Sarasota County Marriage Records Search

Sarasota County marriage records are kept by the Clerk of Court at the courthouse in Sarasota, Florida. The clerk handles all marriage license applications, ceremonies, and copy requests for the county. Residents of Sarasota, Venice, North Port, and the surrounding communities all use this office. If you need to find a marriage record or apply for a new license, the clerk office is where everything happens. You can call ahead, visit in person, or check the clerk website for forms and information. This page explains the steps for searching and getting Sarasota County marriage records.

Sarasota County Clerk of Court

The Sarasota County Clerk of Court issues all marriage licenses for the county. The main office is in Sarasota. Both parties must show up together. You each need a valid photo ID. A driver license, passport, military ID, or state ID all work. U.S. citizens need their Social Security number too. If either person had a previous marriage, bring the date it ended. The clerk will not issue a new license without that information. The staff walks you through the rest of the process at the counter.

Sarasota County is on Florida's Gulf Coast. The county has a large and growing population, so the clerk office processes many marriage licenses each year. Check the website or call for current office hours and any branch locations that may offer marriage services.

How to Get a Sarasota County Marriage License

A marriage license in Sarasota County costs $86 without a premarital course. With proof of an approved course, the fee drops to $61 and the three-day waiting period goes away. Florida Statutes Chapter 741, Section 741.0305 covers this. The course must be completed within one year of applying. Both Florida residents and non-residents can take advantage of the reduced rate, but only Florida residents have the waiting period to begin with.

Both applicants sign an affidavit under Section 741.04. This confirms your names, ages, and that there is no legal reason you cannot marry. The license is valid for 60 days per Section 741.041. You can use a Sarasota County marriage license anywhere in the state. After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and it goes back to the Sarasota County Clerk for recording within 10 days.

The clerk can perform the ceremony for $30. Section 741.07 also lets ministers, judges, and notaries public officiate. Both parties must read the Family Law Handbook before the license is issued. This is a state requirement under Section 741.0306. The Florida Bar publishes the handbook.

Note: Part of the license fee includes $25 for the Domestic Violence Trust Fund and a $2 application charge.

Sarasota County Marriage Record Copies

Certified copies of recorded Sarasota County marriage licenses come from the clerk office. Call (941) 861-7400 to find out the current fee and how to place your request. The state Bureau of Vital Statistics also has marriage certificates from June 6, 1927 to the present. A state search and one certified copy costs $5. Additional copies are $4. The Florida Department of Health processes these requests by mail at P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042.

For online orders, VitalChek is the only state-approved vendor. The fee is $15 plus $7 processing. Phone orders are at 1-877-550-7330. Processing takes 3 to 5 business days for computer certificates from 1970 onward. Older records take longer. Rush service at the Jacksonville walk-in office adds $10.

If you need a Sarasota County marriage record from before 1927, only the local clerk has it. The state does not keep records from that era. Contact the clerk office for help with historical records. After a ceremony, there is about a 60-day delay before the state receives the data from the county. If you need proof of a recent Sarasota County marriage, the clerk office is the faster option.

Searching Sarasota Marriage Records

Marriage records in Sarasota County are open to the public. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes requires public access to all state, county, and municipal records. Anyone can request them. No relationship to the couple is needed. Section 119.07 caps copy fees at 15 cents per page for regular copies. Certified copies are $1 under the state schedule. The Sarasota County Clerk may charge more for official certified copies of marriage licenses.

Some personal details are protected. Section 119.071 covers exemptions for Social Security numbers and financial account information. The core marriage data stays public. Under Section 741.09, the clerk must keep a correct record of every license issued in Sarasota County. The My Florida County Records portal and the Florida Clerks Association directory are both good tools for starting a record search.

The My Florida County Records search above covers official records from many counties including Sarasota. It can help you locate a marriage record when you are not sure of the exact county.

Cities in Sarasota County

Several cities in Sarasota County have populations that qualify for their own pages. All residents use the Sarasota County Clerk of Court for marriage licenses.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Sarasota County and each has its own Clerk of Court for marriage record services.