Palm Harbor Marriage Records Search

Marriage records for Palm Harbor go through the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The clerk office in Clearwater issues licenses, performs ceremonies, and maintains marriage records for all Pinellas County communities.

Applying for a License in Palm Harbor

Palm Harbor is in Pinellas County. Marriage licenses are issued by the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The clerk office is at 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756. Call (727) 464-3341 for questions.

Palm Harbor is an unincorporated community in the northern part of Pinellas County. There is no local clerk office here. Couples drive to the courthouse in Clearwater, which is about 8 miles south. That is a 15-minute drive. Both parties must show up together to apply for the license.

Valid photo ID is required from each person. Acceptable forms are a driver license, passport, military ID, state-issued ID card, or naturalization certificate. Citizens of the United States must bring a Social Security number. If you had a prior marriage, the clerk needs the end date and how it ended, whether by divorce, death, or annulment.

Marriage License Fees

The standard fee is $86. A premarital course brings the cost down to $61. You need to finish the course within one year of applying. Under Florida Statute 741.0305, the provider must be on the approved list for the discount to apply.

The clerk office performs ceremonies for $30. Cash and credit cards are accepted. Personal checks are not taken for any marriage fees. If you want a quick courthouse wedding, the clerk can handle it the same day as long as the waiting period has passed.

Certified copies of marriage records cost $9 for the first copy and $7 for each additional one. If you do not know the year of the marriage, the clerk charges $2 per year they have to search. Copies can be ordered online, in person, or by mail.

Online Records Search for Palm Harbor

Pinellas County provides a free search tool through the clerk website. Look up marriage records by name at no charge. Results show both parties and the date of the marriage. Browsing is free, though ordering certified copies costs money.

The Florida Department of Health keeps state marriage certificates from 1927 to the present. A state search with one copy costs $5. Each extra is $4. VitalChek is another option at $15 plus processing fees for online orders.

The county is the better route for recent Palm Harbor marriages. State records run roughly 60 days behind the ceremony. Records before June 6, 1927 are only available through the county since the state did not collect marriage data before that date.

Step-by-Step License Process

Palm Harbor couples follow these steps:

• Submit a pre-application on the Pinellas County clerk website
• Both partners go to the Clearwater courthouse together
• Show valid photo ID and Social Security number
• Pay $86 or $61 with premarital course proof
• Florida residents wait three days if no course was taken
• Use the license within 60 days in any Florida county

The three-day wait comes from Florida Statute 741.04. Only Florida residents must wait. Non-residents have no waiting period. A premarital course from a state-approved provider eliminates the wait. The course needs to be done within a year before your application.

Under Section 741.07, ordained ministers, judges, clerks and their deputies, and notaries public licensed in Florida can perform weddings. Witnesses are not a legal requirement. The officiant has 10 days after the ceremony to sign and return the license to the clerk for recording.

Public Records and Copies

Florida Statutes Chapter 119 makes marriage records public. Anyone can view or request copies. Private details like Social Security numbers are removed from public releases.

To get certified copies, you have three options. Order through the clerk website. Visit 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756 during office hours. Or mail a request with a money order or cashier's check to the Pinellas County Clerk.

If you got married recently and need proof, contact the county clerk first. State records through the Department of Health run about 60 days behind the ceremony. The clerk receives the signed license from the officiant within 10 days, so they have it much sooner than the state does.

Other Cities in Pinellas County

All Pinellas County cities use one clerk office for marriage records. Click a city for local information.