Search Worth County Marriage Records
Worth County marriage records are maintained at the Probate Court in Sylvester, Georgia. The court handles every marriage license application in the county and stores the official records after each marriage is filed. Worth County sits in south Georgia, and the Probate Court on North Main Street is the single office where you can apply for a marriage license, search for past records, or request certified copies. The staff at the Worth County Probate Court deal with marriage-related requests on a regular basis. Whether you are planning a wedding or tracking down an old marriage certificate, this is where to start.
Worth County Quick Facts
Worth County Probate Court
The Worth County Probate Court is the only office in the county that issues marriage licenses. Both people must come to the court. You cannot send one person alone. The clerk checks IDs, collects the application, and takes the fee. If you have all your paperwork in order, the process is straightforward and usually takes less than 30 minutes. The Worth County court handles a steady flow of marriage applications throughout the year.
The courthouse is on North Main Street in Sylvester. It keeps standard weekday hours. Walk-ins are accepted, but a quick call to (229) 776-8505 can help you plan your visit and avoid any surprises.
| Address | 201 N. Main Street Sylvester, GA 31791 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (229) 776-8505 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
Worth County Marriage License Fees
The fee for a marriage license in Worth County is $56 to $77 without premarital counseling. Couples who complete an approved course before they apply pay between $16 and $37 instead. That is a savings of up to $40. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30.1 sets these amounts. The course must be at least six hours long and finished within one year of your application at the Worth County Probate Court.
Several churches and organizations in the Sylvester area and across south Georgia offer courses that qualify. Ask the Worth County Probate Court staff if you need help finding a program near you. When it comes to paying, cash and money orders are safe bets. Call ahead to see if the court takes cards or checks.
Note: Worth County marriage license fees cannot be refunded after the license is issued.
How to Find Worth County Marriage Records
To get a Worth County marriage record, the Probate Court in Sylvester is the best place to start. Give the clerk the names of both spouses and an estimate of the marriage date. A certified copy costs $10. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $5 each. The search is usually quick for records on file at the courthouse.
You can also look online. The Georgia Probate Records marriage search tool covers many Georgia counties and may have Worth County entries in its index. The search is free and can help you confirm a record exists before you make a trip to Sylvester.
The Georgia Probate Records online portal lets you search for marriage license records filed across the state.
Not all records show up in the online system. Older Worth County marriage records may only exist in paper form at the courthouse. For anything before the 1990s, an in-person visit or phone call to the court is the most reliable way to search.
Worth County Marriage License Requirements
Both applicants must be at least 18 under Georgia law. A 17-year-old may apply only with court-ordered emancipation, and 15 days must have passed since the order per O.C.G.A. 19-3-2. No one under 17 can get a license. Both people must appear at the Worth County Probate Court in person with photo ID.
Valid forms of ID include a driver's license, Georgia ID card, passport, or military ID. Social Security numbers are needed for both applicants. If either person was married before, bring a certified divorce decree or the former spouse's death certificate. Documents in a language other than English require a certified translation.
- Photo ID for each person
- Social Security numbers for both applicants
- Certified divorce decree or death certificate if previously married
- Premarital counseling certificate for the discounted fee
- Both applicants present at the Worth County Probate Court
No waiting period. No blood test. The Worth County license stays good for 60 days once it is issued.
State Marriage Records for Worth County
The Georgia Department of Public Health has marriage records at the state level covering June 1952 through August 1996. If the Worth County marriage you are searching for falls in that period, you can get a copy from the state Vital Records office. The search fee is $10 and is not refundable. Extra copies are $5 each when ordered together.
The state office is at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Walk-in visitors may get same-day service. Mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks to process. For Worth County marriages outside the 1952 to 1996 window, the Probate Court in Sylvester is the only source.
The DPH fee schedule shows all costs for requesting vital records from the state of Georgia.
You can reach the state Vital Records office at (404) 679-4702 to check on a request or ask if a Worth County record is on file.
Worth County Marriage Ceremony Information
Once you have the license from the Worth County Probate Court, you can hold the ceremony anywhere in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. 19-3-30, judges, ministers, and ordained clergy may perform the ceremony. The Worth County Probate Court may do civil ceremonies as well, but call ahead to ask. Not all county judges perform ceremonies on a regular schedule.
The officiant must sign the license after the ceremony and return it to the Worth County Probate Court within 30 days. The court then records the marriage and mails a certified certificate to the couple. This takes about 30 days from when the signed license comes back. If you need the certificate sooner, check with the courthouse in Sylvester once the record has been entered.
More Worth County Marriage Record Resources
The Georgia Probate Records site offers online marriage applications that can speed up your visit to the Worth County courthouse. The Council of Probate Court Judges posts standard forms used across all Georgia counties for free download. The Georgia.gov marriage page walks you through each step of the marriage license process.
For historical Worth County marriage records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow may have older records on microfilm. FamilySearch and other genealogy platforms keep Georgia marriage indexes that could include Worth County entries going back many years.
Nearby Counties
Worth County borders several other counties in south Georgia. If the marriage record you need is not from Worth County, try one of these neighboring Probate Courts.