Marriage Records in Greene County

Greene County marriage records are kept at the Probate Court in Greensboro, Georgia. The court handles all marriage license applications, stores past marriage certificates, and provides certified copies for the county. Greene County sits between Atlanta and Augusta, and the Probate Court on North Main Street is the place to go for any marriage record request. This page covers what you need to search for, apply for, or get copies of Greene County marriage records and what the process looks like.

Greene County Probate Court

The Greene County Probate Court is the single office for marriage license and marriage record services in the county. The office is at 113 North Main Street in Greensboro. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Both people who plan to marry must show up together. You can not send just one person or apply by mail for a new license at the Greene County Probate Court.

Greene County is a smaller county, so the office usually has short wait times. Even so, calling ahead to (706) 453-3340 is a good idea to confirm that the staff member who handles marriage licenses is in. Walk-ins are accepted during business hours. The staff can help you with the license application and also search for older marriage records on file at the Greene County courthouse.

Marriage License Fees in Greene County

Greene County uses standard Georgia rates for marriage licenses. The fee falls between $56 and $76 without premarital counseling. A $40 discount is available under O.C.G.A. § 19-3-30.1 for couples who complete a qualifying premarital education course. The course must be at least six hours and done within 12 months of your application date. A licensed counselor, therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, or active clergy member must conduct the course. Bring the original certificate when you go to the Greene County Probate Court.

Certified copies of marriage records are $10 per copy. Check with the court about accepted forms of payment. Cash and money orders are generally accepted. Many Georgia courts do not take personal checks. Plan your payment before visiting the Greene County courthouse in Greensboro.

Note: All license fees at the Greene County Probate Court are non-refundable.

Greene County Marriage License Requirements

Georgia law says both people must be at least 18 years old under O.C.G.A. § 19-3-2. A 17-year-old can apply only with an emancipation order, and 15 days must have passed since the court signed it. Both parties must come in person to the Greene County Probate Court.

You need a valid photo ID. A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID will do. If you were married before, bring a certified copy of the final divorce decree or a death certificate for the former spouse. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-3-1, both people must be of sound mind and free from any prior un-dissolved marriage. Documents not in English must include a certified translation before the Greene County Probate Court can accept them.

• Valid photo ID for each person
• Final divorce decree or death certificate if previously married
• Social Security number
• Premarital counseling certificate for the reduced fee
• Certified translation for foreign-language documents

The license is valid for 60 days. Georgia has no waiting period. You can hold the ceremony right away after getting the license from the Greene County Probate Court.

How to Get Greene County Marriage Records

Visit the Probate Court in Greensboro to get copies of past marriage records. Tell the clerk the names and the date of the marriage. Pay $10 for a certified copy. Most requests are handled quickly if the file is on hand at the Greene County courthouse.

For mail requests, send a written note with the full names, marriage date, and a money order for $10 to the Greene County Probate Court at 113 N Main St, Greensboro, GA 30642. Put in a self-addressed stamped envelope. The Georgia Department of Public Health holds some marriage records from June 1952 through August 1996. The state search fee is $10 and is non-refundable. Mail requests to the state take 8 to 10 weeks.

Greene County marriages before 1952 or after 1996 are only available from the Probate Court in Greensboro. The state does not keep those files.

After the Ceremony in Greene County

Once the wedding is done, the officiant signs the license. They have 30 days to return it to the Greene County Probate Court. The court then records the marriage and mails a certified marriage certificate to the couple. This usually takes up to 30 days from the date the signed license comes back. If you need it sooner, check with the courthouse to see if the record has been entered into the system.

Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 19-3-30 allows judges, ministers, and other clergy to perform wedding ceremonies. You may ask the Greene County Probate Court if the judge can marry you at the courthouse. Call ahead to check availability. Greene County is also a destination for lake weddings near Lake Oconee, so the court sees licenses from both residents and visitors planning to marry in the area.

Greene County Marriage Record Resources

The Council of Probate Court Judges oversees all 159 county probate courts in Georgia. Their standard forms page has forms used across the state, including Greene County. The Georgia Probate Records site lets you start a marriage application online before visiting the courthouse.

For historical records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow holds microfilm copies of marriage records from many Georgia counties. FamilySearch has Georgia marriage indexes from 1808 to 1967 that may cover Greene County. These are useful for genealogy research and finding older marriage records. The state can also verify marriages on or after January 1, 2014, using the verification request form.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Greene County. If you are looking for a marriage record from outside Greene County, check with one of these Probate Courts.