Getting a Marriage License in Hillsdale County
The Hillsdale County Clerk issues every marriage license in the county. Abe Dane serves as County Clerk, and LeaAnn Zimmerman is the Chief Deputy Clerk. The office sits in Room 1 of the Hillsdale County Courthouse at 29 N. Howell St. Staff take applications in person during regular hours, and the same office runs the county vital records desk. A marriage license is the document that lets a couple legally marry. The marriage certificate is a different record. The certificate is created after the ceremony and filed as proof that the marriage took place.
Michigan law treats the license application as a sworn affidavit under MCL 551.102. Both parties swear that the facts they give are true. The base license fee is $20.00 under MCL 551.103, and the fee rises by $10.00 when both people live outside Michigan. State law also sets a short wait. Under MCL 551.103a, the clerk does not deliver the license within three days of the application unless the couple shows good cause. Once issued, the license is void unless the marriage occurs within 33 days.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Applying is simple when both people come prepared. The county clerk takes applications during courthouse hours, and the county also lists a marriage application in its online portal. Bring valid photo identification and be ready to share a few basic facts for the affidavit.
- Visit the County Clerk in Room 1 of the courthouse, or start the request through the county marriage application portal.
- Show valid government photo ID and give your date of birth, current residence, and details of any prior marriages.
- Both parties sign the application as a sworn affidavit before the clerk.
- Pay the $20.00 license fee, plus the added $10.00 when both parties live outside Michigan.
- Wait the standard three-day period unless the clerk approves an earlier release for good cause, then marry within 33 days before the license expires.
Note: A Hillsdale County marriage license stays valid for only 33 days after the application, so couples should set the ceremony date before they apply.
Marriage License Application Fields
The application asks each person to swear to the same core facts. Because it is an affidavit, the clerk records the details under oath rather than as a simple form. The county applications portal groups the marriage request beside a handful of other clerk services, so it helps to pick the right option before you start.
- Marriage Application
- Notary Application
- Business Registration (DBA) Application
- CPL Standard or Emergency
- CPL Renewal
The live options on the county clerk applications portal show the full menu a couple sees at the start.
The portal screen keeps the marriage request in the same place as notary, DBA, and concealed pistol license work. Once inside the marriage path, expect to supply the fields below for each party.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full Legal Name | Yes | Sworn on the affidavit for each party |
| Date of Birth | Yes | Confirms both parties meet the state age rule |
| Current Residence | Yes | Sets whether the nonresident surcharge applies |
| Prior Marriages | Yes | How any earlier marriage ended |
| Both Party Signatures | Yes | Signed as a sworn affidavit before the clerk |
How to Look Up Hillsdale County Marriage Records
Once a couple marries, the certificate becomes a searchable county record. Hillsdale County offers an online vital records search for death, marriage, and assumed business name (DBA) records. Birth records are not part of that online search. The tool lets you confirm that a marriage record exists before you order a copy.
The county vital records page links the search and the online order options in one place.
That page routes users to the county vital records search portal, which covers death, marriage, and DBA records only. To find a marriage entry, have the names of both spouses and an approximate year of the wedding. Certified marriage certificates are available for events from 1959 to the present, so older weddings may need a direct request at the clerk's counter.
Hillsdale County Marriage and Divorce Fees
The clerk charges set fees for licenses and copies. The license fee and the nonresident surcharge come straight from state law, while the copy fees follow the county schedule. Knowing the amounts ahead of time helps you bring the right payment.
The fee amounts match the state marriage license fee statute and the county fee list.
The statute sets the base fee and the extra charge for out-of-state couples. The county then applies its own copy fees for certified and plain certificates.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $20.00 |
| Nonresident surcharge (both parties out of state) | $10.00 |
| Certified marriage certificate, first copy | $20.00 |
| Each additional certified copy, same order | $5.00 |
| Non-certified marriage certificate | $10.00 |
Note: The clerk charges the full fee for the first certified copy and a smaller amount for each extra copy ordered at the same time.
How to Find Hillsdale County Divorce Records
Divorce records do not sit with the clerk vital records desk. A divorce is a court case, so the file lives with the trial court that handled it. In Hillsdale County that court is the 1st Judicial Circuit Court, which hears divorces along with felony and higher-value civil matters. The clerk can point you toward the court, but the case file itself is a court record.
To search for a divorce case, use the statewide Michigan case search for the Hillsdale circuit court. Have the names of both former spouses ready, and an approximate filing year if you know it. The public result view shows the case number, the parties, the filing date, and the case status. Some family matters are limited or sealed, so not every detail appears online. Broader case details are covered under Hillsdale County court records, which explains how the state portal handles restricted case types.
A certified divorce decree is ordered from the court that granted it. The county also lists an online order option for marriage and divorce records through an official vendor, which routes the request to the correct office. For a divorce that predates the online index, plan to contact the circuit court directly. When a divorce involves children, the county Friend of the Court keeps a companion file for child support and parenting time, and that office answers those requests under its own access rules and a dedicated records form.
What the Hillsdale County Clerk Can Release
Not every marriage document is open to the public. The finished certificate is a public record that anyone may order. The application behind it is different. Under Michigan law the marriage application is exempt from disclosure and reaches only the two people named on it. That rule protects the private details a couple swears to when they apply.
The affidavit rule appears in the state marriage application statute, which sets both the form and its confidentiality.
Certified vital records at the clerk cover a long history. Marriage certificates are available from 1959 to the present, while birth and death records reach back to 1835. A birth record must be at least 100 years old before it is released to the general public, and a birth certificate is otherwise available only to the person named on it. A birth certificate requested by mail needs a notarized signature.
Note: The marriage application itself is confidential under state law and reaches only the two people named on it, unlike the public marriage certificate.
Ordering Certified Copies in Hillsdale County
A certified copy carries the clerk's seal and works for legal needs like a name change, a benefit claim, or an immigration file. A plain copy is cheaper but is not accepted where an official record is required. You can order in person at Room 1, by mail, or online through the county's official order vendor. Mailed birth requests need the notarized signature described above.
The county clerk of court handles these vital record orders and posts the current fees and order links on its pages. Full details on the office, its hours, and its request methods appear on the Hillsdale County Clerk of Court page. Certified marriage, birth, and death records can also be ordered online, with shipping and card fees added on top of the county copy fee.
Hillsdale County Clerk
29 N. Howell St., Room 1
Hillsdale, MI 49242
(517) 437-3391
Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., closed noon-1:00 p.m.