Getting a Marriage License in Perry County
The Perry County Circuit Clerk issues every marriage license for the county. Christy Mayo serves as the local Circuit Clerk, and her office takes license applications at the courthouse in New Augusta. Both people who plan to marry must come to the counter together to apply. There is no online application, so the visit is in person. The current license fee is $37. The clerk issues the license the same day the couple applies, which means a Perry County couple can finish the paperwork in one trip. The county publishes these rules on its official Circuit Clerk page.
Both applicants must show proof of age, and a driver's license is the example the county gives. Mississippi sets 21 as the age at which adults can apply on their own. Younger applicants can still marry, but consent rules apply. The couple is free to hold the ceremony the same day, yet arranging a licensed minister or other authorized official is their job. The courthouse does not keep officials on hand to perform weddings.
How to Apply for a Perry County Marriage License
A little preparation makes the marriage license visit fast. Both partners should gather identification and the personal details the clerk records before driving to New Augusta. Same-day issue depends on having every required item ready at the counter.
- Plan for both partners to appear together at the Circuit Clerk's office, because Mississippi requires both applicants in person.
- Bring valid proof of age for each person, such as a driver's license, to confirm identity and birth date.
- Be ready to give both parents' full names, including each mother's maiden name, plus your occupation status.
- If either partner was married before, state the date that prior marriage ended.
- Pay the $37 license fee at the counter, and ask the office which payment forms it accepts before you arrive.
- Receive the license the same day, then arrange your own licensed officiant for the ceremony.
Perry County Marriage License Application Fields
The clerk collects a fixed set of details from both applicants. The list below mirrors what Perry County asks for when a couple applies for a marriage license. Some items are always required, while others depend on age or a prior marriage.
| Field or requirement | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Both parties present | Yes | Apply together before the clerk |
| Proof of age | Yes | Driver's license or similar ID |
| License fee | Yes | $37 paid at the counter |
| Prior marriage end date | If applicable | Date the last marriage ended |
| Parents' full names | Yes | Include each mother's maiden name |
| Occupation status | Yes | Asked by the office |
| Parental consent | If under 21 | Signature or sworn statement |
| Birth certificate or parentage proof | If underage | Needed when a sworn parental statement is used |
Consent Rules for Applicants Under 21
Mississippi treats 21 as the age for applying without consent. A person under 21 needs parental involvement to get a license. In most cases parents sign the marriage license application at the same time the couple applies. That signature shows the parent agrees to the marriage.
Applicants over 18 but under 21 have one more option. A parent who cannot come to the courthouse may submit a sworn statement instead of appearing in person. When that route is used, the underage applicant must bring a birth certificate or other legal document that proves who the parent is. People under 18 face tighter limits, and the clerk's office is the place to ask about those rules before applying.
Note: Underage applicants who rely on a sworn parental statement should call the Circuit Clerk first to confirm exactly which documents the office will accept.
Perry County Marriage and Divorce Record Fees
Marriage and divorce paperwork in Perry County carries a small set of fixed costs. Marriage charges run through the Circuit Clerk, while divorce charges run through the Chancery Clerk. The two offices follow different payment rules, so confirm the amount and the accepted form before you go.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license (Circuit Clerk) | $37 |
| Marriage record research and certified copy | $17 per marriage |
| State marriage copy (MSDH) | $17, plus $6 each additional copy |
| Divorce instruction packet (Chancery Clerk) | $20 |
| Divorce filing (uncontested or contested) | $148 or $158 |
Note: The Chancery Clerk accepts no card payments, so divorce filing and packet fees must be paid by cash, check, or money order.
How to Look Up Perry County Marriage Records
Perry County marriage records from 1874 to the present sit in the Circuit Clerk's office. Licenses issued before 1874 were destroyed by fire, so the local set begins that year. To pull a record, give the office the groom's complete name, the bride's full name including her maiden name, and the approximate date of the marriage. The research fee is $17 per marriage, and that fee includes a certified copy when the record is held locally.
The Mississippi State Department of Health runs a second channel for marriage copies. Its MSDH marriage-records ordering page explains the statewide search.
The state can search and copy marriages for January 1, 1926 to June 30, 1938 and January 1, 1942 to the present, charging $17 with each extra copy at $6. For Perry County marriages the Circuit Clerk remains the local source, and the state channel helps most when the county of the marriage is unknown.
How to Find Perry County Divorce Records
Divorce in Perry County is decided in Chancery Court, and the Chancery Clerk keeps the file. Larry Wilson serves as Chancery Clerk. The office handles divorce, child custody, adoption, property disputes, and other matters of equity, and it also keeps Perry County probate records for estates and guardianships. People who want to prepare their own divorce papers can buy a $20 instruction packet from the clerk, though the office cannot give legal advice or tell a filer what to write. The county lists these duties on its official Chancery Clerk page.
Chancery filing costs fall into a couple of categories. An uncontested or joint divorce and a contested or fault divorce each carry totals captured at $148 or $158, depending on whether a reporter fee applies. Because the Chancery Clerk takes no card payments, plan to pay by cash, check, or money order.
The state keeps an index rather than the decree itself. The MSDH divorce-index page describes a five-year county search.
That index can point you to the county, book, and page for a divorce between January 1, 1926 and June 30, 1938 or January 1, 1942 to the present, but a certified decree must still come from the Chancery Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. Filing a Perry County divorce follows a clear order:
- Confirm that Perry County Chancery Court is the right venue for the case.
- Call the Chancery Clerk at 601.964.8398 to check the current filing fee and form expectations.
- If self-represented, ask about the $20 instruction packet, and do not ask the clerk for legal advice.
- File the complaint and required paperwork with the Chancery Clerk.
- Pay by cash, check, or money order, since the office accepts no cards.
- Use MEC or PAMEC for electronic case access when the file is available and not restricted.
- Order certified decree copies from the Chancery Clerk, not the state.
Related Mississippi Record Systems
Family records research often overlaps with public-safety tools that the state and its partners run. One of the most useful is VINE, the statewide custody and notification service. It lets a person check whether someone is in custody and sign up for status alerts, which can matter in domestic and family-court situations. The Mississippi VINE custody-notification portal covers the whole state.
For Perry County families dealing with a protective order or a custody dispute, VINE adds a layer of awareness that court files alone do not provide. The same service has a phone app. The VINELink mobile app brings custody alerts to a smartphone.
The app mirrors the website, so a Perry County resident can track custody status and receive notifications without sitting at a computer. These tools do not replace the clerk's records, but they round out the picture when a marriage or divorce matter involves safety.
Local Agencies and Background Resources
Marriage and divorce questions sometimes lead to local agencies and background data. The Town of Beaumont, one of Perry County's municipalities, lists its police department and other offices online. The Beaumont departments and police page names the local contacts.
A Beaumont police record or report can supplement a family-court matter when local incidents are part of the picture for a Perry County household. Statewide data offers more context. The Mississippi crime-statistics portal lists agencies across the Perry County area.
While the crime-statistics tool does not hold marriage or divorce files, it helps a Perry County researcher understand the agencies that serve the same communities those records describe. Reading these sources alongside the clerk's files gives a fuller view of a family matter.
Certified Marriage and Divorce Copies in Perry County
A certified copy carries an official seal and is the version courts, agencies, and many private parties accept as proof. For a Perry County marriage, request the certified copy from the Circuit Clerk, where the $17 research fee covers the copy when the record is held locally. For a divorce, request the certified decree from the Chancery Clerk in the county that granted it.
Important: Uncertified printouts may help for personal reference, but they do not stand in for a certified document when a court, agency, or employer requires proof of marriage or divorce.
Mississippi Vital Records Office
The Mississippi State Department of Health, through its Vital Records unit, is the statewide office for vital documents. It searches and copies marriages for set date ranges and runs the five-year divorce index, but it does not issue divorce decrees. For Perry County records the county clerks remain the first stop, with the state office as a backup when the county is unknown or the record falls in a state-held date range.
Mississippi State Department of Health
Vital Records
Statewide marriage copies and divorce index