Wilcox County Marriage Records Lookup

Wilcox County marriage records are on file at the Probate Court in Abbeville, Georgia. The court handles all marriage license applications for the county and stores the original records once a marriage is completed and filed. Wilcox County is a rural county in south-central Georgia, and the Probate Court on North Broad Street is the only office where you can apply for a license or search for a past marriage record. Staff at the court deal with these requests regularly and can guide you through the steps needed to get a license or a certified copy of an old record.

Wilcox County Probate Court

The Wilcox County Probate Court is the only place in the county that issues marriage licenses. Both people who want to get married need to come to the office. The clerk reviews your documents and takes the application. You pay the fee right there. If you have everything ready, the whole visit should not take long. The Wilcox County court handles a modest number of applications, so wait times are usually short.

The office is in Abbeville on North Broad Street. Standard weekday hours apply, though it is wise to call ahead since small county offices sometimes close for lunch or have half-day Fridays.

Wilcox County Marriage License Fees

The cost for a marriage license in Wilcox County is $56 to $77 without premarital counseling. Couples who finish an approved counseling course before they apply pay between $16 and $37 instead. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 provides for this reduced rate. The course must run at least six hours and be completed within one year of your application date at the Wilcox County Probate Court.

Bring cash or a money order. Small county courts may not take credit cards. Calling the Wilcox County Probate Court at (229) 467-2442 before your visit is a good way to confirm what payment types they accept. The savings from counseling can be as much as $40.

How to Find Wilcox County Marriage Records

The best way to get a Wilcox County marriage record is to go to the Probate Court in Abbeville. Give the clerk both names and the approximate date. They will pull the file. A certified copy is $10. Additional copies cost $5 each when you order them at the same time. This is the most direct and reliable method.

You can also check online. The Georgia Probate Records marriage search covers many counties across the state and may have Wilcox County entries. It is free to search and can help you confirm a record exists before making the trip to Abbeville.

The Council of Probate Court Judges posts standard forms that are used statewide for marriage-related filings.

Older records from Wilcox County may only be in paper form at the courthouse. For anything before the 1990s, an in-person search or phone call is the most reliable approach.

Note: Online indexes may not cover all years for Wilcox County, so check with the courthouse for the most thorough search.

Wilcox County Marriage License Requirements

Both applicants must be at least 18 years old under Georgia law. A 17-year-old may apply only if a court has granted emancipation and at least 15 days have passed since that order, per O.C.G.A. 19-3-2. No one younger than 17 is allowed to get a license. Both people must come to the Wilcox County Probate Court in person.

Bring a valid photo ID. Driver's licenses, state IDs, passports, and military IDs are all accepted. Social Security numbers are needed for both people. If either applicant has been married before, bring a certified divorce decree or death certificate for the former spouse. Documents not in English must come with a certified translation.

• Photo ID for both applicants
• Social Security numbers for each person
• Certified proof that any prior marriage ended
• Premarital counseling certificate for the discount
• Both must appear in person at the Wilcox County court

Georgia requires no waiting period. No blood test. The Wilcox County license is valid for 60 days after it is issued.

State Records for Wilcox County Marriages

The Georgia Department of Public Health keeps marriage records from June 1952 through August 1996. If the Wilcox County marriage you are looking for falls in that range, you can request a copy from the DPH Vital Records office. The search fee is $10 and is not refundable. Extra copies are $5 each.

The state office is at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Walk-in visitors may get same-day service if the record is on file. Mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks. For Wilcox County marriages outside the 1952 to 1996 range, the Probate Court in Abbeville is the only source.

The DPH fee schedule page shows the costs for requesting vital records from the state of Georgia.

Call the state office at (404) 679-4702 to ask about a specific Wilcox County record before you file a formal request.

Wilcox County Marriage Ceremony Filing

Once the Wilcox County Probate Court gives you the license, the ceremony can take place anywhere in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30, judges, ministers, and ordained clergy are authorized to officiate. The Wilcox County Probate Court may also perform civil ceremonies, but call first to ask. Not all county judges do this on a regular basis.

After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and has 30 days to send it back to the Wilcox County Probate Court. The court then files the marriage record and mails a certified certificate to the couple. This step takes about 30 days. If you need the certificate before it arrives in the mail, visit the courthouse in Abbeville once the filing is complete.

Note: Follow up with the Wilcox County court if you do not get your certificate within 6 weeks of the ceremony.

Wilcox County Marriage Record Resources

The Georgia Probate Records website lets you fill out a marriage application online before your visit to the Wilcox County courthouse. The Council of Probate Court Judges has standard forms available for download at no cost. The Georgia.gov marriage license page explains the process in plain terms.

For older records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow may have Wilcox County marriage records on microfilm. FamilySearch and other genealogy sites also maintain indexes of Georgia marriages that could include Wilcox County entries.

Nearby Counties

Wilcox County borders several other counties in south-central Georgia. If the marriage took place outside of Wilcox County, one of these Probate Courts may have the record.