Wilkinson County Marriage Records

Wilkinson County marriage records are filed at the Probate Court in Irwinton, Georgia. The court processes all marriage license applications in the county and keeps the official files once a marriage is completed and recorded. Wilkinson County is located in the central part of the state, and the Probate Court on West Main Street is the only place to go for a marriage license or to get a copy of a past marriage certificate. The staff there work with these records daily and can help you with applications, searches, and certified copies during normal business hours.

Wilkinson County Probate Court Information

The Wilkinson County Probate Court handles all marriage license filings in the county. No other office can issue a license here. Both people who plan to get married must visit the court together. The clerk checks your IDs, takes the application, and collects the fee. Bring all your documents and the process should go smoothly in one visit. The Wilkinson County court sees a small but steady number of applications each year.

The office is in Irwinton, the county seat. It keeps regular weekday hours. Calling before you visit is always a good plan, especially at a smaller county office where staff schedules can vary.

Wilkinson County Marriage License Fees

A marriage license in Wilkinson County costs $56 to $77 for couples who have not taken premarital counseling. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 offers a reduced fee of $16 to $37 for those who complete a qualifying course. The course needs to be at least six hours and taken within 12 months of when you apply at the Wilkinson County Probate Court in Irwinton.

Bring cash or a money order to be safe. Small county courts in Georgia do not always accept credit cards. Call the Wilkinson County Probate Court at (478) 946-2236 to ask what payment methods they take. The counseling discount can save you up to $40, which many couples find worth the effort.

Note: License fees are non-refundable at the Wilkinson County Probate Court even if the license expires unused.

How to Search Wilkinson County Marriage Records

The most reliable way to find a Wilkinson County marriage record is to contact the Probate Court in Irwinton. Give the clerk both names and the rough date of the marriage. They will check the files. A certified copy is $10. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $5 each. For records that are on file at the courthouse, the search is usually fast.

Online searches are possible too. The Georgia Probate Records marriage search has a statewide index that may include Wilkinson County entries. It costs nothing to search. This tool can confirm a record exists before you drive to Irwinton or send a written request.

The Georgia Probate Records portal provides a marriage search tool covering many Georgia counties.

Older Wilkinson County records may not be in the online index. Paper files at the courthouse are the only source for many records from before the 1990s. If you need an older record, plan on an in-person visit or a phone call to the court.

Wilkinson County Marriage License Requirements

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

Each person needs a valid photo ID. Driver's licenses, state IDs, passports, and military IDs all work. Social Security numbers are required for both. If either applicant was married before, bring a certified divorce decree or the death certificate of the former spouse. Documents in another language need a certified translation into English before the Wilkinson County court can accept them.

• Photo ID for both applicants
• Social Security numbers
• Proof of prior marriage dissolution if needed
• Premarital counseling certificate for the reduced fee
• Both present in person at the court
• Fee payment at time of application

No wait. No blood test. The Wilkinson County license is valid for 60 days from the date it is issued.

State Records for Wilkinson County Marriages

The Georgia Department of Public Health holds marriage records from June 1952 through August 1996. If the Wilkinson County marriage you need falls in that window, you can request a copy from the DPH Vital Records office. The search fee is $10 and is not refundable. Additional copies are $5 each when ordered together.

Visit the state office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Walk-in service may be same-day if the record is on file. Mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks. For Wilkinson County marriages outside the 1952 to 1996 range, the Probate Court in Irwinton is the only place that has the records.

Georgia.gov explains the full process for requesting vital records from the state, including marriage certificates.

Call the state office at (404) 679-4702 if you want to check on the status of a request or confirm that a Wilkinson County record is in their system.

Wilkinson County Marriage Ceremonies

After you get the license from the Wilkinson County Probate Court, the ceremony can take place anywhere in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30, judges, ministers, and ordained clergy can officiate. The Wilkinson County Probate Court may do civil ceremonies, but you should call first to check. Smaller county courts do not always have regular ceremony schedules.

The officiant signs the license after the ceremony and returns it to the Wilkinson County Probate Court within 30 days. Once the court gets the signed license, they file the marriage record and mail a certified certificate to the couple. This process takes about 30 days. If you need the record sooner, visit the courthouse in Irwinton once it has been entered into the system.

Note: If you do not receive your marriage certificate from the Wilkinson County court within 6 weeks of the ceremony, follow up with the office to check on the status.

Wilkinson County Marriage Record Resources

The Georgia Probate Records website lets you start a marriage application online before your trip to the Wilkinson County courthouse. Standard forms are available at no cost from the Council of Probate Court Judges. The Georgia.gov marriage license page gives a plain overview of the entire process.

For historical records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow is worth checking. They may have older Wilkinson County marriage records on microfilm. FamilySearch also maintains Georgia marriage indexes that can help locate records from past decades.

Nearby Counties

Wilkinson County is surrounded by several counties in central Georgia. If the marriage happened outside of Wilkinson County, try one of these Probate Courts.