Mississippi Marriage Records

Annual data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a fluctuating trend in Mississippi's marriage rates. The state's marriage rate per 1,000 total population was lower than the national average for most years between 2000 and 2022. Mississippi records an average of 17,000 marriage ceremonies yearly, making it one of the states with the lowest number of weddings in the United States.

Getting married legally in Mississippi is not as difficult as in some other states. The state is considered one of the least expensive and easiest in the U.S. to get married. However, unlike many states, the minimum age for marriage in Mississippi is 21 years. Minors under the legal minimum age need parental consent and the court's approval. One important marriage requirement in Mississippi is obtaining a marriage license from a County Court clerk. This is the first step to registering any marriage in the state, and certain documents are needed to get a marriage license.

Once a marriage license is issued, a couple can get married immediately in an event where the license will be completed and signed. State law requires that the marriage license be returned to the County Court clerk's office within a few days after the marriage ceremony for proper recording. Afterward, the marriage license and every other document and information submitted while applying for the license officially becomes a part of Mississippi's marriage records. These records are maintained by county and state officials, and most are considered public records.

What are Marriage Records?

Mississippi marriage records are official records of legal unions within the state that are kept by government agencies. They typically indicate that a couple is married and include essential information about the marriage. Such information includes the full name of the couple, the location and date of the marriage ceremony, the names of the couple's parents, and the ages of the parties in the marriage at the time of marriage. The occupations of both spouses and residence addresses at the time of marriage may also be included in a Mississippi marriage record.

The records of marriage in Mississippi are primarily created from all the documents and information submitted and provided to the clerk of County Courts during marriage license applications. Marriage licenses and marriage certificates are the most common types of marriage records available in the state. While most Mississippi marriage records are publicly available, per the state's Public Records Act, only certain eligible individuals may access certified copies of the records. Such persons will have to demonstrate legitimate and substantial interests in the records. People who may access certified copies of Mississippi marriage records include the parties named on the records, their children, siblings, grandchildren, parents, legal guardians, and legal representatives.

Marriage records play a vital role in tracing family genealogy. In many cases, people consider them more reliable than death records in tracing family ties because the details in them are extracted from the documents submitted by the persons named on the records. Mississippi marriage records can help with genealogy research because they provide basic ancestral facts like ancestors' names, places of residence, birthdates, birthplaces, and their parents' names. Government agencies also keep and maintain marriage records to help the government track population growth in a particular jurisdiction. Furthermore, marriage records serve as proof of relationship in legal matters like custody arrangements, inheritance, and property rights.

Mississippi marriage records have been maintained by the state and county agencies since January 1, 1926. The state's Vital Records Office of the Department of Health (MSDH) has on its file all records of marriages between January 1, 1926, to June 30, 1938, and January 1, 1942, to date. Marriage records from July 1, 1938, to December 31, 1941, were kept only by the clerks of Circuit Courts in the counties where such marriage licenses were issued.

Marriages in Mississippi

In 2022, Mississippi's marriage rate stood at 5.9 per 1,000 residents, slightly declining from the previous year with 6.0 marriages per 1,000 people. The state has experienced a series of fluctuations in its marriage rate over the past two decades. According to reports by the National Center for Health Statistics, Mississippi's highest marriage rates between 2020 and 2022 were in 2015 and 2016, at 7.0 marriages per 1,000 total population. In 2023, the state ranked 34 out of 51 U.S. states in the number of marriage ceremonies held. This suggests the reason for the low marriage rate in Mississippi.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were nearly nine divorces for every 10 marriages in Mississippi in 2010. Between 2000 and 2022, the state's divorce rate per 1,000 total population was consistently higher than the national average. For instance, in 2022, Mississippi's divorce rate of 3.0 per 1,000 people was higher than the national average, which stood at 2.4 per 1,000 population. Studies have shown that most men in the state marry at an average age of 27.5 years, while women typically get married at a median age of 26 years. However, the percentage of men population aged 15 years and older who are married (51%) is slightly more than the number of women demographic within the same age group (49%).

In Mississippi, the Asian race (including Hispanics) has more married couples than any other racial group within the state, with at least 57.38% of their population married. They are followed by the White race (non-Hispanics), whose 54.7% of its demographics are married. The percentage distribution of married couples in other racial groups in Mississippi is stated below:

White Hispanics - 47.08%
Blacks (including Hispanics) - 32.11%
Mixed race (including Hispanics) - 32.28%
Other races (including Hispanics) - 47.06%

Per Section 93-1-5 of the Mississippi Code Annotated, any male who is at least 17 years old and any female who is at least 15 years old may contract marriage within the state. However, when either party to a marriage is younger than 21 years, they must obtain proof of consent to the proposed marriage from their parents or legal guardians and present it to the clerk of court. In addition, the party younger than 21 must submit an affidavit made by either their parent, next of kin, or legal guardian showing their age, which will be filed with their marriage license Application.

Mississippi prohibits marriages between closely related individuals, including cousins. Neither party to a proposed marriage has to be a resident of the state before they can get married there, and there is no blood test requirement to obtain a marriage license. While some counties may require a person who divorced within the last 6 months to provide proof of divorce before they can remarry within that period, most counties only need such an individual to provide the date of the divorce and why the marriage ended. An affidavit that all information provided regarding the divorce is true and correct will also be required.

How To Get Married in Mississippi

Before a would-be couple can get married in Mississippi, they must first apply for a marriage license at any clerk of the circuit court office. Typically, both parties must appear in person before the circuit clerk, and in most counties, it is not necessary to make an appointment. Applicants may walk into any circuit court clerk's office during regular business hours to get their marriage license. Both parties will be asked to provide proof of age, which may be either a birth certificate or a valid driver's license. A Mississippi marriage license typically costs $37. However, filing or administrative fees may apply in some counties.

Unlike many states, marriage licenses in Mississippi are valid indefinitely; they do not expire. However, the Circuit Courts will not refund unused marriage licenses. Once a license is issued, both parties named on the license may get married immediately (there is no waiting period) or may choose to delay their wedding for as long as they want since the license will not expire. However, until the couple solemnizes the union with a marriage ceremony as required by state law, their marriage remains invalid in the eyes of the law. Per Section 93-1-25 of the Mississippi Code Annotated, it is illegal for anyone to solicit to use a courthouse or its premises to conduct a marriage ceremony.

According to Section 93-1-15 of the Mississippi Code Annotated, no marriage contracted after April 5,19956, in the state will be valid unless an authorized person conducts the marriage ceremony. Per Section 93-1-17 of the state's Code Annotated, authorized officiants of marriage ceremonies in Mississippi include the following persons:

Any judge of the Supreme Court of Appeals, Supreme Court, Chancery Court, Circuit Court, or County Court. They may perform marriage ceremonies anywhere in the state.
Any minister of the gospel who has been ordained according to the rules of their society or church and is in good standing.
Any Rabbi or other spiritual head of any other religious body approved under the religious body's rules to join people in marriage.
Judges of Justice Courts and members of the boards of supervisors. They may solemnize the rites of matrimony within their counties.

Under state law, any marriage conducted by an unauthorized individual is considered void, and the children born as a result of the union are deemed illegitimate. After a Mississippi marriage ceremony, the officiant is expected to complete and sign the final section of the original marriage license. The newlyweds will also have to sign the completed license. Once this is done, the couple has 5 days to return the completed marriage license to the issuing circuit court clerk's office for proper recording and registration.

Mississippi Marriage Certificate

Marriage certificates in Mississippi are legal documents showing that two individuals are married in line with state laws. In other words, they are tangible proof of marriage between two persons. Marriage records are usually generated at the county level after married couples return the completed marriage licenses from their marriage ceremonies to the issuing circuit court clerks' offices. As a type of marriage record, a Mississippi marriage certificate may be used to apply for several benefits. For instance, a person may use a certified copy of their marriage certificate to change their marital status for their bank accounts, insurance, and Social Security. In addition, any spouse who wishes to have a name change after their wedding needs a certified marriage certificate.

Only eligible persons may obtain certified copies of Mississippi marriage certificates from the circuit court clerks' offices in the counties where such marriage licenses were issued. Such persons must have tangible and legitimate interests as described by the Rules Governing the Registration and Certification of Vital Events. They include the individuals listed on the certificate, their parents, spouses, siblings, legal representatives, grandchildren, and grandparents. Individuals authorized by court orders may also access certified copies of marriage certificates in Mississippi. The state's Vital Records Office also maintains copies of marriage records and disseminates them upon request.

How To Find and Access Mississippi Marriage Records

Multiple options are available to anyone who intends to find and access a Mississippi marriage record. Generally, the state's marriage records are available at the Mississippi Vital Records Office and the offices of the circuit court clerks in the counties where marriage licenses were issued. Requesters may choose to access these records online or offline.

Accessing Mississippi Marriage Records Offline

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH), through the Vital Records Office, allows interested persons to order marriage records in person and by mail. The Department has marriage records for January 1, 1926, to June 30, 1938, and January 1, 1942, to the present. To apply for a Mississippi marriage record, a requester should complete the Application for Certified Mississippi Statistical Record of Marriage Form and mail it to the Vital Records Office at:

Mississippi Vital Records

P.O. Box 1700

Jackson, MS 39215-1700

The application must be accompanied by any of the acceptable IDs listed on the application form, the appropriate fee (postal or bank money order, personal check, or a bank cashier's check), and a self-addressed stamped envelope. It takes about 7 to 10 business days after the receipt of a request for the Vital Records Office to process a mail-in marriage record application.

Requesters may also apply for Mississippi marriage records by visiting the Vital Records Office's Ridgeland location between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Note that same-day collection is not available for in-person or walk-in requests. Applicants will receive the records in the mail within 7 to 10 business days after the Vital Records Office receives their requests.

Furthermore, marriage records requesters may contact the Circuit Clerks in the counties where marriage licenses to the records of interests were issued to request Mississippi marriage records. The clerks' offices will further advise them on how best to submit their requests, which will either be in person or by mail.

Accessing Mississippi Marriage Records Online

Anyone may order a Mississippi marriage record online from the Vital Records Office through the MSDH-approved private company. It is often more convenient to request a marriage record online, but it usually comes with an additional fee. Interested individuals may also contact the MSDH Vital Records Office at (601) 206-8200 to order Mississippi marriage records. Payments for online orders can be made with any of the major credit cards, including Visa, Discover, American Express, and MasterCard.

Some counties may also offer the public online means of accessing Mississippi marriage records. For instance, the Hindi County Circuit Court maintains an Online Public Record Request Form that allows anyone to request public records, including marriage records. Requesters will need to complete the form with the necessary information and submit it to facilitate the searches. Similarly, records of marriages whose licenses were issued by the Harrison County Circuit Court Clerk may be accessed online using the Marriage License Link. Search parameters include the names of the groom and bride and the marriage date.

References

Counties in Mississippi

List of Content

What are Marriage Records?
Marriages in Mississippi
1. How To Get Married in Mississippi
2. Mississippi Marriage Certificate
How To Find and Access Mississippi Marriage Records