Find Marriage Records in North Fort Myers

Marriage records for North Fort Myers residents are processed through the Lee County Clerk of Courts. The clerk office in nearby Fort Myers handles all licenses, ceremonies, and record requests for every community in Lee County.

Where North Fort Myers Residents Get a Marriage License

North Fort Myers is an unincorporated area in Lee County. It has no separate clerk office. The Lee County Clerk of Courts main location is at 2075 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33901. You reach them at (239) 533-5007. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

From North Fort Myers, the courthouse is a quick drive across the Caloosahatchee River. Most residents can get there in 10 to 20 minutes. That short trip makes the main clerk office the obvious choice for marriage license business. Both people must appear in person at the same time.

Bring a valid photo ID. Driver licenses from any state work, along with passports, military IDs, and state-issued photo IDs. A Social Security number is also needed. Previously married? Have the date your last marriage ended. The application form asks for this information and you will not be able to skip it.

Marriage License Fees and Payment

Lee County charges $86 for a marriage license. Take a premarital preparation course and that drops to $61. The course must be completed within 12 months before applying. Only courses from providers approved under Florida Statute Chapter 741 count toward the discount.

The clerk accepts cash, credit cards, and debit cards. Personal checks are not taken. Want the clerk to marry you? The ceremony fee is $30. This can usually happen the same day if no waiting period applies to your situation.

Certified copies of existing marriage records cost $7 for the first copy. Additional copies purchased at the same time are $5 each. These fees apply whether you request copies in person, by mail, or online through the clerk website.

Online Marriage Records Search

Lee County offers an online search for official records. Go to the clerk website to look up marriage records by name or date range. Viewing basic search results costs nothing. If you need a certified copy for legal use, you can order one through the site for the standard fee.

At the state level, the Florida Department of Health has marriage certificates from 1927 to the present. The fee is $5 for a search plus one certified copy. Additional copies cost $4 each. Requests go to the state office in Jacksonville. Expect a wait of several weeks for processing.

VitalChek provides an online alternative. They handle state vital record orders for $15 plus processing. It is convenient if you prefer to do everything by credit card from home. But for North Fort Myers marriages specifically, starting with Lee County gives faster results.

Getting Your Marriage License: Step by Step

The process for North Fort Myers couples is straightforward:

• Go to the Lee County Clerk office in Fort Myers with your partner
• Bring photo ID and Social Security numbers for both of you
• Provide previous marriage end dates if needed
• Pay the $86 license fee or $61 with a premarital course
• Florida residents wait three days unless they have a course certificate
• Marry anywhere in Florida within 60 days

Under Florida Statute 741.04, the three-day cooling period applies only to Florida residents. People from other states can use the license immediately. A premarital preparation course eliminates the wait for all applicants. The license is valid for 60 days after it is issued. It works in any county across the state, not just Lee.

Who can officiate? Florida Statute 741.07 says ordained ministers, judges, clerks, deputy clerks, and Florida notary publics. There is no legal requirement for witnesses in Florida, although many couples include them. After the wedding, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the clerk office within 10 days. The clerk records the marriage and forwards the data to the state.

Copies and Public Record Access

All marriage records in Florida are public under Florida Statutes Chapter 119. This means any person can request a copy of any marriage record. You do not need to be related to the couple or involved in the marriage. Social Security numbers are removed from public copies to protect privacy.

Request copies in person at the Fort Myers clerk office for the quickest turnaround. Mail requests work too. Send them to the clerk at 2075 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33901 with a written request and payment. Include both spouses' names and the date of marriage (or your best guess) so staff can locate the right record.

Keep in mind that new marriages take about 60 days to show up in the state system after the ceremony. If you were recently married in North Fort Myers or anywhere in Lee County, the county clerk will have your record before the state does. Go to the county first for recent records.

Other Cities in Lee County

Every city and community in Lee County is served by the same clerk office. Choose a city for local information.