Appling County Marriage Records

Appling County marriage records are filed and stored at the Probate Court in Baxley, Georgia. The court handles all marriage license requests for people who live in the county or plan to hold a ceremony here. You can search for past marriage records at the Appling County courthouse or reach out by phone to ask about what is on file. Staff at the Probate Court can help you get copies of older licenses and certificates. If you need a record from before 1952 or after 1996, the Appling County Probate Court is the only place to go since the state office does not hold those files.

Appling County Probate Court

The Appling County Probate Court is the main office for all marriage license and marriage record needs in the area. This office sits inside the Appling County Courthouse on South Main Street in Baxley. Both people who want to get married must show up in person. You can not send just one person or apply by mail. The court staff will check your paperwork, take your fee, and give you the license on the spot if all is in order. The whole visit can take less than an hour in most cases at the Appling County Probate Court.

Walk-ins are welcome during regular business hours. The office does not need you to set up a time in advance, but calling ahead can save you a trip if you want to make sure someone is free to help. Marriage ceremonies may also be done at the courthouse, though you should check with the clerk on days that work for the court schedule.

Marriage License Fees in Appling County

The fee to get a marriage license in Appling County is $76 without premarital counseling. If both people take a qualifying course before they apply, the fee drops to $36. That is a big savings. The state sets this discount under O.C.G.A. § 19-3-30.1. To get the lower rate, you must show a certificate of completion at the time you fill out the forms at the Appling County Probate Court. The course must have been done within 12 months before the date you apply and must be at least six hours long.

The Probate Court takes cash and some other forms of payment. Money orders and certified checks work. You should call ahead to see if credit or debit cards are taken at the Appling County office, as rules can change. Personal checks are not accepted in many Georgia probate courts, and Appling County is no different. Plan to bring the right form of payment so you do not have to make a second trip.

Note: All license fees are non-refundable, even if you do not end up using the license.

How to Get Appling County Marriage Records

You can get copies of marriage records from the Appling County Probate Court in a few ways. The simplest route is to visit the courthouse in Baxley. Go to the clerk window, give the names and the date of the marriage, and ask for a certified copy. The fee is $10 per copy. Staff will search the files and print what you need. Most requests take just a few minutes if the record is on file at the Appling County courthouse.

If you can not go in person, you may be able to request copies by mail. Send a written note with the full names of both people, the date of the ceremony, and a check or money order for $10 to the Appling County Probate Court at 36 S Main St, Baxley, GA 31513. Put your return address on the note so they can send the record back to you. Phone requests are not usually accepted for certified copies, but you can call (912) 367-8114 to ask about your options at the Appling County office.

The Georgia Department of Public Health holds some marriage records from 1952 to 1996. For anything outside that range, the Appling County Probate Court is your source.

Appling County Marriage License Requirements

Georgia law sets the rules for who can get a marriage license. Both people must be at least 18 years old under O.C.G.A. § 19-3-2. A 17-year-old can get a license only if they have been legally emancipated and at least 15 days have passed since the court order. Both people must appear in person at the Appling County Probate Court. There is no way around this step.

You need to bring a valid photo ID. This can be a driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. If you were married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or a death certificate for the former spouse. All papers must be in English. If a document is in a different language, you need a certified translation. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-3-1, both parties must be of sound mind and free from a prior un-dissolved marriage to get a license in Appling County.

• Valid photo ID for both people
• Proof of age (birth certificate or passport if no photo ID)
• Divorce decree or death certificate if previously married
• Social Security number
• Premarital counseling certificate for the reduced fee

The license does not expire for 60 days. That gives you two months to hold the ceremony. If you do not use it in time, the license becomes void and you must start over and pay again at the Appling County Probate Court.

Marriage Ceremonies in Appling County

After you get the license, any authorized person can perform the ceremony. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 19-3-30 says that judges, ministers, and other clergy can officiate. The Appling County Probate Court may also perform ceremonies, but you should call first to ask about this. Not all courts offer this service on every day of the week.

The person who does the ceremony must sign the marriage license. They then have 30 days to return the signed license to the Appling County Probate Court. Once the court gets it back, they record the marriage and send a certified marriage certificate to the couple by mail. This usually takes about 30 days from the date the signed license comes back. If you need the certificate sooner, you can go to the courthouse in Baxley and ask for a copy once the record has been entered into the system.

Appling County Marriage Record Sources

The MarriageLaws.org page for Appling County has a quick overview of license rules and links to the local Probate Court. This is a good place to double check current info before your visit.

For old records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow has marriage records on microfilm for many Georgia counties. FamilySearch also has an index of Georgia marriages from 1808 to 1967 that may include Appling County records. The Council of Probate Court Judges keeps standard forms that all 159 county courts use, and the Georgia Probate Records site lets you fill out a marriage application online before you visit the Appling County Probate Court.

State Records for Appling County

The Georgia Department of Public Health holds a limited set of marriage records. Their files cover marriages from June 1952 through August 1996. If the marriage you need falls in that window, you can request a copy from the state Vital Records office in Atlanta. The search fee is $10, and it is non-refundable. Extra copies cost $5 each when you order at the same time. Mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks. In-person visits to the state office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 can get same-day results if the record is found.

For marriages in Appling County that took place before 1952 or after 1996, the Probate Court in Baxley is your only option. The state does not have those files. You can also request a marriage verification from the state for any marriage that happened on or after January 1, 2014, using the verification request form.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Appling County. If the marriage took place outside Appling County, you may need to check with one of these nearby Probate Courts for the right records.