Search Screven County Marriage Records

Screven County marriage records are maintained by the Probate Court in Sylvania, Georgia. This office is responsible for issuing marriage licenses, recording completed ceremonies, and providing certified copies to the public. If you need to look up a past marriage in Screven County or apply for a new license, the Probate Court on Mims Road is the place to go. The staff there can help with record searches, copies, and license applications during regular business hours all week long.

Screven County Probate Court Information

The Screven County Probate Court is the central office for marriage records in this part of eastern Georgia. Located in Suite 107 at 216 Mims Road in Sylvania, the court handles license applications, record keeping, and copy requests. Both applicants for a marriage license must visit the Screven County Probate Court together. You can not have one person apply on behalf of both. The staff will review your ID, collect the fee, and issue the license the same day if everything checks out.

Walk-in visits work fine during office hours. If you want to be sure the clerk is ready, call before you drive out. The Screven County court serves a rural area, so the office can sometimes be busy with other probate matters.

Getting Marriage Records in Screven County

To get a copy of a marriage record from Screven County, you can visit the Probate Court in Sylvania. Bring the full names of both spouses and the date (or approximate date) of the marriage. The clerk will search the files for you. Certified copies cost $10 each. Additional copies run $5 when ordered at the same time. Most in-person requests at the Screven County courthouse are filled within minutes if the record is on file.

Mail requests are another option. Send a letter with the names, date of marriage, and a check or money order for $10 to the Screven County Probate Court at 216 Mims Road, Suite 107, Sylvania, GA 30467. Include your return address so the office can mail the record back to you. Phone calls to (912) 564-2283 can help you check if a record exists before you send payment.

The Georgia Probate Records website has a search tool that covers marriage records from many Georgia counties. Check there first to see if Screven County records are in the online index. Not all records show up, but it is a fast way to start your search from home.

Screven County Marriage License Process

Getting a marriage license in Screven County follows the same basic steps as the rest of Georgia. Both people go to the Probate Court. You each need a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, or state-issued ID. If you were married before, bring proof the prior marriage ended. A certified divorce decree or death certificate will work. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-1, both people must be free from any existing marriage to qualify for a license in Screven County.

The minimum age is 18. A person who is 17 can apply only with a court-issued emancipation order, and at least 15 days must have passed since it was granted. There is no blood test needed. Georgia got rid of that rule in 2003. There is also no waiting period. Once the Screven County Probate Court issues your license, you can use it right away. The license stays valid for 60 days from the date of issue.

Note: Georgia does not accept common-law marriages formed after January 1, 1997.

Marriage License Costs in Screven County

The fee for a marriage license in Screven County ranges from $56 to $77 without premarital counseling. Couples who complete a qualifying counseling course before applying can save a lot. The discounted rate falls between $16 and $37. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 sets this reduction. The counseling must be at least six hours long, and you need to finish it within 12 months of the date you apply at the Screven County Probate Court. Bring the certificate of completion with you.

Cash and money orders are the safest forms of payment. Not all Probate Courts in Georgia accept cards, so check with the Screven County office before your visit. Fees are not refundable once paid, even if you decide not to use the license.

State Records and Screven County Marriages

The Georgia Department of Public Health maintains marriage records from 1952 to 1996 at the state level. If the Screven County marriage you need happened during those years, you can request a copy from the state Vital Records office. The search fee is $10, and extra copies are $5 each. The state office is at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. You can call (404) 679-4702 for more details.

The Georgia.gov website provides an overview of how to apply for a marriage license and what to expect from the process.

Mail requests sent to the state office take about 8 to 10 weeks. In-person requests can sometimes be filled the same day. For Screven County marriages that happened before 1952 or after 1996, the Probate Court in Sylvania is the only source. The state does not hold those files.

Screven County Marriage Record Resources

Several tools can help you research Screven County marriage records. The Georgia Probate Records site lets you start a marriage application online before you visit the courthouse. This cuts down on paperwork at the window. The Council of Probate Court Judges has forms and general information about how probate courts in Georgia work, including the marriage process.

For older records, the Georgia Archives may have Screven County marriage records on microfilm. FamilySearch keeps an index of Georgia marriages from the 1800s to the mid-1900s. These tools are useful for genealogy research or when the Probate Court no longer has the original paper record. The standard probate forms page also has blank forms you can print and fill out ahead of time.

Ceremonies and Recording in Screven County

Once you have a marriage license from Screven County, any authorized officiant can perform the ceremony. Georgia law allows judges, ministers, and other ordained clergy to officiate under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30. The Screven County Probate Court may also perform civil ceremonies, but you should call ahead to arrange this. Not every court offers ceremonies on a daily basis.

After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and has 30 days to return it to the Screven County Probate Court. The court then records the marriage and mails a certified certificate to the couple. This process takes around 30 days. If you need the certificate sooner, visit the courthouse in Sylvania after the record has been entered.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Screven County. If the marriage was filed in another county, you may need to contact one of these Probate Courts instead.