Getting a Marriage License in Oakland County
Marriage licenses in Oakland County come from the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds. The office runs two service points. The Pontiac counter sits at the county campus and takes walk-ins Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Troy satellite office serves couples by appointment only, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. To book the Troy office, call 248-858-0571 or schedule online. Both parties must appear in person to pick up the license, so it helps to plan the visit together.
Michigan couples file the application online first, then finish in person. The clerk needs to see documents for each applicant before the license prints. A valid driver's license or state ID sets both identity and residency at the same time. A passport can prove identity or age, but it does not prove where someone lives. The clerk's office also handles vital records, elections, and land records, so the counter can be busy near the middle of the day.
Full application rules, hours, and pickup steps appear on the county's Oakland County marriage license page.
That page confirms the walk-in option in Pontiac and the appointment rule for the Troy office, along with the documents each applicant must bring.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Applying runs smoothly when both people prepare the same way. The online form starts the process, and the in-person visit finishes it. Each applicant should carry proof of identity and current address. Payment is due at pickup, and personal checks are not taken.
- Complete the online marriage license application and enter the required details for both applicants.
- Gather a valid driver's license or state ID for each person, plus a birth certificate or equivalent record if the office asks for it.
- Choose a pickup location: walk into the Pontiac office, or book a Troy appointment by phone at 248-858-0571.
- Appear together in person so the clerk can verify identity and residency for both parties.
- Pay the license fee by Discover, MasterCard, Visa, cash, or money order made payable to Oakland County Clerk.
- Observe the three-day waiting period, or pay the small waiver fee to skip it.
Note: A Michigan marriage license expires 33 days after the application date, so schedule the ceremony inside that window to avoid reapplying.
Marriage License Application Fields
The online application asks for detail about each applicant and their parents. Most fields repeat for both people. Accuracy matters because the printed license carries these entries onto the permanent record. Social Security numbers are collected under Michigan law and are not printed on the public certificate.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Applicable | Male, Female, or Other for each applicant. |
| Last, First, and Middle Name | Yes | Last and first required; middle name optional. |
| Name Before First Marriage | Applicable | Entered for each applicant. |
| Address, City, County, State, Zip | Yes | Sets residency and mailing details. |
| Age and Date of Birth | Yes | Date of birth in mm/dd/yyyy format. |
| Place of Birth | Yes | City and state or country of birth. |
| Times Married | Yes | Number of prior marriages for each applicant. |
| Parent Full Names | Applicable | Parent names and birthplaces for both applicants. |
| Social Security Number | Yes | Required for processing under MCL 551.102. |
The Oakland County online marriage application collects each of these fields before the counter visit.
Completing the form early shortens the time spent at the Pontiac or Troy office and reduces errors on the final license.
Oakland County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Costs vary by residency and by the record involved. The license fee is lower for Michigan residents. Certified certificate copies carry a flat first-copy charge, and each extra copy of the same record costs less. Divorce filing fees change based on whether the couple shares minor children.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license, Michigan resident | $20 |
| Marriage license, out-of-state resident | $30 |
| Waive the three-day waiting period | $5 |
| Certified marriage certificate, first copy | $15 |
| Each additional copy of the same record | $5 |
| Express mail delivery | $35.90 |
| Divorce filing, no minor children | $175 |
| Divorce filing, with minor children | $255 |
| Regular court document copy | $1 per page |
| Certified court document copy | $10 plus $1 per page |
Important: The clerk accepts Discover, MasterCard, Visa, cash, and money orders payable to Oakland County Clerk. Personal checks are never taken for a marriage license.
How to Look Up Oakland County Marriage Records
Certified marriage certificates are available for weddings that took place in Oakland County when the license was also applied for in the county. Every copy the office issues is certified, so there is no plain, uncertified version. An online order asks for the marriage date and both spouses' full names as they read before the marriage. When those details are unknown, the county's Genealogy Research Service can help track the record down.
Older records follow a different path. Marriages before 1942 can only be requested in person or by mail, not through the online order form. In-person requests are usually filled the same day, and the busiest window at the counter runs from about 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mailed requests need a completed form, payment, and a stamped self-addressed envelope.
The rules, processing times, and historical limits are laid out on the county's Oakland County marriage records page.
That page also spells out which names to use for spouses who changed their surname at or after the wedding.
How to Find Oakland County Divorce Records
Divorce records in Oakland County are domestic relations files kept by the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court. They are not held by the vital records counter. The county's divorce service directory points searchers to Court Explorer, where a case can be searched, viewed, or purchased by name or by case number. These files live alongside the county's broader court records system for the Circuit Court.
A divorce file usually shows the parties, the case number, the filing date, the register of actions, and the final judgment. Custody, parenting time, and support terms may appear when the case involves children. Some family and juvenile material is protected, so not every document in a domestic case is open to the public. Personal identifying information is separated onto protected addenda under the court's rules.
The county's divorce records service entry confirms Court Explorer as the main online path.
When the online view does not answer a question, the Clerk/Register Legal Records Division can pull the file in person or handle a mailed copy request.
Filing a divorce carries its own cost at the Circuit Court. Legal Records charges $175 to open a divorce without minor children and $255 when the case involves minor children. Those fees start the case; they are separate from the copy fees a searcher pays later to obtain the judgment. A case with children moves through the Friend of the Court for custody, parenting time, and support, so its file often runs longer than a simple divorce. When a spouse's name before marriage is unknown for an older record, the county's Genealogy Research Service can help trace it.
Getting Certified Marriage and Divorce Copies
Certified copies matter when a record must satisfy a court, an agency, or an employer. A name change, a Social Security update, a passport application, or a benefits claim often calls for one. Every Oakland County marriage certificate is certified by default, and in-person orders are typically ready the same day. Mailed requests are processed within about three business days and usually arrive within seven to ten business days. Regular mail carries no delivery charge, while express delivery costs $35.90.
Certified divorce decrees come from the Clerk/Register Legal Records Division rather than the marriage counter. A regular court document copy runs $1 per page, and a certified court copy runs $10 plus $1 per page. Knowing the case number speeds up either request.
The county's online marriage certificate order form collects the marriage date, both spouses' names, the number of copies, and the mailing address.
Attested copies of older records still route through the in-person or mail channel, so plan ahead when a wedding predates 1942.
Where Oakland County Vital Records Are Held
The Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds keeps marriage records, while the court clerk's Legal Records Division keeps divorce case files. Both operate on the county campus in Pontiac. In-person counter service, mailed copy requests, and the online order tools cover most needs. Court Explorer handles Circuit Court divorce cases online, and Legal Records staff can help when a file is old, sealed in part, or hard to locate.
Clerk/Register Legal Records Division
1200 North Telegraph Road, Department 413
Pontiac, MI 48341
248-858-0582
Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.