Find Oglethorpe County Marriage Records
Oglethorpe County marriage records are maintained at the Probate Court in Lexington, Georgia. The court issues marriage licenses and stores all recorded marriage documents for the county. If you need to search for a past marriage, get a certified copy, or apply for a new license in Oglethorpe County, the Probate Court on West Main Street is where all of that happens. This is a rural county with deep roots, and the court keeps records that go back well into the 1800s for those doing genealogy research in Oglethorpe County.
Oglethorpe County Quick Facts
Oglethorpe County Probate Court
The Probate Court in Oglethorpe County sits on West Main Street in Lexington. This small office handles everything from marriage licenses to estate matters. The court staff can walk you through the marriage license application, check your ID, and issue the license on the spot. Hours run Monday through Friday, and both people must appear together. No appointment is needed, but calling ahead lets you know if the court has a busy schedule that day.
Oglethorpe County uses the standard Georgia rate for marriage licenses. Without premarital counseling, the fee is $56. With proof of at least six hours of approved counseling, the fee drops to $16. This reduction comes from O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 and the counseling has to be done within 12 months of the application date. The counselor must be a licensed professional or active clergy member. Bring the signed and notarized form to the Oglethorpe County Probate Court as your proof.
The Council of Probate Court Judges oversees all 159 county probate courts in Georgia, including the one in Oglethorpe County.
The Council provides the standard forms that Oglethorpe County and other courts use for license applications.
| Address | 109 W. Main Street, Lexington, GA 30648 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (706) 743-5731 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
Oglethorpe County License Application
Both people must go to the Oglethorpe County Probate Court together to get a marriage license. Bring valid photo ID. Accepted forms include a driver's license, passport, military ID, or a birth certificate paired with another photo ID. If either person was married before, they must bring proof that the prior marriage is over. A final divorce decree with the judge's signature and filed stamp works. A death certificate for a former spouse also counts.
You can fill out the application ahead of time through the Georgia Probate Records portal. This online form lets you enter details from home. When you arrive at the court in Lexington, the clerk can pull up your application. It is not required, but it cuts down on the time you spend at the counter. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-2, both people must be at least 18 years old. Georgia has strict rules for 17-year-olds that include emancipation and age gap limits.
Payment options at the Oglethorpe County court typically include cash and money orders. Call (706) 743-5731 to ask about credit card acceptance before you visit. Some smaller courts in Georgia have added card payment, but the options vary.
After the Oglethorpe County Ceremony
Your Oglethorpe County marriage license stays good for 60 days. No waiting period exists in Georgia. You can get married the same day you pick up the license if you choose. If the 60 days pass without a ceremony, the license is void. You would have to start over.
After the wedding, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the Oglethorpe County Probate Court within 30 days. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30, this return is what records the marriage. The court then mails you a certified marriage certificate, usually within about 30 days. Keep that document safe. Banks, the Social Security office, the DMV, and employers will want to see it when you make name changes or update your records. If the officiant does not send the signed license back on time, the Oglethorpe County court may not have your marriage on file. Follow up if your certificate does not arrive within six weeks.
Note: Georgia does not require a blood test for a marriage license in Oglethorpe County or any other county.
Look Up Oglethorpe County Marriage Records
The Oglethorpe County Probate Court stores marriage records going back many decades. To search for a record, call (706) 743-5731 and give the clerk the names of both parties and the approximate date of the marriage. Staff can pull the record and tell you what they have on file. Certified copies cost $10 each. You can get them at the courthouse or request by mail with a money order, the marriage details, and a return envelope.
Marriages from Oglethorpe County between June 1952 and August 1996 are also on file with the Georgia Department of Public Health in Atlanta. The state charges a $10 search fee that you do not get back if the record is not found. For marriages before 1952 or after 1996, only the Oglethorpe County Probate Court has the record.
People doing family research can also use the Georgia Archives in Morrow. They hold microfilm of old marriage records from many counties. FamilySearch has a free index of Georgia marriages from 1808 to 1967 that may cover Oglethorpe County. These tools are helpful when local records are hard to read or when the court does not have records from the earliest years.
The Georgia Archives page lists what records are on microfilm and how to access them for Oglethorpe County and other counties.
Oglethorpe County Residency and Rules
You do not have to live in Oglethorpe County to get a marriage license there. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-2, a Georgia resident can apply in any county. So if you live in Athens or another nearby area, you can still get your license from the Lexington office. If neither person lives in Georgia, you must apply in the county where the ceremony takes place. Oglethorpe County is a quiet, rural area that some couples choose for destination-style weddings.
Georgia recognizes marriages from other states under O.C.G.A. 19-3-43. However, you cannot leave the state to dodge Georgia's marriage laws. For the marriage to show up in Oglethorpe County records, the license must come from the Oglethorpe County Probate Court and be returned there after the ceremony. The license is valid only for ceremonies held in Georgia.
Cities in Oglethorpe County
Oglethorpe County includes the town of Lexington, Arnoldsville, Crawford, and Maxeys. All marriage licenses in Oglethorpe County come from the Probate Court in Lexington. There are no separate city offices for marriage records.
Lexington is the county seat and the center of government for Oglethorpe County. Everyone in the county files for marriage licenses at the same Probate Court on West Main Street.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Oglethorpe County. If you live near the county line, check which Probate Court is closest to you. Georgia residents can apply for a license at any county court in the state.