; it does not lower the minimum age.

Minors who want to understand adult status more broadly can read about Arkansas emancipation laws.

Who Cannot Marry in Arkansas

Ark. Code 9-11-106 voids marriages between close relatives. Marriages "between parents and children, including grandparents and grandchildren of every degree, between brothers and sisters of the half as well as the whole blood, and between uncles and nieces, and between aunts and nephews, and between first cousins are declared to be incestuous and absolutely void." The bar extends to relationships of illegitimate birth. Contracting such a marriage, or knowingly performing one, is a misdemeanor.

So first cousins cannot marry in Arkansas. The statute has no exception for them.

Blood Tests

The license statutes, Ark. Code 9-11-201 through 9-11-218, contain no blood test or medical requirement.

Who Can Perform the Ceremony

Ark. Code 9-11-213(a) lists who may solemnize a marriage:

• The Governor and any former Arkansas Supreme Court justice.
• Judges of courts of record, and former judges with at least four years of service.
• Justices of the peace, and former justices of the peace with at least two terms.
• Any regularly ordained minister or priest of any religious sect or denomination.
• The current mayor of any city or town, and a former mayor of a first-class or second-class city with at least five years in office.
• Any official appointed for that purpose by the quorum court of the county where the wedding takes place.
• Elected district court judges, and former municipal or district judges with at least four years of service.

Marriages by Quaker rite are also recognized (Ark. Code 9-11-213).

Ministers must record their credentials first. Ark. Code 9-11-214 says "No minister of the gospel or priest of any religious sect or denomination shall be authorized to solemnize the rites of matrimony in this state until the minister or priest has caused to be recorded his or her license or credentials" with the county clerk of an Arkansas county. The minister adds the county and date of recording to the marriage certificate. Officiating without recording is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of at least $100. Pope County confirms: "Minister's performing marriage ceremonies in the State of Arkansas MUST have their credentials (ordination Certificate or Minister's License) recorded in one of the counties in the state."

If your officiant was ordained online, no official source we found says whether that counts as "regularly ordained." Ask the county clerk before the officiant records credentials.

The statute does not authorize couples to marry themselves; self-uniting is not on the 9-11-213 list. The statutes reviewed for this page do not require witnesses, and the Pope County clerk states: "No witnesses are required."

For a civil ceremony, the Pulaski County clerk's office does not officiate, but justices of the peace perform marriages for a fee.

Military Applicants and Proxy Marriage

An Arkansas resident on active duty, or an Arkansas resident marrying an active-duty service member, can petition the county court in writing to waive the bond and parental-consent requirements (Ark. Code 9-11-211). The petition still requires an appearance: "The parties shall personally appear before the court, and the service man or woman will appear in uniform."

Arkansas's license statutes do not mention proxy marriage. Both applicants sign the notice of intention to wed, and counties require both to appear when applying. Pulaski and Pope both say a power of attorney is not accepted.

Covenant Marriage in Arkansas

Arkansas offers covenant marriage under the Covenant Marriage Act of 2001 (Ark. Code 9-11-801 and following). Ark. Code 9-11-803(b) says a couple "may contract a covenant marriage by declaring their intent to do so on their application for a marriage license."

The couple files a declaration of intent with the issuing official. Under Ark. Code 9-11-804 it contains:

1. A recitation signed by both parties.
2. An affidavit that they received counseling covering the seriousness of covenant marriage, its lifelong commitment, the duty to seek counseling in times of difficulty, and the exclusive grounds for ending it.
3. The counselor's attestation that counseling took place and that the Administrative Office of the Courts pamphlet was provided.
4. Both signatures, notarized.

Ending a covenant marriage follows different rules from an ordinary divorce. Ask the county clerk or a lawyer before choosing it.

After the Ceremony

The officiant completes the certificate on the license and must sign it and return it to the couple at the time of the marriage. An officiant who fails to do so faces a fine of $100 to $500 (Ark. Code 9-11-217).

Then the couple returns the license to the county clerk within 60 days of its date, and the clerk records it (Ark. Code 9-11-218). If the certificate is lost, burned or destroyed before it can be returned, the couple (or a surviving spouse, or the heirs) can file a notarized affidavit with the issuing county clerk for a new certificate. The fee is $10, and filing it voids the $100 bond. The new certificate may then be filed with that clerk within 90 days, with the clerk's current fee for sending it to Vital Records (Ark. Code 9-11-218(c)-(d), as amended by Act 845 of 2025).

Certified copies come from the county clerk (Pulaski charges $5.00 per copy) or the Arkansas Department of Health Vital Records ($10.00 per copy). For the full process, see Arkansas marriage and divorce records.

If you are changing your surname, start with Arkansas name change laws and our guide to changing your name after marriage.

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about marriage licenses under Arkansas law (Ark. Code Title 9, Chapter 11), verified on October 7, 2026. It is not legal advice. County procedures and fees change; for your situation, contact the county clerk issuing your license or a lawyer licensed in Arkansas.

Related

• Marriage license requirements by state
• Arkansas marriage and divorce records
• Arkansas common-law marriage
• Arkansas name change laws
• Louisiana marriage license requirements
• Texas marriage license requirements

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I get a marriage license in Arkansas?

From the county clerk. Ark. Code 9-11-201(a) lets you get the license from the clerk of the county court of any county in Arkansas.

How much does a marriage license cost in Arkansas?

Pulaski and Pope counties charge $60. Ark. Code 9-11-206 refers only to the fee prescribed by law, so confirm the amount and accepted payment methods with your county clerk.

Is there a waiting period to get married in Arkansas?

Not for applicants who are 18 or older. A license issued to a 17-year-old carries a five-business-day waiting period under Ark. Code 9-11-102(b)(6).

How long is an Arkansas marriage license good for?

Ark. Code 9-11-218 requires you to return the license to the county clerk within 60 days of its date. County clerks describe this as a 60-day window, so marry and return the license within it.

Do both people have to be present to get an Arkansas marriage license?

Both applicants sign the notice of intention to wed (Ark. Code 9-11-205), and Pulaski County says both applicants must be present and apply together.

Can a 17-year-old get married in Arkansas?

Yes, with a verified, notarized affidavit of consent from the parents or guardian filed with the clerk, followed by a five-business-day wait. Ark. Code 9-11-102 sets those rules.

Can a 16-year-old get married in Arkansas?

No. Since Act 849 of 2019, Ark. Code 9-11-102 sets 17 as the minimum age, and only with parental or guardian consent.

Can first cousins marry in Arkansas?

No. Ark. Code 9-11-106 declares marriages between first cousins incestuous and absolutely void.

Does an officiant need to register in Arkansas?

A minister or priest must record his or her credentials with the county clerk of an Arkansas county before officiating, under Ark. Code 9-11-214. Judges, justices of the peace and the other officials listed in 9-11-213 do not record credentials.

Do you need a blood test to get married in Arkansas?

The license statutes, Ark. Code 9-11-201 through 9-11-218, contain no blood test or medical requirement.