Adams County Marriage License Basics
In Adams County, the road to a marriage record begins at the Circuit Clerk. Eva Givens serves as Circuit Clerk, and her office issues marriage licenses and keeps the marriage records Adams County holds. You can reach the office by phone at 601-446-6326, and the fax line is 601-445-7955. A license is the document that lets a couple wed. The marriage record is the proof that the wedding took place once the signed license comes back and is filed.
The clerk works at the courthouse counter, so most couples handle the license in person. State law treats a marriage license as a county task, not a state one. That is why the first call should go to the local clerk rather than a state agency. The Circuit Clerk also records judgments, draws juries, and files Circuit and County Court cases, and the full list of duties sits on the Adams County Circuit Clerk page. For a wedding, though, the marriage desk is the spot couples need.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Planning ahead keeps the visit short. Both partners should expect to appear, bring proof of who they are, and pay the clerk's fee. Call before the trip to confirm the current cost, the accepted forms of payment, and whether both parties must come at the same time.
- Call the Circuit Clerk at 601-446-6326 to confirm hours, the current license fee, and what each applicant must bring.
- Gather a valid photo ID for each applicant and any records the clerk asks for, such as proof of age.
- Visit the clerk's counter at 115 South Wall Street in Natchez, where both partners complete and sign the application.
- Pay the license fee at the counter using a payment method the office accepts.
- Receive the license, then return the signed copy after the ceremony so the marriage record can be filed.
An official Adams County FAQ for the office still spells out older steps. It lists a blood test receipt dated within the last 30 days, a picture ID, and, for an applicant under 21, a parent's signature on the registration form. Mississippi practice around blood tests has changed over the years, and that posted page may be out of date. Treat the FAQ as a starting point, not a current rule, and confirm the real list with the clerk before you go.
Searching Adams County Marriage Records
Once a marriage is on file, the Adams County index is searchable online. The Adams County marriage license search runs through Delta Computer Systems. The index reaches back to the 1940s, so it covers many decades of county weddings. A marriage record search returns recording details, such as the book and page where the license sits.
The index points you to a record. It does not hand over the certificate. The Delta page notes that a copy of the actual certificate was not available through that interface when it was last checked. To get a certified copy, a requester turns to the Circuit Clerk in person or to the state vital records office. The online tool is best for confirming that a marriage record exists and finding its book and page.
Marriage License Search and Application Fields
A name search needs little to start. The Adams County index asks for the parties and, when known, the date or the book and page. An in-person application asks for more, since the clerk builds the license from scratch. The table below pairs the online index fields with the items an applicant brings to the counter.
| Field or item | Where it applies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name1 (last, first) | Online index | First spouse; example shown is Hancock, John. |
| Name2 (last, first) | Online index | Second spouse or applicant. |
| Marriage Date (month/day/year) | Online index | Helps narrow a search. |
| Book/Page | Online index | Clerk book and page reference. |
| Valid photo ID | In-person application | One per applicant; call to confirm accepted types. |
| Proof of age | In-person application | Listed on the county FAQ; call to confirm. |
| Parental signature (under 21) | In-person application | Shown on the older county FAQ; confirm the current rule. |
The online fields and the counter requirements are not the same list. Check both before you rely on either.
Marriage Records at Mississippi Vital Records
The state also keeps marriage records. The Mississippi State Department of Health runs the Vital Records office, and its landing page lists the records it can search and copy by the county where the license was issued.
The same office handles birth, death, and marriage requests, so the menu helps a requester pick the right form before paying a fee. Mississippi has kept marriage records at both the state and county level since January 1, 1926. There is one gap to know. From July 1, 1938 through December 31, 1941, the records were kept only by the circuit court clerk in the county that issued the license. For a wedding in that window, the Adams County clerk's office is the place to ask.
Adams County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Fees depend on where the copy comes from. The state charges one price, the online index is free to browse, and the Adams County court sets its own divorce charges. The marriage record application instructions from the health department spell out the search fee and the payment rules.
That same page names the additional-copy price and the mailing address for payment. The figures below cover the most common requests.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| MSDH search and certified marriage copy | $17 |
| Each additional MSDH copy ordered at the same time | $6 |
| VitalChek online or phone order | $17 base plus an added VitalChek fee |
| Delta online marriage index search | Free to search |
| Adams County divorce filing fee | Call the Chancery Clerk to confirm |
| Certified divorce decree copy | Call the Chancery Clerk to confirm |
The county divorce filing fee was not posted in official text, so the Chancery Clerk is the source for that number. Note: A certified copy carries the office seal and works for legal needs, while a plain index printout does not serve as official proof.
Adams County Divorce Records
A divorce in Adams County is a court matter, not a vital record. The Chancery Court handles divorce, child custody, property division, and alimony. Chancery is the equity court, the venue Mississippi uses for family and estate cases. An Adams County divorce file is the paper trail the case leaves behind.
The Chancery Clerk keeps those files. Brandi Lewis serves as Chancery Clerk at 115 South Wall Street, Natchez, MS 39120. The office phone is 601-446-6684, the fax is 601-445-7913, and the email is chanceryclerk@adamscountyms.gov. A request for a certified divorce decree starts here, not at the state health department. The same office handles estates and guardianships, and the Adams County Chancery Clerk page lists the rest of those duties.
Filing for Divorce in Adams County
Starting an Adams County divorce follows a set path through the court. The steps below trace a typical case, though every matter has its own facts and timing.
- Confirm that Adams County is the right venue and that the residency rules under Mississippi law are met.
- Prepare the complaint or petition, a summons, and any domestic-relations forms the court requires.
- File the papers with the Chancery Clerk at 115 South Wall Street in Natchez.
- Pay the filing fee, or ask about a fee waiver if eligible; call the clerk first for the current amount.
- Serve the other spouse, unless that step is waived in writing.
- Track the hearings, temporary orders, and any mediation before the judge signs the final decree.
- Order certified copies from the Chancery Clerk once the decree is entered.
What Adams County Divorce Files Show
A divorce file holds far more than a single certificate. It can include the complaint or petition, the summons, the answer, motions, and temporary orders. Property division, custody orders, child support, and the final divorce decree all live in the same record. Later filings, such as a modification or a contempt action, attach to the case too.
Most of an Adams County divorce case is public once it is filed. Some parts are not. Child information, financial account numbers, adoption-related material, protective addresses, and certain exhibits can be sealed or redacted. The health department does not stock full divorce case files, so a complete copy comes from the court. Note: Sealed pages and redacted fields stay out of public copies, so a requester may receive a file with some lines blacked out.
Ordering Copies Online or by Phone
Some Adams County requesters cannot make the trip to Natchez, so the state offers a faster route. The health department's online and phone ordering page uses VitalChek, takes major credit cards, and offers express shipping.
The online and phone routes add a service fee on top of the base copy charge, so the total runs higher than a counter order. The VitalChek phone line is 601-206-8200.
A mail order goes to the state office instead. Pay by cashier's check, bank money order, or postal money order made out to Mississippi Vital Records. Do not send personal checks or cash. Include a return path so the office can mail the copy back once the search is done.