Wilkes County Marriage Records
Marriage licenses and marriage certificate copies in Wilkes County are handled by the Wilkes County Register of Deeds, not the Clerk of Superior Court. The office is in Suite 1000 at 500 Court House Drive in Wilkesboro. The Register of Deeds records, preserves, indexes, and safeguards county records under North Carolina law, and the office notes that land records went online July 1, 2017.
The Register of Deeds source is the correct starting point for Wilkes County marriage records because it separates vital and recorded records from court case files.
That office split matters because divorce judgments are court records, while marriage certificates are Register of Deeds records.
Marriage licenses are issued Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays. The office asks applicants to be in the office by 4:30 p.m. A license is valid immediately after issuance and remains valid for 60 days, so couples should not apply more than 60 days before the planned ceremony.
Apply for Wilkes County Marriage License
The Wilkes County marriage license page gives the local license timing, payment, and office-hour rules. The FAQ says no blood test or physical is required and no appointment is needed. Both applicants should use the Register of Deeds instructions for identification and any Social Security number issue before coming to the office.
The marriage license source supports the in-person application workflow and the 60-day validity window.
- Confirm the ceremony timing so the license will be used within the 60-day validity period.
- Go to the Wilkes County Register of Deeds during marriage-license issuing hours.
- Bring identity documents and information required by the office for both applicants.
- Pay the marriage license fee using an accepted payment method.
- Use the issued license for the ceremony, then make sure the completed license is returned for recording.
Wilkes County Marriage Application
The official web text did not expose every application form field, so the table is limited to requirements captured from the Wilkes marriage license and FAQ materials. Applicants should follow the Register of Deeds instructions at the counter if identity, prior marriage, or Social Security number issues require more detail.
| Field / Requirement | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 legal identity | In-person ID or document | Yes | Exact ID list was not captured in the research; use Register of Deeds instructions. |
| Applicant 2 legal identity | In-person ID or document | Yes | Both applicants generally appear for the license process. |
| Social Security number or ineligibility statement | Form field | Likely if applicable | FAQ notes applicants without a Social Security number, but exact answer was not captured. |
| License fee | Payment | Yes | $60, with cash or local personal check accepted. |
| Ceremony planning date | Timing detail | Optional | License is valid immediately and for 60 days. |
| Blood test | n/a | No | The FAQ says no blood test or physical is required. |
| Appointment | n/a | No | The FAQ says no appointment is needed. |
Wilkes County Marriage Fees
Marriage and copy fees come from the Register of Deeds fee schedule and FAQ. Certified copies are different from uncertified copies. Certified vital records are issued to authorized persons only under the office notes, so a requester may need to show eligibility for some certified vital records.
The Register of Deeds fee schedule lists marriage, certified-copy, recording, and notary-related amounts.
The fee schedule keeps marriage record costs separate from court filing fees and traffic payments.
| Item | Amount / Detail |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60; cash or local personal checks accepted. |
| Certified birth, death, or marriage certificate copy | $10. |
| Uncertified marriage copy | 25 cents; FAQ says $1 by mail for uncertified copy. |
| Other Register of Deeds certified copies | $5 first page, $2 each additional page. |
| Divorce judgment copy | Available from the Clerk of Superior Court for a fee, but the exact amount was not captured. |
Look Up Wilkes County Marriage Records
The Wilkes Register of Deeds FAQ says the office has marriages from 1882 for events occurring in Wilkes County. It also states that not all records are online to protect information that appears in some documents. For certified marriage copies, use the Register of Deeds. For older or uncertain records, contact the office before assuming the online index is complete.
The Register of Deeds FAQ gives copy-cost notes, no-blood-test guidance, and record date ranges.
The FAQ is especially useful for Wilkes County marriage records because it explains both copy costs and the limits of online record availability.
Wilkes County Vital Records
Birth, death, and marriage certificate work also runs through the Register of Deeds for Wilkes events, with permanent filing through North Carolina Vital Records. The county vital records page confirms the $10 certified-copy amount and explains that birth and death records are filed permanently with the state. Wilkes County records are local records for Wilkes events, not a statewide search for every North Carolina marriage.
The Wilkes County vital records page supports the local certificate route.
This source helps distinguish a Wilkes certified marriage certificate from a broader state vital-record request.
Wilkes County Divorce Records
Divorce records are court records. NC Judicial Branch says copies of divorce judgments are available from the clerk office in the county where the divorce was granted for a fee. In Wilkes County, that means the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse. Divorce case information may also appear in Portal if public and available, but certified judgment copies come from the court file.
North Carolina absolute divorce is governed by G.S. 50-6, which requires one year of separation and six months of North Carolina residency by either spouse. The statute does not make the Register of Deeds the divorce-record office. It confirms the court nature of absolute divorce.
The divorce statute source supports routing divorce judgment searches to the court system rather than the marriage-record office.
Certified Marriage and Divorce Copies
Use the Register of Deeds for certified Wilkes County marriage certificate copies. Use the Clerk of Superior Court for divorce judgments granted in Wilkes County. A certified copy is often needed for legal, benefits, name-change, or agency uses. An uncertified copy may be enough for basic research, but it may not be accepted by agencies that require official proof.
| Record Needed | Correct Wilkes County Office | Search Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license or certificate | Register of Deeds | Wilkes marriages are listed from 1882 for Wilkes events. |
| Divorce judgment | Clerk of Superior Court | Request from the county where the divorce was granted. |
| Divorce case information | Portal or Clerk of Superior Court | Online document access can vary by case and access level. |
| State vital certificate route | North Carolina Vital Records | Use for state-level certificate needs, not local court judgments. |
North Carolina Vital Records
North Carolina Vital Records can be part of the certificate path, especially when a statewide vital-record certificate is needed. For Wilkes County marriage and divorce record work, start locally first: Register of Deeds for marriage and the Clerk of Superior Court for divorce judgments. The state route does not replace the court clerk when the needed document is a divorce judgment from a court file.
Wilkes County Register of Deeds
500 Court House Drive, Suite 1000
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
336-651-7351
Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:55 p.m.
Wilkes County Clerk of Superior Court
500 Courthouse Drive
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
336-651-4400
Divorce judgments and court case files.
Note: Court divorce files and Register of Deeds marriage records use different offices even though both are on the courthouse campus.