Walton County Marriage Records

Walton County marriage records are managed by the Clerk of Court in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. The clerk issues marriage licenses, performs civil ceremonies, and provides certified copies of recorded marriage documents. Walton County is in the Florida panhandle and includes beach communities along the Gulf Coast as well as inland areas around DeFuniak Springs. All marriage record services for the county go through the clerk office at the courthouse. If you need a new license, want to look up an existing record, or need a copy for legal purposes, the Walton County Clerk handles it all. Here is what to know before you start the process for Walton County marriage records.

Walton County Clerk of Court

The Walton County Clerk of Court is located in the courthouse in DeFuniak Springs. Both parties must appear in person together to apply for a marriage license. Bring a valid photo ID. A driver license, passport, state ID, or military ID will work. U.S. citizens must know their Social Security number. If either person was previously married, the exact date of the divorce, death, or annulment is required.

Walton County does not have a listed website for the clerk office. Calling (850) 892-8115 is the best way to confirm hours and ask questions before your visit. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website may have additional contact details for the Walton County Clerk. The office can also perform civil ceremonies for a $30 fee under Florida Statutes Chapter 741, Section 741.07.

After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the Walton County Clerk within 10 days. The clerk records it into the official records and sends the information to the state. One free certified copy goes to the couple after recording.

Walton County Marriage License Process

The fee for a Walton County marriage license is $86 without a premarital course. With an approved course, it is $61. Section 741.0305 of the Florida Statutes sets this discount. The course must be completed within one year before you apply. It also removes the three-day waiting period for Florida residents. Non-residents do not have a waiting period at all.

Both applicants sign an affidavit per Section 741.04. The license is good for 60 days under Section 741.041. You can use a Walton County license to get married anywhere in Florida. Part of the fee covers a $2 application charge and $25 for the Domestic Violence Trust Fund under Section 741.01. Both people must read the Family Law Handbook before the license is issued. The Florida Bar publishes this handbook per Section 741.0306.

Cash is typically accepted at the clerk window. Call ahead to check on credit cards or money orders. Personal checks are not taken at most Florida clerk offices for marriage license fees.

Note: Walton County attracts many destination weddings along its Gulf Coast beaches, so the clerk may process more non-resident licenses than some other panhandle counties.

Getting Copies of Walton Marriage Records

Certified copies of Walton County marriage records are available from the clerk office in DeFuniak Springs. Call (850) 892-8115 to ask about fees and how to submit your request. The state Bureau of Vital Statistics also has marriage certificates from June 6, 1927 to the present. The Florida Department of Health processes these requests. A search plus one certified copy is $5 from the state. Extra copies are $4. Mail your request to P.O. Box 210, Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042.

Online orders go through VitalChek, the only state-contracted vendor. The online fee is $15 for the state charge plus $7 for processing. Phone orders go to 1-877-550-7330. State processing takes 3 to 5 business days for records from 1970 to the present. For recent Walton County marriages, contacting the clerk directly is faster since the state takes about 60 days to receive the recorded data.

The VitalChek site shown above is the only online path for ordering a Walton County marriage certificate from the state of Florida.

Public Access to Walton County Records

Marriage records in Walton County are public under Florida Statutes Chapter 119. Anyone can ask to inspect or copy them. Section 119.07 sets the rules. Regular copies cost up to 15 cents per page. Certified copies are $1 under the state schedule. The clerk may have its own rates for certified marriage license copies.

Social Security numbers and financial information are protected under Section 119.071. The marriage date, both names, and the county are all public. Under Section 741.09, the clerk must maintain a complete record of every license issued in Walton County. Records from before June 1927 are only at the county level. The My Florida County Records portal can help with broader searches across Florida counties.

Nearby Counties

These counties neighbor Walton County. Each has its own Clerk of Court for marriage record services.