Getting a Marriage License in Wilkinson County
Marriage licenses in Wilkinson County are issued by the Circuit Clerk's office, not the Chancery Clerk. The county FAQ routes marriage license questions to the Circuit Clerk, who keeps the marriage records the office issues. The clerk is J. Lynn Tolliver-Delaney, at 525 Main Street, PO Box 327, Woodville, MS 39669, reachable at 601-888-6697 and circuitclerk@wilkinson.co.ms.gov.
The county lists a short set of requirements. Applicants bring a picture ID, and an applicant under 21 needs a parent's signature on the registration form. The county FAQ also mentions a blood test receipt, but that instruction is out of date under current state rules, so confirming the live requirements with the Circuit Clerk before appearing is the safe step. The Wilkinson County license fee is not published in official county sources, which is another reason to call ahead.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
The application happens in person at the Circuit Clerk's office in the courthouse. A quick call first confirms the current ID rules, the fee, the accepted payment methods, and the under-21 consent process, which keeps a single trip from turning into two.
- Call the Circuit Clerk at 601-888-6697 to confirm the current required ID, appearance rules, fee, accepted payment, and the under-21 parental-consent process.
- Appear at the Circuit Clerk's office at 525 Main Street in Woodville during business hours.
- Provide a picture ID and any required age, divorce, or parental-consent documents.
- Pay the license fee using a method the clerk accepts.
- After the ceremony, make sure the license is returned and recorded through the issuing clerk.
- For later copies, contact the Circuit Clerk or the state marriage-records service.
The clerk cannot give legal advice, but the office can explain its own process. Because the county does not publish every detail online, the phone call in the first step is the most reliable source for current rules.
Wilkinson County Marriage License Requirements
No Wilkinson-specific application form was located online, so the requirements below come from the county FAQ and the state health department guidance. They show what a couple should expect to provide, with one item flagged as obsolete under current state law. Each requirement should be confirmed with the Circuit Clerk before the visit.
| Field / Requirement | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant identity (picture ID) | Yes | County says picture ID. Other Mississippi counties often ask both parties to appear; confirm with the Circuit Clerk. |
| Age / under-21 status | Conditional | If an applicant is under 21, a parent's signature on the registration form is required. |
| Blood test receipt | No (obsolete) | The county FAQ still lists it, but the state health department says no blood test has been required since July 1, 2012. |
| Fee | Yes | The Wilkinson County license fee is not published; confirm the amount with the Circuit Clerk. |
The Circuit Clerk profile and other office details are covered on the Wilkinson County Circuit Clerk page for anyone who needs the full office overview before applying.
Blood Test Rules for a Wilkinson County Marriage License
The blood test instruction is the most common point of confusion in Wilkinson County. The county's older FAQ tells applicants to bring a blood test receipt dated within the last 30 days, which reflects a rule that no longer applies. The Mississippi State Department of Health states that as of July 1, 2012, a blood test is no longer required to obtain a marriage license in the state.
The safe approach is to treat the county page as outdated on this single point and confirm with the Circuit Clerk before appearing. The health department's marriage license guidance, shown below, is the authority that explains the change.
The state health department lays this out on its marriage license FAQ page, which addresses the blood test question directly.
Note: The county FAQ still mentions a blood test receipt, but Mississippi no longer requires one, so call the Circuit Clerk to confirm the current rule before going in.
Looking Up Wilkinson County Marriage Records
Marriage records have a local route and a state route. The local copy comes from the Circuit Clerk that issued the license, while the state copy comes from the Mississippi State Department of Health. The health department says Mississippi marriage records are maintained by both state and county officials, so either office can be the right starting point depending on what a person needs.
To find a record, gather the names of both spouses, the approximate date of the marriage, and the county where the license was issued. The state office can search for the county of issue if that detail is unknown. The health department explains the marriage-records service on its marriage records page.
State copies can be ordered online or by phone. The health department's ordering page links to VitalChek for online requests and lists phone ordering through the state Vital Records Office at 601-206-8200.
That ordering page is the state channel, while the Circuit Clerk remains the local channel for a Wilkinson County marriage record. Choosing between them comes down to whether a person wants the county-issued copy or the state-held copy.
Wilkinson County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Wilkinson County does not publish its marriage license fee or its certified-copy fees in official sources, so those amounts must be confirmed with the clerk that handles the record. The state divorce index search carries a fixed price. The schedule below marks each item with its known cost or notes where the amount must be confirmed locally.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wilkinson County marriage license | Not published, call the Circuit Clerk |
| Certified marriage copy | Not published, call the Circuit Clerk |
| MSDH five-year divorce index search | $17 |
| Certified divorce decree copy | Not published, call the Chancery Clerk |
The state index search has a set fee, while the local copy fees vary. Confirming a local amount before ordering avoids surprises at the counter.
Finding Wilkinson County Divorce Records
Divorce in Wilkinson County is handled by Chancery Court, and the Chancery Clerk holds the case files and decrees. The county FAQ sends public records about divorce to the Chancery Clerk, Nakia Stewart Anderson, at 525 Main Street, PO Box 516, Woodville, MS 39669, reachable at 601-430-1913 and chanceryclerk@wilkinson.co.ms.gov. Chancery Court also hears child custody, property division, adoption, alimony, and other family matters, so a divorce file can touch several sensitive subjects.
A divorce case file can show the parties, the petition, temporary orders, property and support terms, and the final decree, though custody, minor-child, and financial details may be restricted. Digitized chancery cases may also be reached through the Seventeenth Chancery District electronic system, which is account-gated. The broader work of the Chancery Court, including estates and guardianships, is covered on the Wilkinson County Chancery Court page.
MSDH Divorce Index Search for Wilkinson County
The Mississippi State Department of Health does not keep certified divorce decrees. Its Vital Records office instead offers an index search to help locate where a divorce was granted. For a fee of $17, the office searches county divorce indexes across a five-year date range and reports the county and the book and page number in the Chancery Clerk's office.
That index search is a locator, not the decree itself. Once it points to Wilkinson County and a book and page, the certified copy still comes from the Chancery Clerk. The health department explains the limits of its divorce service on its divorce records page.
The index search is most useful when someone does not know which county granted the divorce. For a known Wilkinson County case, going straight to the Chancery Clerk is faster.
Certified Wilkinson County Divorce Decrees
A certified divorce decree is the document courts, lenders, and agencies accept as proof of a finalized divorce. In Wilkinson County, that certified copy comes from the Chancery Clerk who holds the case file, not from the state health department. The state index can locate the record, but only the Chancery Clerk can issue the certified decree.
To request one, a person gives the Chancery Clerk the names of the parties and, where possible, the case number or the book and page from a state index search. The clerk confirms the local copy fee, which is not published online. For an electronic case, the Seventeenth Chancery District system may show docket information, but a certified copy still issues from the clerk.
Restricted Family Records in Wilkinson County
Not every family record is open to the public. Chancery Court handles matters that involve children, finances, and sensitive personal information, and several categories are restricted or redacted. A divorce file may be partly public while specific parts stay closed.
- Child custody and minor-child details tied to a divorce or family case.
- Adoption files, which are sensitive and treated as restricted.
- Sealed domestic matters that a court has closed to public access.
- Financial account numbers and similar personal identifiers, which are redacted.
Because access depends on the case type and any court order, the Chancery Clerk is the office that confirms what can be released. Sealed and minor-child material should not be treated as an ordinary public-record search.
Mississippi State Department of Health Vital Records
The Mississippi State Department of Health, through its Vital Records office, is the state custodian for marriage records and the office that runs the divorce index search. It holds and issues certified marriage copies, searches county divorce indexes, and supports online and phone ordering. It does not keep certified divorce decrees, which stay with the county Chancery Clerk.
Mississippi State Department of Health, Vital Records
Statewide marriage records and divorce index search
601-206-8200
The health department's vital-records hub is shown below, with links to marriage records, divorce index searches, and the VitalChek ordering path.
For a Wilkinson County couple, the state office and the county clerks work together: the state holds marriage copies and locates divorces, while the local clerks issue the license and the certified decree.