Whitfield County Marriage Records
Whitfield County marriage records are filed at the Probate Court in Dalton, Georgia. As one of the larger counties in northwest Georgia, Whitfield County processes a good number of marriage license applications each year. The Probate Court on North Selvidge Street is where couples go to apply and where the public can search for past marriage records. Whitfield County also offers an online marriage application, which can save you time at the courthouse window. Whether you need a new license or a copy of an old marriage certificate, the Whitfield County Probate Court staff can help.
Whitfield County Quick Facts
Whitfield County Probate Court
The Whitfield County Probate Court handles every marriage license application in the county. Both applicants must show up in person. The clerk will check your IDs and collect the application and fee. One thing that sets Whitfield County apart from many other Georgia counties is the option to start your marriage application online before you visit the courthouse. This means less time at the window and a faster process overall.
The court is in downtown Dalton on North Selvidge Street. It keeps regular weekday hours. Walk-ins are welcome, but if you start the online application first, your visit should go even quicker. Call (706) 275-7390 if you have questions about the process or hours.
| Address | 205 N. Selvidge Street Dalton, GA 30720 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (706) 275-7390 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Online App | Available through the court's website |
Whitfield County Marriage License Fees
A marriage license in Whitfield County costs $56 to $77 if you have not done premarital counseling. That fee drops to $16 to $37 with a qualifying counseling certificate. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 sets these amounts. The course must be at least six hours long and done within 12 months of your application date at the Whitfield County Probate Court.
The Whitfield County court may accept more payment types than smaller Georgia counties. But it is still a good idea to call ahead and ask. Cash and money orders are always safe choices. The savings from premarital counseling can add up to $40 or more, so many Whitfield County couples take that route.
Note: Whitfield County marriage license fees are non-refundable once the license has been issued.
Searching Whitfield County Marriage Records
To look up a Whitfield County marriage record, you can visit the Probate Court in Dalton. Give the clerk both names and the approximate date of the marriage. A certified copy costs $10. Extra copies at the same time are $5 each. The search is usually quick for records that are on file at the courthouse.
Online searches are also an option. The Georgia Probate Records marriage search portal has a statewide index that may include Whitfield County records. This is free to use and can be a good first step before contacting the court directly.
The Georgia Probate Records portal lets you search marriage license records filed across many Georgia counties.
For older records, the Whitfield County courthouse in Dalton has paper files that go back many years. Not everything has been added to online databases, so an in-person visit may be needed for records from before the digital era.
Whitfield County Marriage License Requirements
Georgia law requires both applicants to be at least 18. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-2, a 17-year-old may apply only with a court order of emancipation, and 15 days must pass after that order. No one under 17 may get a marriage license. Both people must appear at the Whitfield County Probate Court in person with valid photo ID.
Accepted IDs include a driver's license, Georgia ID, passport, or military ID. Social Security numbers are required for both applicants. If either person was previously married, bring a certified divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate. All documents need to be in English. If they are in another language, get a certified translation first.
- Valid photo ID for both people
- Social Security numbers
- Divorce decree or death certificate if applicable
- Counseling certificate for the reduced fee
- Both must appear in person
No wait. No blood test. The Whitfield County license is good for 60 days after issue.
State Marriage Records for Whitfield County
The Georgia Department of Public Health has marriage records from June 1952 through August 1996. If the Whitfield County marriage you need falls in that window, request a copy from the DPH Vital Records office. The search fee is $10 and is not refundable. Extra copies cost $5 each when ordered together.
The state office is at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Walk-in service may be same-day. Mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks. For Whitfield County marriages outside the 1952 to 1996 range, the Probate Court in Dalton is the place to go.
Georgia.gov provides a guide for requesting vital records including marriage certificates from the state.
You can call the state Vital Records office at (404) 679-4702 to check if a Whitfield County record is in their files.
Whitfield County Marriage Ceremonies
After the Whitfield County Probate Court issues your license, the ceremony can happen anywhere in Georgia. O.C.G.A. 19-3-30 lists the people who can officiate: judges, ministers, and ordained clergy. The Whitfield County Probate Court may perform civil ceremonies. Call the court to check the schedule, especially if you want a ceremony at the courthouse in Dalton.
The officiant must sign the license after the ceremony and return it to the Whitfield County Probate Court within 30 days. Once the signed license comes back, the court files the marriage record and mails a certified certificate to the couple. That process takes about 30 days. If you need the certificate sooner, check with the Dalton courthouse once the record is in the system.
Additional Whitfield County Marriage Resources
The Georgia Probate Records site lets you fill out a marriage application online, which works well alongside the Whitfield County online application option. Standard forms are posted at the Council of Probate Court Judges website. The Georgia.gov marriage license page gives a simple step-by-step overview.
For historical records, try the Georgia Archives in Morrow. They may have older Whitfield County marriage records on microfilm. These are useful for genealogy research or when the Probate Court files do not go far enough back.
City in Whitfield County
The city of Dalton is the county seat and largest city in Whitfield County. If you are looking for marriage records from the Dalton area, they are handled by the Whitfield County Probate Court since Georgia files marriage records at the county level.
Nearby Counties
Whitfield County sits in the northwest corner of Georgia near several other counties. If the marriage record you need is not in Whitfield County, check one of these neighboring Probate Courts.