Access Meadow Woods Marriage Records

Marriage records for Meadow Woods are maintained by the Orange County Clerk of Courts. The clerk office at the courthouse in Orlando processes all license applications and stores marriage documents for the county.

Applying for a License in Meadow Woods

Meadow Woods is part of Orange County. Marriage licenses come from the Orange County Clerk of Courts at 425 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32801. The phone number is (407) 836-2000.

Meadow Woods is a community in south Orange County. There is no local clerk branch here. Couples need to travel to the Orlando courthouse to apply in person. The drive is about 15 miles north and takes roughly 20 minutes. Both people must be present at the same time.

You need a valid photo ID. The clerk accepts a driver license, passport, military ID, state-issued ID card, alien registration card, or naturalization certificate. U.S. citizens also provide a Social Security number. Previously married? Bring the date your last marriage ended along with whether it ended by divorce, death, or annulment.

What a License Costs

A standard marriage license is $86. If both parties take a premarital course, the cost goes down to $61. The course must be completed within one year before the application date. Approved providers are listed under Florida Statute 741.0305.

The clerk can also perform a wedding ceremony for $30. This happens at the courthouse. Cash and credit cards are good for payment. No personal checks.

Later on, if you need copies of your marriage record, certified copies cost $9 for the first and $7 each after that. The clerk charges a $2 per-year search fee when you cannot give them the exact year of the marriage. You can place orders in person, by mail, or on the clerk website.

Finding Marriage Records Online

Orange County provides a free search tool on the clerk website. Look up marriage records by name. Results show both spouses and the marriage date. Browsing is free but certified copies have a fee attached to them.

State records are available through the Florida Department of Health. They have marriage certificates from 1927 to the present. Cost is $5 for a search with one certified copy, plus $4 for additional copies. VitalChek charges $15 plus processing.

County records are usually the better route for recent Meadow Woods marriages. State processing runs about 60 days behind. Anything from before June 6, 1927 is only stored at the county because the state did not collect marriage data before that date.

How to Get Your Marriage License

Follow these steps:

• Start a pre-application on the Orange County clerk website
• Both parties go to the Orlando courthouse together
• Bring valid photo ID and Social Security number
• Pay the $86 fee (or $61 with a premarital course)
• Florida residents wait three days unless a course was taken
• The license works for 60 days anywhere in Florida

Florida Statute 741.04 creates a three-day cooling-off period for state residents. Non-residents skip this waiting period. A premarital course eliminates the wait for both groups. The course needs to come from an approved provider and be finished within a year of applying.

Once you have the license, use it within 60 days. It is valid throughout Florida, not just Orange County. After the ceremony, whoever performed it signs the license and returns it to the clerk within 10 days. The clerk then records it and reports to the state Bureau of Vital Statistics.

Ceremony and Recording Details

Florida Statute Section 741.07 spells out who can perform a wedding. Ordained ministers, judges, clerks and their deputies, and Florida notaries public all qualify. The Orange County clerk does courthouse ceremonies for $30.

Witnesses are not required under Florida law. Many couples still bring one or two for personal reasons. After the wedding, the officiant has 10 days to complete the license and file it with the clerk. The full recording process takes about 60 days before it appears in state records.

Public Access and Copies

Florida's public records law, Chapter 119, makes marriage records open to the public. Anyone can view or copy them. The clerk redacts Social Security numbers and similar private data from what gets released.

To get a certified copy, order online from the clerk, visit the courthouse at 425 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32801, or mail a request. Include a money order or cashier's check payable to Orange County Clerk of Courts. For fresh marriages, the county has records sooner than the state office does.

Other Cities in Orange County

Marriage records for all Orange County cities go through one clerk office. Click a city below for local specifics.