Find Haines City Marriage Records

Marriage records for Haines City residents are kept by the Polk County Clerk of Court in Bartow. The clerk office handles all license applications, civil ceremonies, and copies of recorded marriage documents.

Getting a Marriage License in Haines City

Haines City is part of Polk County, located in the eastern portion of the county near the Osceola County line. There is no marriage license office in Haines City. The Polk County Clerk of Court at the courthouse in Bartow handles all license applications. The address is 255 North Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830. Call (863) 534-4000 for details.

Both people must be present at the clerk office together. You each need valid photo ID. A driver license, passport, military ID, or state ID card works. U.S. citizens provide a Social Security number. If you were married before, bring the date your last marriage ended.

Walk-ins are welcome but appointments help avoid a wait. The clerk can process your application in one visit, typically in under 30 minutes. The license is issued the same day. Florida residents have a three-day waiting period before the license is valid. Taking a premarital course or being a non-resident waives the wait.

Haines City sits close to the Polk and Osceola county line. Make sure you go to the right county. If you live on the Polk County side, the Bartow clerk office is your destination. Osceola County residents should go to the clerk in Kissimmee instead.

Marriage License Fees

The marriage license fee in Polk County is $86. A premarital course brings it down to $61. Under Florida Statute 741.0305, the course has to come from a state-approved provider and be done within a year of the application. The course also waives the three-day waiting period.

Civil ceremonies cost $30. The office accepts cash and major credit cards but not personal checks. Duplicate licenses run $30. Amendments need a court order plus additional fees.

Certified copies of marriage records are available for a fee from the clerk office. You can order them online, in person at the Bartow courthouse, or by mail. In-person requests usually get the fastest service. Mail requests need to include a check or money order payable to the Polk County Clerk of Court.

Search Haines City Marriage Records Online

The Polk County Clerk has an online records search. Look up marriage records by name for free. The search shows basic index data including both parties and the recording date. Certified copies cost money, but searching the index is free. The database is available around the clock.

Records from before June 6, 1927 are only at the county level. Florida started collecting marriage data statewide on that date. For older records, contact the Polk County Clerk by phone or in person at the Bartow courthouse.

The Florida Department of Health has marriage certificates from 1927 to the present. A state certified copy is $5. Each extra copy is $4. VitalChek processes orders online for $15 plus a $7 fee. The county clerk is typically the better option for Haines City marriages since it costs less and arrives sooner.

Haines City Marriage License Process

The steps for Haines City residents are as follows:

• Both people visit the Polk County Clerk in Bartow together
• Present valid photo ID and Social Security numbers
• Disclose the end date of any prior marriages
• Pay $86 (or $61 with premarital course proof)
• Florida residents wait three days unless the course was completed
• The license is good for 60 days and can be used anywhere in Florida

Non-Florida residents have no waiting period. Florida residents can bypass it with a premarital course. The course must be from a registered provider and completed within a year of applying.

Florida Statute 741.07 lists who can officiate weddings. Ordained ministers, judges, clerks, deputy clerks, and Florida notaries public can all do it. The law does not require witnesses, but having a few is smart. After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and sends it back to the clerk within 10 days. The clerk records it and reports the data to the Bureau of Vital Statistics. The full recording process takes about 60 days.

Copies and Public Access

Certified copies of Haines City marriage records are available through the Polk County Clerk. Visit the Bartow courthouse for the quickest turnaround. Online ordering is on the clerk website. Mail requests go to 255 North Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830.

All marriage records in Polk County are public under Florida Statutes Chapter 119. Anyone can look them up or get copies. Social Security numbers get redacted from public records. If you qualify for a confidential filing, the clerk can help with the process under Section 119.071.

If you just got married in Haines City, go to the county clerk first for proof. The state office in Jacksonville needs about 60 days to process the recording after a ceremony. The Polk County Clerk will have your record on file much sooner than the state does.

Other Cities in Polk County

All Polk County cities use the same clerk for marriage records. Choose a city for more details.