This office is responsible for issuing marriage licenses and for keeping records of all marriage licenses issued in Caldwell County. A license purchased from the office of the Caldwell County Register of Deeds is valid in any county in the state of North Carolina, but is not valid for use outside of the state. Both the bride and groom need to be present when purchasing the license. There is no waiting period to obtain a license. The license is good immediately upon issuance and is valid for 60 days. Once the ceremony is performed, the license must be returned to the Register of Deeds within 10 days to be put on file as a permanent public record.
To obtain a marriage licence, complete the marriage application below and come by our office between 8:30 a.m., and 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, with the required ID proofs indicated in the following instructions to process your application and receive your marriage license.
REQUIRED IDENTIFICATION & DOCUMENTATION
Applicants 21 years of Age or Older
Must provide one of the following forms of identification :
- Valid Drivers License or Picture ID card issued by one of the fifty US state governments, the United States government, or a US territorial government (Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Nothern Mariana Islands, or the US Virgin Islands); or
- Valid Passport; or
- Valid United States Armed Forces ID; or
- Foreign ID's will be accepted only at the discretion of the Register of Deeds based on their ability to be verified.
Applicants 18-20 Years of Age
Must also provide a certified copy of their birth certificate in addition to the requirements listed above.
Applicants 16-18 Years of Age
Must have parental consent and must have no more than 4 years age difference between applicants in addition to all the above requirements. Call the Register of Deeds office at (828)757-1310 or visit the office for more information and requirements.
All applicants must provide a Social Security number
This can be done by presenting a social security card issued by the US Government, or a W-2 form. If an individual has never been issued a social security number then they must sign an affidavit attesting to this fact. This form is available in the Register of Deeds office.
Applicants who have been divorced must provide the month and year of their last divorce. If the divorce was finalized within thirty (30) days of the date of application, the applicant must provide an original or certified copy of the divorce decree. There is no waiting period between the divorce and applying for the new license.
LICENSE and CERTIFIED COPY FEES
The fee set by the state of North Carolina for a marriage license is $60.00. You will also need a certified copy of the marriage certificate to change the bride's name on a driver's license or social security card. The cost of a certified copy is $10.00 and you must come back to the office after the marriage to obtain a copy or apply online or by mail.
We request that applicants arrive in our office to apply for a marriage license no later than 4:30 pm so that our staff can process the necessary paperwork before our office closing.
Fill out your marriage license application on-line, by clicking the button below. Once you fill out the application and submit it, you can come by our office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, to process your application and receive your marriage license. You will then provide the necessary ID proofs, sign the application, take the required oaths, and pay the license fee of $60.00. If you have any questions, please call our office at (828) 757-1310.
If an applicant is physically unable to come to the Register of Deeds office to apply for a license, the other party to the planned marriage must appear in person on behalf of the applicant and submit a sworn and notarized affidavit in lieu of the absent applicant's personal appearance. An example of being physically unable to appear would be if one applicant is away serving in the military, not just that it is not convenient to leave work early to come to the Register of Deeds office.
Affidavit in Lieu of Personal Appearance for Marriage License
Who can get a copy of a vital record?
Anyone can get a copy of a vital record recorded in our office. However, North Carolina law limits access to certified copies of vital records, which are sealed with the official seal of this office and are commonly used for identity verification purposes. Only the following people can get a certified copy of your birth, death, or marriage certificate:
- Yourself
- Your spouse (currently married)
- Brother
- Sister
- Child or Step-child
- Grandchild
- Your parent
- Grandparent
- Those seeking information for legal determination of personal or property rights
- Authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative of the person whose certificate is being requested
What is required to obtain a certified copy of a vital record?
REQUESTS MADE IN PERSON
You may visit the Register of Deeds office in person to obtain a certified copy during regular business hours. The fee is $10.00 per certificate and you must present a valid government issued picture ID in order to obtain a certified copy.
ONLINE
Click here to submit an online request. The certified marriage certificate will be mailed to you. Please allow 3-5 business days for delivery.
REQUESTS VIA MAIL
If you cannot visit our office you may obtain a certified copy by mail. If requesting a copy by mail, please send a $10.00 check or money order along with a self addressed stamped envelope to the Caldwell County Register of Deeds.The request must be signed by the individual making the request. In addition, the requestor must submit a copy of a government issued picture ID.
Click here for the printable Vital Records Request Form.
