Alachua County Marriage Records

Alachua County marriage records are held by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Gainesville. Whether you need a certified copy of a marriage license or want to search for a record filed in Alachua County, the clerk office is the place to start. You can visit in person, call, or use online tools to request copies. The Florida Department of Health also keeps marriage certificates from June 1927 to the present for all counties, so the state bureau is a backup option when you need a record from Alachua County. Both sources serve the public, and no special reason is needed to make a request for these records.

Alachua County Clerk of Court

The Alachua County Clerk of the Circuit Court handles all marriage license services in the county. The main office is in Gainesville. Both people must show up in person with valid photo ID and a Social Security number. If either party was married before, you need the exact date that last marriage ended. The clerk issues the license the same day if all paperwork checks out. Under Florida Statutes Chapter 741, the Alachua County clerk acts as an agent of the state for issuing marriage licenses. Section 741.01 sets the base fee structure, which includes a $2 application charge and a $25 Domestic Violence Trust Fund fee built into the total cost.

The office phone number is (352) 374-3636. Call ahead to confirm hours or ask about what you need to bring. Walk-ins are accepted at the Gainesville location during regular business hours.

Marriage License Fees in Alachua County

A marriage license in Alachua County costs $86 without a premarital course. That is the standard rate for most Florida counties. Couples who take an approved premarital preparation course pay $61 instead. The course must be done within one year of applying for the license. Under Section 741.0305 of the Florida Statutes, the course completion also waives the three-day waiting period that applies to Florida residents. So you save $25 and can get married the same day the license is issued if you bring the course certificate.

Non-Florida residents do not have a waiting period regardless of course completion. Both parties can apply and get married on the same visit to the Alachua County clerk office. There is no blood test needed. No residency requirement exists. The license works anywhere in the state for 60 days.

Ceremony services are available for $30 at many clerk offices across Florida. Check with the Alachua County clerk to confirm if ceremonies are offered at their Gainesville location. Under Section 741.07, judges, ordained ministers, clerks, and Florida notaries can all perform the ceremony.

Note: Credit card payments may carry a surcharge at some county clerk offices in Florida.

Getting Copies of Alachua County Marriage Records

Certified copies of marriage licenses filed in Alachua County come from the clerk of court. The clerk records every license after the ceremony under Section 741.09. You get one free certified copy when the license is first recorded. After that, copies cost a small fee. Prices range from a few dollars for a regular copy to around $9 for a certified one, depending on the county office. Call (352) 374-3636 to ask about the current fee for Alachua County marriage record copies.

You can also get a marriage certificate from the Florida Department of Health. The state keeps records from June 6, 1927 forward. A search for one year plus one certified copy is $5. Each additional copy costs $4. The state certificate is an abstract that proves the marriage was recorded. It shows both names, the date, and the county. For records before 1927, only the Alachua County clerk has them on file.

The state office in Jacksonville processes mail requests in 3 to 5 business days for records from 1970 onward. Older records take longer. VitalChek is the only approved online vendor for ordering state marriage certificates. The cost through VitalChek is $15 for the state fee plus $7 for processing. This is a good option when you cannot visit the Alachua County clerk in person and need the record mailed to you.

Public Access to Alachua Marriage Records

Marriage records are public in Florida. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes makes all state, county, and municipal records open for inspection. You do not need to be a spouse named on the record. Anyone can ask. Section 119.07 says the custodian must allow inspection and copying at any reasonable time. Regular copies cost up to 15 cents per page. Certified copies are $1 under the public records law, though some clerk offices set their own certified copy rates for specific record types.

Certain data gets redacted. Social Security numbers and bank account details are protected under Section 119.071. Medical info is also exempt. But the core marriage record stays open. Both parties must read the Family Law Handbook before getting a license in Alachua County, as required by Section 741.0306. That handbook is created by the Florida Bar and covers rights and responsibilities that come with marriage.

The My Florida County Records portal is a useful tool if you want to search official records across multiple counties at once. Some people are not sure which county a marriage was filed in, and this site helps narrow it down.

Alachua County Marriage License Process

The process is straightforward. Both people go to the Alachua County clerk office together. Bring a valid photo ID like a driver license, passport, or state ID card. U.S. citizens need their Social Security number. If you were married before, have the exact date your last marriage ended by divorce, death, or annulment. Both parties sign an affidavit under Section 741.04 with their correct ages. You must be at least 18. A 17-year-old can marry with parental consent, but only if the other party is no more than two years older.

After the ceremony, the signed license must go back to the Alachua County clerk within 10 days. The clerk records it and sends the data to the state Bureau of Vital Statistics. That state recording process takes about 60 days. If you need proof of marriage right away, get your certified copy from the Alachua County clerk rather than waiting on the state.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website lists all 67 county clerk offices. It is a good starting point if you need to compare services between Alachua and neighboring counties.

The Alachua County Clerk of Court website provides details on their marriage license process and other recording services.

The Florida Department of Health portal above is used to order state-level marriage certificates, including records originally filed in Alachua County from 1927 to present.

The Bureau of Vital Statistics page below lists all available vital record services across the state, including marriage record requests for Alachua County residents.

Use this portal when you need a state-issued certificate rather than a county-level copy of the original Alachua County marriage license.

Cities in Alachua County

Gainesville is the county seat and the largest city in Alachua County. Residents across the county go to the clerk office in Gainesville for marriage license services. Florida cities do not issue marriage licenses on their own. The county clerk handles all filings.

Other communities in Alachua County include Alachua, Archer, Hawthorne, High Springs, Micanopy, Newberry, and Waldo. Residents of these areas use the same clerk office in Gainesville for marriage records.

Nearby Counties

Several counties border Alachua County. Each has its own clerk of court that issues marriage licenses. A license from any Florida county is valid statewide for 60 days.