Liberty County Marriage Records Lookup

Marriage records for Liberty County are held by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Bristol. Liberty County is one of the least populated counties in Florida, located in the Panhandle region. The clerk office in Bristol is the sole place to apply for a marriage license, get certified copies, or search for existing marriage records in the county. All services run through this one office. You can also get state-level marriage certificates through the Florida Department of Health for marriages that took place in Liberty County from June 1927 onward. For older records, the county clerk is the only source.

Liberty County Clerk Office

The Liberty County Clerk of the Circuit Court in Bristol processes all marriage license applications for the county. Call (850) 643-2215 for office hours and appointment details. Both people applying for a marriage license must be there in person at the same time. Each person needs a valid government photo ID such as a driver license, passport, military ID, or state ID card. U.S. citizens and residents have to give their Social Security number too.

Under Florida Statutes Chapter 741, Section 741.04 says both parties must sign an affidavit. This affidavit confirms their ages and that there is no legal bar to the marriage. If either party was married before, the date the last marriage ended is a must. There is no residency requirement. You do not have to live in Liberty County or even in Florida to get a license here.

Note: Both parties are required to read the Family Law Handbook from the Florida Bar before the Liberty County clerk can issue the license.

Marriage License Fees in Liberty County

A marriage license in Liberty County costs $86. This is the standard fee across most Florida counties. It includes the $2 application charge and $25 Domestic Violence Trust Fund fee under Section 741.01. Couples who complete a premarital preparation course pay $61 instead, which also eliminates the three-day wait for Florida residents. The course must be finished within one year of the license application, per Florida Statute 741.0305.

Civil ceremonies at the clerk office cost $30 if available. Payment options at a small county office like Liberty may be limited. Cash and money orders are the safest bet. Call (850) 643-2215 before your visit to check on current payment methods and to make sure the office is open. Liberty County is small, and hours may differ from larger county clerk offices in Florida.

Searching Liberty County Marriage Records

Marriage records in Liberty County are public documents. Florida Statutes Chapter 119 makes all state, county, and municipal records open to the public. Section 119.07 lets anyone inspect or copy a public record at any reasonable time. You do not have to be named on the record. No explanation is needed for your request. The Liberty County clerk in Bristol keeps the original marriage licenses on file. Social Security numbers and certain other personal details are redacted from public copies under Section 119.071.

For marriages that took place after June 6, 1927, the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics also has certificates on file. A state certificate is an abstract of the marriage license. It shows both names, the marriage date, and the county. It costs $5 for a search of one year plus one certified copy. You can order by mail, in person at the Jacksonville office, or online through VitalChek. Online orders through VitalChek cost $15 for the state fee plus $7 for processing.

Older Liberty County marriage records from before 1927 are only at the courthouse in Bristol. The state does not have them.

After the Ceremony in Liberty County

Once a marriage ceremony takes place, the officiant signs the license. The completed license must go back to the Liberty County clerk within 10 days. Under Section 741.09, the clerk records the license into the official records and sends the data to the state Bureau of Vital Statistics. This reporting process takes about 60 days. If you just got married and need proof right away, contact the Liberty County clerk rather than waiting for the state to process it.

Florida Statute 741.07 spells out who can perform ceremonies. Ordained ministers, judges, clerks of the circuit court and their deputies, and Florida notaries public all qualify. In Liberty County, the clerk may offer simple civil ceremonies at the courthouse. The license is good for 60 days from the effective date and can be used anywhere in the state, not just within Liberty County.

After recording, the couple receives one free certified copy from the Liberty County clerk. Additional copies have a small fee. For extra copies later, you can go back to the clerk office in Bristol or order a state certificate from the Florida DOH.

Liberty County Waiting Period

Florida residents face a three-day waiting period for marriage licenses. This applies in Liberty County just like every other county in the state. The license is not effective until three days after it is issued. Non-Florida residents skip the wait entirely. The other way around it is to take a premarital preparation course. Completing the course and showing the certificate to the Liberty County clerk makes the license effective the same day it is issued.

The course must come from an approved provider and cover topics required by Florida law. Both in-person and online options exist. The savings are real. You pay $25 less for the license and do not wait three days. For couples planning a destination wedding in Liberty County or anywhere in Florida, this is worth knowing about ahead of time.

Nearby Counties

Liberty County sits in the Florida Panhandle. The counties below share borders with Liberty County and have their own clerk offices for marriage records.