Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses are issued by 

•     Northumberland County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
     220  Judicial Place
     Heathsville, VA 22473
•     Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
     Monday through Friday

Be sure to try to arrive by 3:45 p.m.  In Virginia, you can be married by a qualified minister, judge or civil marriage celebrant who has been authorized by the court to perform weddings.  View the Virginia Code Section 20-27 as it governs what civil marriage celebrants may charge for performing a wedding.   
 

Once you receive your license, you may marry immediately anywhere in Virginia.  If you choose to wait, it's important to remember that the marriage must take place within 60 days of obtaining your marriage  license. 

The minimum age at which persons may marry shall be 18, unless a minor  has been emancipated by court order. Upon application for a marriage  license, an emancipated minor shall provide a certified copy of the  order of emancipation. For additional information view the Virginia Code Section 20-48.
 

1. A marriage entered into prior to dissolution of an earlier marriage of one of the parties.
2. A marriage between and ancestor and descendant; or between a brother and a sister; or between an uncle and niece; or between and aunt and a nephew; whether the relationship is by the half or the whole blood or by adoption.
3. When either of the parties lacks capacity to consent to the marriage because of mental incapacity, infirmity or age.
4. "Common law" marriages are not valid if  entered into in Virginia or any other jurisdiction which does not permit them for its residents.

 Both persons who are to be married must appear in person at:
 

    Northumberland Circuit Court Clerk's Office
   220 Judicial Place
   Heathsville, VA 22511 

The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.  If you plan to fill out the  marriage license applicant information forms at the clerk's office, you should arrive by 3:45 p.m. 

• Cash or credit card (VISA/MasterCard) to cover payment for the  marriage license. The marriage license fee is $30.  A $2 convenience fee is added to the credit card  payments
• Driver's License or other proof of identification
• Completed Marriage License Applicant Information form, or you can complete the forms at the clerk's office if you prefer

 Applicants must, under oath, furnish information required to complete the marriage record.  These items are material matters, and the applicant may be subject to prosecution for perjury for violation of the portion of the statutes which require this information.  For divorced personas there is no statutory waiting period before remarriage after the divorce is granted, unless a court specifically prohibits remarriage.    

Marriage records can be found as early as the 1600's in our records room.  Marriage license from 1902 to current date are available electronically. 

By Mail:

To request a certified copy of your marriage license by mail, you'll need:
 

• A letter that includes the full names of the persons who were married and the date of the marriage
• A self-addressed, stamped envelope
• A check or money order payable to Circuit Court Clerk for $3.00 per certified copy

Send the request to:

Northumberland County Circuit Court Clerk's Office
P.O. Box 217
Heathsville, VA 22473

In Person:

You may obtain a certified copy of your marriage license in person at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office:
Northumberland Circuit Court
220 Judicial Place
Heathsville, VA 22473 

If you have questions about obtaining a marriage license, please contact  us at 804-580-3700.  You may also be interested in reading the pamphlet “Marriage in Virginia,” which is published by the Virginia State Bar.