Harris County Marriage Records Search

Harris County marriage records are on file at the Probate Court in Hamilton, Georgia. This office processes all marriage license applications and keeps completed marriage records for the county. You can search for a marriage certificate from Harris County or apply for a new license at the courthouse on North College Street. The Probate Court staff handles both new and old records. Whether you want to look up a past marriage or start the license process, the Harris County Probate Court in Hamilton is the place to go.

Harris County Probate Court

The Harris County Probate Court handles all marriage license and marriage record work in the county. The office sits on North College Street in Hamilton. Both parties must come in person to apply for a marriage license. You cannot send one person on behalf of both. The clerk will check your documents, take the fee, and issue the license while you wait if everything is in order at the Harris County Probate Court.

Walk-ins are accepted during regular hours. Since Harris County is a smaller community, calling ahead is a good idea. The staff can tell you what to bring and let you know when someone is free. The Probate Court in Harris County may also perform marriage ceremonies. Ask when you call about available days and times for the judge to officiate at the courthouse.

If at least one person is a Georgia resident, you can apply for a marriage license in any county. That means you can go to the Harris County Probate Court even if you live elsewhere in the state. If neither person lives in Georgia, you must apply in the county where the ceremony will take place.

Marriage License Fees in Harris County

Harris County charges a fee within the state range for marriage licenses. O.C.G.A. 15-9-60 lets Georgia counties set their fee between $56 and $77. Couples who finish a premarital education course can pay less. That reduced rate falls between $16 and $37 depending on the county.

Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1, the class must be at least six hours long and done within 12 months before you apply. A licensed counselor, therapist, social worker, or clergy member must run it. Bring the original completion certificate when you visit the Harris County Probate Court. Most courts do not take copies or scanned forms. Payment at the Harris County office may include cash and money orders. Call (706) 628-4951 to ask about card payments before you make the trip.

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

How to Search Harris County Marriage Records

You can get copies of marriage records from the Harris County Probate Court in person or by mail. In person is faster. Go to the courthouse in Hamilton, give the clerk the names and date, and ask for a certified copy. The fee is $10. Staff will search while you wait. Most requests take just a few minutes if the record is on file at the Harris County Probate Court.

To get records by mail, send a note with both names, the marriage date, and a money order for $10 to the Harris County Probate Court at 102 N College St, Hamilton, GA 31811. Include your return address. Mail requests take longer, but they work if you cannot make the trip. Call (706) 628-4951 to check on a record before you write. The Harris County staff can tell you if a particular marriage record is on file.

The Georgia Department of Public Health has marriage records from 1952 to 1996. For Harris County marriages outside that window, the Probate Court in Hamilton is the only source. The state charges $10 for a search, and that fee is not refundable.

Harris County Marriage License Requirements

Georgia law says both people must be at least 18 to get a marriage license. That is O.C.G.A. 19-3-2. A 17-year-old may apply only with proof of legal emancipation. Fifteen days must have passed since the court issued the order. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-36, the older party cannot be more than four years older than the younger one if one is 17. No one under 17 can get a license in Georgia at all.

Both parties must appear in person at the Harris County Probate Court with valid photo ID. A driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID works. If you were married before, bring a certified copy of the divorce decree or a death certificate for a former spouse. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-1, both must be of sound mind and free from a prior un-dissolved marriage. All documents must be in English or have a certified translation attached.

• Valid photo ID for both parties
• Social Security number
• Final divorce decree or death certificate if previously married
• Premarital education certificate for the reduced fee

The license is valid for 60 days. Georgia has no waiting period, so you can hold the ceremony the same day the Harris County Probate Court issues the license.

Harris County Marriage Record Sources

The Georgia Probate Records portal lets you search for recorded marriage licenses from counties that use this system. Some Harris County records may be on the site. The online application there lets you fill out forms ahead of your visit to the courthouse.

For family history research, the Georgia Archives in Morrow has microfilm copies of old marriage records. FamilySearch has a free index of Georgia marriages from 1808 to 1967. The Council of Probate Court Judges posts standard forms used by all 159 county probate courts in the state.

Ceremonies and Next Steps

After you get the license, any authorized person can perform the ceremony. Georgia law allows judges, ministers, and clergy to officiate. The person who does the ceremony signs the license and must return it to the Harris County Probate Court within 30 days. The court then records the marriage and mails a certified certificate to the couple. That takes about 30 days from when the signed license arrives back at the Harris County office.

If you need the certificate sooner, go to the courthouse in Hamilton after the record has been entered. The staff can give you a certified copy at that time for $10.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Harris County. Check with the Probate Court in each one if you need marriage records from outside Harris County.