Two Offices for Washington County Marriage and Divorce Records
The first thing to get right is which office holds which record. The County Clerk handles marriage licenses and county administrative records. The Circuit Clerk handles Circuit Court case files, and divorce is one of those. So a marriage license and a divorce decree are not requested from the same window, even though both offices share the courthouse. Mixing them up is the most common mistake people make.
Marriage records are vital-style records kept by the County Clerk. Divorce records are court records kept by the Circuit Clerk. The County Clerk is Becky Lewallen, and the Circuit Clerk is Kyle Sylvester. For court records in general, see the court records page, and for each office, see the County Clerk and Circuit Clerk pages.
Marriage Licenses at the County Clerk
A marriage license comes from the Washington County Clerk. Both applicants apply together, bring identification, complete the application, and pay the license fee. After the ceremony, an authorized officiant completes the license, and it is returned for recording. Once recorded, the County Clerk can issue certified copies of the marriage record. The office is at 280 N College Ave, Ste 300, in Fayetteville.
Arkansas sets validity and return rules for the license, so confirm the current requirements with the office before the ceremony. The County Clerk is also the official bookkeeper of county government, and the office supports election and voter-registration functions, but for couples the marriage license is the main reason to visit. The County Clerk page is the source for current marriage details.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
The application is straightforward, but both people need to take part and bring the right documents. The steps below cover the path from application to recorded record.
- Contact or visit the Washington County Clerk.
- Bring required identification for both applicants.
- Complete the marriage license application together.
- Pay the license fee.
- Hold the ceremony with an authorized officiant.
- Return the completed license for recording.
- Request certified copies from the County Clerk after recording.
Confirm the current ID rules, fee, and office hours before you go, since requirements can change.
Marriage License Application Fields
The marriage license application asks for identity and background details for both applicants. The table lists the fields to expect, so you can gather what you need before you apply.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 full legal name | Text | Yes | First, middle, last, and suffix. |
| Applicant 2 full legal name | Text | Yes | First, middle, last, and suffix. |
| Date of birth | Date | Yes | Used for age eligibility. |
| Address | Text | Yes | Residential or mailing. |
| Identification | Text / dropdown | Yes | Government photo ID type and number, if requested. |
| Prior marriage status | Checkbox | Likely | Divorced, widowed, or never married. |
| Signatures | Signature | Yes | Both applicants. |
| Officiant return | Signature | After ceremony | Officiant name, title, date, and place. |
Certified Marriage Copies
After the license is recorded, the County Clerk can issue certified copies of the marriage record. A certified copy carries the office's seal and is the version accepted for legal purposes like a name change or benefits. An uncertified printout may be fine for personal reference, but it does not carry the same legal weight. Bring the names and the rough marriage date when you request a copy.
Confirm the current copy fee with the County Clerk before you order, since amounts change over time. If you need several certified copies for different agencies, order them at once, because a single trip is usually faster than repeat requests.
Divorce Records at the Circuit Clerk
Divorce is a Circuit Court domestic-relations matter, so the divorce file and the decree live with the Circuit Clerk, not the County Clerk. Many divorce case summaries appear in Search ARCourts, the statewide case portal, where you can search by party name or case number. For a certified decree, or for files not shown online, contact the Circuit Clerk at 280 N College Ave, Ste 302, in Fayetteville.
You can run a public search through Search ARCourts and filter to Washington County. The case-type filter even includes DIVORCE, which narrows the results. A divorce file can also hold related domestic-relations matters like custody, child support, and contempt motions, all tracked through the same Circuit Court. For the office details, see the Circuit Clerk page.
Filing for Divorce in Washington County
Filing for divorce follows a set path through Circuit Court. Arkansas recognizes both no-fault grounds, through statutory separation requirements, and fault grounds. Cases that involve children add confidential financial and child-related filings. The steps below outline the process.
- Confirm Arkansas residency and venue requirements.
- Prepare the complaint for divorce and related forms.
- File with the Washington County Circuit Clerk.
- Pay the filing fee or file a fee-waiver petition if eligible.
- Serve the other spouse unless service is waived.
- Address temporary orders, custody, support, and property.
- Attend the hearing or submit an agreed decree if allowed.
- Obtain the filed or certified decree from the Circuit Clerk.
Statewide divorce forms are available through the Arkansas court forms library for people without a lawyer.
Divorce Decrees and Confidential Family Information
A divorce decree is generally a public court record. That does not mean every page is open. Financial account numbers, Social Security numbers, minor children's information, and any sealed filings are restricted. Adoption-related material is confidential. So a public search may show the case and the decree while holding back sensitive exhibits. The court applies these limits under its access rules.
Note: Divorce decrees are public unless sealed, but child-related and financial details are protected and may not appear in a public search.
Marriage and Divorce Record Fees
Fees split by office. The County Clerk sets the marriage license and certified marriage copy fees. The Circuit Clerk sets the divorce filing fee and the certified decree fee, published on the office's fee page. The specific amounts were not captured in the official sources reviewed here, so confirm the current charge with the office before you pay. The table shows the items and where each is set.
| Item | Office | Where to Confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license | County Clerk | County Clerk office |
| Certified marriage copy | County Clerk | County Clerk office |
| Divorce filing | Circuit Clerk | Circuit Clerk fee page |
| Certified divorce decree | Circuit Clerk | Circuit Clerk fee page |
See the Circuit Clerk fee page for divorce filing amounts.
Vital Records vs Court Records
It helps to see the bigger picture. A marriage record is a vital-style record of an event, kept by the County Clerk. A divorce record is a court record of a case, kept by the Circuit Clerk. Birth and death certificates, by contrast, are state vital records and run through a state office, not the county clerks. Matching the record to the right office is the key to a fast search.
When you are not sure which office to ask, start with the event. A license points to the County Clerk. A court case points to the Circuit Clerk. Both offices share the same courthouse address, so a single trip can cover both if you need a marriage copy and a divorce decree. The public records page covers the broader request framework.
Searching Older Marriage and Divorce Records
Older records can take more effort than recent ones. The statewide case portal carries many recent divorce cases, but a divorce from decades ago may sit on paper in the Circuit Clerk's files rather than online. The same goes for older marriage records at the County Clerk. For those, a phone call or an in-person request usually beats an online search.
Give the office as much as you can: full names, including a maiden name where it applies, and the approximate year. Older files may be archived, off site, or indexed by hand, so staff may need time and a copy fee to pull them. The more detail you bring, the faster the search. If you are unsure which year to start from, the clerk can sometimes search a range. For the request steps and what each office keeps, the Circuit Clerk and County Clerk pages explain the process.