Mecklenburg County Marriage Licenses
Marriage licenses in Mecklenburg County are issued by the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds, not by the Clerk of Superior Court. The office is in the County & Courts Office Building at 720 E. 4th Street, Room 105, Charlotte, NC 28202. The Register of Deeds business hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and marriage questions route to 704-336-2443.
Both applicants apply in person. The Register states that applicants should complete the online application within 30 days before visiting the office to speed the process, and both applicants should visit between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. A North Carolina marriage license is valid for 60 days from issuance and may be used in any county in the state, but it must be returned to the office that issued it.
The manifest image from the Register of Deeds services page shows the local office channel for Mecklenburg County marriage records.
Use the Register of Deeds service list for marriage licenses and marriage certificates, while divorce judgments remain court records.
Mecklenburg County Marriage Requirements
Anyone over 18 may legally marry in North Carolina without parental consent. Applicants under 18 should call 980-314-4951 for specific requirements. Each applicant must present valid, unexpired, government-issued photo identification, such as a government driver's license, government ID card, U.S. military ID, or valid passport. Each applicant must also provide proof of a valid Social Security number, such as a Social Security card, W-2, pay stub, or other legal document reflecting the number provided.
Applicants age 18-20 must also present a certified birth certificate. A person without a U.S. Social Security number, or ineligible for one, must present a notarized Affidavit of Social Security Ineligibility or No Social Security Number. The Register does not provide notary services. Divorced applicants must provide an original or certified true copy of the divorce decree showing the final date. Widowed applicants must provide a certified death certificate showing the prior spouse's death date.
The manifest image from the Mecklenburg marriage licenses page shows the county's license instructions and requirements.
That county page is the controlling local source for ID, Social Security, prior-marriage, and in-person application rules.
Apply for a Marriage License
The fastest Mecklenburg County marriage license path starts before the office visit. The online application is a pre-application, not the final license. The license is issued only after both applicants appear, present the required documents, and pay the license fee.
- Complete the online pre-application within 30 days before the in-person visit.
- Gather valid photo ID, Social Security proof, and any required birth, divorce, death, or affidavit documents.
- Both applicants go to the Register of Deeds office during the posted marriage application window.
- Answer the application questions and sign where the office requires signatures.
- Pay the marriage license fee and receive the license for use in North Carolina.
- After the ceremony, make sure the completed license is returned to the issuing Mecklenburg office.
Marriage Application Field Inventory
The research captured a partial online marriage application inventory from the county's official application route. The fields reflect the documents the Register requires at the counter. If an applicant has a prior marriage or lacks a Social Security number, the supporting document field becomes critical.
| Field or Document | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant full legal name | Yes | Used to create the marriage license and later certificate record. |
| Government photo ID | Yes | Driver's license, government ID card, U.S. military ID, or valid passport. |
| Social Security proof | Yes unless ineligible | Social Security card, W-2, pay stub, or legal document showing the number. |
| Certified birth certificate | For ages 18-20 | Required by the Mecklenburg marriage license instructions for this age group. |
| Prior divorce decree | If divorced | Original or certified true copy showing the final divorce date. |
| Prior spouse death certificate | If widowed | Certified death certificate showing the prior spouse's death date. |
| SSN ineligibility affidavit | If applicable | Must be notarized before the office visit because the Register does not provide notary service. |
Mecklenburg Marriage Record Fees
Marriage fees come from the Register of Deeds fee schedule. Divorce filing costs and certified divorce judgment copy charges are court costs or clerk charges, not Register of Deeds fees. The research did not parse a current divorce filing amount, so that line should be checked through the Judicial Branch court-cost source or the Mecklenburg Clerk of Superior Court.
| Item | Amount or Source |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60 |
| Marriage license certified copy | $10 per certified copy |
| Delayed marriage certificate with one certified copy | $20 |
| Application or license correction with one certified copy | $10 |
| Divorce filing and judgment copy costs | Use current Judicial Branch court costs or the Clerk of Superior Court |
The Register of Deeds uniform fee schedule documents the marriage license and certificate fees. The fee schedule is a Register of Deeds source, so it should not be used for court divorce filing fees.
Get Mecklenburg Marriage Copies
Certified marriage certificate copies are available through the Register of Deeds. The county's request page lists online, mail, and in-person channels. Online requests use Permitium, which charges a processing fee and accepts major cards including American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa. Mail requests use the North Carolina Marriage Certificate Copy Request PDF and must include identification and any extra documentation required by the requester's relationship or authority.
Certified vital-record access is limited by the county page's N.C.G.S. 130A-93 eligibility list. Eligible requesters include yourself, spouse, sibling, child or step-child, parent or step-parent, grandparent, grandchild, authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative with proof. The same county page cites N.C.G.S. 130A-26A for fraudulent vital-record requests or deceptive use.
- Online: Use Permitium from the Register of Deeds request page and pay the vendor processing fee.
- Mail: Send the request form, ID, and documentation to 720 E. 4th Street, Room 105, Charlotte, NC 28202.
- In person: Visit the Register of Deeds office with approved identification.
- Record search: Use the Register of Deeds web access portal for recorded-document searching where available.
The manifest image from the Permitium marriage certificate request portal shows the online certificate ordering channel.
Permitium is the online copy request path, but eligibility and ID rules still come from the Mecklenburg Register of Deeds.
The manifest image from the marriage certificate request page shows the county copy request instructions.
That request page is the key source for ID, relationship, mail, in-person, and online copy rules.
Look Up Mecklenburg Marriage Records
The Register of Deeds web access portal is the local search channel for recorded Register records. It is vendor-hosted and displays a public-record redaction notice and disclaimer before entry. Marriage certificate copies still need the proper copy request channel if the person needs a certified vital record for legal use.
The manifest image from the Register of Deeds web access portal shows the online search entry point.
The web access portal can help locate recorded information, while certified copies require the Register's copy process.
Find Mecklenburg County Divorce Records
Divorce judgments are court records. The North Carolina Judicial Branch says copies of divorce judgments come from the clerk of court's office in the county where the divorce was granted, for a fee. In Mecklenburg County, that means the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse. Portal may show the civil or family case record, but a certified judgment copy comes from the clerk.
For older Mecklenburg divorce documents filed before October 9, 2023 that cannot be found in Portal, the courthouse instructions route civil file requests to meckcivilrecords@nccourts.org. The request should include the type of record, party names, and file number if known. Divorce certificates may also be available from North Carolina Vital Records, but the full divorce judgment and case file are court records.
A marriage certificate request is different from a divorce judgment request. Use the Register of Deeds for marriage records and the Mecklenburg Clerk of Superior Court for certified divorce judgments.