Search Atkinson County Marriage Records

Atkinson County marriage records are kept at the Probate Court in Pearson, Georgia. The court has marriage records going back to 1919, making it a useful source for both recent and older searches. If you need to find a marriage license, get a certified copy of a certificate, or look up records for family history, the Atkinson County Probate Court can help. You can visit in person, call, or send a written request by mail. The staff handles all types of marriage record requests and can walk you through the steps to get what you need.

Atkinson County Probate Court Info

The Atkinson County Probate Court sits on Roberts Avenue in Pearson. This small office handles all marriage licenses and keeps marriage records for the county. Both the Probate Court and the Magistrate Court share space at this location. Staff here issue new marriage licenses, file returned licenses after ceremonies, and give out certified copies of marriage records. They also handle birth and death records from 1929 on, so if you need other vital records from Atkinson County, you can ask at the same window.

The office is open regular business hours. You do not need to set an appointment to get a license or ask for a record. Just walk in and the clerk will help you. If you live far away from Pearson, call first to make sure the office is open that day. Small county offices can sometimes close for training days or court sessions that take all the staff.

Atkinson County Marriage License Fees

Marriage license fees in Atkinson County follow the state rate structure set by O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60. Standard fees in Georgia range from $56 to $77, and the exact cost depends on county surcharges. Couples who take a premarital education course of at least six hours can pay a lower rate. The reduced fee ranges from $16 to $37. You have to show your certificate of completion when you apply at the Atkinson County Probate Court to get the discount.

Payment methods may be limited. Cash is always accepted. Money orders and certified checks typically work too. Call the Atkinson County office at (912) 422-3552 to confirm what they take before you make the trip. Personal checks are usually not accepted at Georgia probate courts.

Certified copies of marriage records cost $10 each. If you order more than one copy at the same time from the Atkinson County Probate Court, the price may be less for each extra copy, though this varies.

How to Search Atkinson County Marriage Records

The fastest way to search Atkinson County marriage records is to visit the Probate Court in Pearson. Tell the clerk the names of the couple and the year of the marriage. The office has records going back to 1919. Older records may take longer to find since they could be stored in books or on microfilm. More recent files are usually quick to pull up.

You can also search by mail. Write a letter with the full names of both parties, the approximate date of the marriage, and a money order for the copy fee. Send it to P.O. Box 855, Pearson, GA 31642. The Atkinson County Probate Court will search their files and send you a copy if the record is found. Allow a few weeks for mail requests, as small county offices handle these between their other duties.

The Georgia Probate Records website may have some Atkinson County marriage data you can search online. Not all counties participate in the online search system, but it is worth checking. You can also try the Georgia DPH Vital Records office for marriages that happened between 1952 and 1996.

Marriage License Steps in Atkinson County

Getting a marriage license in Atkinson County takes just one visit if you have your papers in order. Both people must come to the Probate Court together. You can not have someone else fill in for you. Bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, or state ID card. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-3-2, both must be at least 18 years old. If someone is 17, they must be legally emancipated, and 15 days must have passed since the court order.

If either person was married before, bring the final divorce decree or a death certificate for the former spouse. Papers not in English need a certified translation. The clerk will go over your application, check all the documents, and collect the fee. If everything looks good, you get the marriage license that same day from the Atkinson County Probate Court. There is no waiting period in Georgia, so you can hold the ceremony right away.

• Both people appear in person together
• Valid photo ID for each person
• Proof of age if no photo ID
• Divorce decree or death certificate if needed
• Fee payment in accepted form

Note: The license is good for 60 days from the date it is issued by the Atkinson County Probate Court.

After the Ceremony in Atkinson County

Once you get married, the person who performs the ceremony must sign the license. Georgia law says the officiant has 30 days to return the signed license to the Atkinson County Probate Court. The court then records the marriage in their files. After that, a certified marriage certificate is sent to the couple by mail. This usually takes about 30 days from the date the signed license comes back to the clerk.

If you need the certificate sooner, stop by the courthouse in Pearson. Once the record is in the system, the clerk can print a certified copy for $10. You may need this for a name change at the Social Security office or at the DMV. The Atkinson County Probate Court is the place to go for all copies of your marriage certificate after the wedding.

State and Historical Marriage Records

The Georgia Department of Public Health keeps marriage records from June 1952 through August 1996. If an Atkinson County marriage falls in that window, you can ask the state for a copy. The fee is $10 and is not refundable. Mail requests go to the State Office of Vital Records at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Expect 8 to 10 weeks for a response. In-person visits can get same-day results.

The Atkinson County Probate Court website has basic info on services and hours. For family history research, the Georgia Archives in Morrow is a helpful resource. They have microfilm copies of marriage records for many Georgia counties going back well over a hundred years.

The Council of Probate Court Judges oversees all 159 county probate courts in Georgia, including Atkinson County. Their site has standard forms and general info on how probate courts work across the state. You can also find the marriage search request form on the DPH site if you want to order from the state by mail.

Nearby Counties

Atkinson County is in south-central Georgia. If the marriage record you need is not in Atkinson County, one of these bordering counties may have it.