Fayette County Marriage Records

Fayette County marriage records date back to 1810, when the county was first formed from Highland and Ross Counties. The Probate Court in Washington Court House handles all marriage license applications and maintains the county's marriage record files. If you want to search for a marriage license or get a certified copy, the Probate Court is the place to start. The county also has a Records and Archives Center that holds older marriage records from 1810 through January 1988, while more recent files stay at the court.

Fayette County Probate Court Records

The Fayette County Probate Court issues marriage licenses by appointment only. Call 740-335-0640 to set one up. Both parties must read the marriage license requirements carefully and have all documents ready before coming in. The court issues licenses to Fayette County residents marrying in Ohio, and to out-of-state residents who plan to marry in Fayette County.

Under ORC Chapter 3101, the Probate Court is the sole agency in Ohio with the power to issue marriage licenses. Fayette County's Probate Court also handles over two hundred other duties as set by the Ohio Revised Code. These range from estate administration to guardianships to birth certificate corrections. The court reviews its local rules each year with the Fayette County Bar Association and files them with the Supreme Court of Ohio by February 1st.

Fayette County Marriage Records Archives

The Fayette County Records and Archives Center holds marriage records from 1810 to January 1988. More recent marriage records are kept at the Probate Court. If you are looking for an older record, the archives are where to go. The center has wills dating back to 1810, probate records from 1829, and Common Pleas ledgers and case files from 1810 as well.

Copy prices at the archives are straightforward. Non-certified marriage records cost $1. Certified marriage records cost $2. These are among the lowest fees in the state. If you are traveling to do research, call ahead first. Staff is limited and there are no backup workers for sick days, meetings, or emergencies. The center can close without notice if no one is available.

Public records requests in Fayette County can be made in person, by phone, or online. Under ORC 149.43, you do not have to give your name or state a reason. The county will send records by email in PDF format at no charge if you prefer that over paper copies.

Fayette County Court Resources

The Fayette County Probate Court page provides details about marriage license requirements, forms, and how to schedule an appointment.

This is the main Probate Court page where you can find marriage license requirement documents and download the application information sheet.

The Fayette County Records and Archives Center lists all available records by type and date range, along with copy fees for each department.

The Archives Center page breaks down which records are available and how much copies cost, including the $2 fee for certified marriage records in Fayette County.

Fayette County Marriage Records Genealogy

Fayette County has marriage records going all the way back to 1810. That is one of the longest record spans in this part of Ohio. The Ohio History Connection and the Ohio Genealogical Society are both useful for genealogy research across the state. The DataOhio Portal publishes marriage and divorce statistics by county.

Known record start dates for Fayette County include birth records from 1867, marriage records from 1810, death records from 1867, and court records from 1828. Divorce records from 1853 are kept by the Clerk of Courts. The Fayette County Heritage Facebook Page and Ohio Historical Society are listed as additional resources for local research.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Fayette County. Make sure you search in the county where the marriage license was actually issued.