Nash County Marriage License Office
Marriage licenses and marriage certificates in Nash County are handled by the Nash County Register of Deeds, not by the court clerk. The Register of Deeds office is at 120 W. Washington Street, Suite 3030, Nashville, NC 27856. Sandra Davis is listed as Register of Deeds in the research source set. The office phone is 252-459-9836, with another listed number of 252-459-9832, and the fax number is 252-459-9889. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
A Nash County marriage license may be issued from 8 AM to 4 PM on regular business days, excluding holidays. The license costs $60 and may be paid by cash or card. Once issued, the license is valid for 60 days and can be used anywhere in North Carolina. After the ceremony, the license must be returned to the Nash County Register of Deeds within 10 days if Nash County issued it. Picture identification is required. If consent is required, legal documents proving custody or guardianship are also required.
The official Nash County marriage license page is the source for issuance rules and current requirements.
That office page is the best starting point before visiting because license timing, holidays, payment method, and age documentation can affect whether the license can be issued the same day.
Apply for a Nash County Marriage License
The marriage license process is office-based. Applicants should confirm identity documents, age rules, and payment before going to the Register of Deeds. North Carolina allows a Nash County-issued license to be used in any county in the state, but the signed license must be returned to Nash County after the ceremony because that is the issuing office.
- Confirm both applicants can appear during the Register of Deeds license issuance hours, which are 8 AM to 4 PM on regular weekdays.
- Bring picture identification for each applicant. If a consent or court-order rule applies, bring the legal proof named by the county.
- Complete the marriage license application with legal names, identifying details, and any required prior-marriage or age information requested by the office.
- Pay the $60 marriage license fee by cash or card.
- Use the license within 60 days, then make sure the officiant returns the completed license to the Nash County Register of Deeds within 10 days after the ceremony.
Applicants age 14 or 15 need a District Court judge's order authorizing the marriage. Marriage under age 14 is unlawful under the Nash County marriage license instructions.
Nash County Marriage Application Fields
The research did not locate a full public copy of the Nash County marriage application form, so the field inventory is limited to items supported by the county's stated requirements and by the normal license task. Do not treat this as a substitute for the live Register of Deeds application.
| Field or proof | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant legal names | Yes | Used to issue the license and later index the marriage certificate. |
| Picture identification | Yes | The county states that picture ID is required. |
| Age information | Yes | Applicants age 14 or 15 need a District Court judge's order; under age 14 is unlawful. |
| Custody or guardianship proof | When consent is required | Legal documents proving custody or guardianship are required when consent rules apply. |
| Payment information | Yes | The marriage license fee is $60, payable by cash or card. |
| Officiant return | After ceremony | The completed license must be returned to the issuing Register of Deeds within 10 days. |
Nash County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Nash County publishes several vital-record fees through the Register of Deeds and Permitium order flow. Divorce judgment copy fees were not located in the official Nash source set, so the fee table keeps that item as a clerk-confirmation task rather than inventing a number.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60 |
| Certified marriage certificate | $10 each |
| Uncertified marriage certificate application | $1 each |
| Marriage license correction, in office only | $10 |
| Online service and credit card processing fee | $4 |
| Vital Verify fee for delivery orders | $1 |
| Standard USPS shipping through Permitium | $0.78 |
| Certified divorce judgment copy | Confirm with Clerk of Superior Court |
The Nash County Permitium vital records portal lists the online certificate order fees and delivery charges.
Permitium is useful for eligible certified copies and public non-certified copies, but the county fee still belongs to Nash County and vendor convenience charges are separate.
Search Nash County Marriage Records
Nash County marriage records may be requested in person, by mail, or online through the Register of Deeds process. The county vital-records page reports marriage records from 1865 to the present, while the Register of Deeds office page reports marriage records dating to 1862. For historical research, treat that date range as a point to verify with the Register of Deeds before relying on a boundary year.
The Nash County birth, death, and marriage certificates page explains certified and non-certified copy access.
Certified copies are restricted to eligible people, while non-certified vital copies are available to the public under the county's stated process.
For mail requests, a certified copy request needs the completed application, a copy of state-issued photo ID, proof of relationship when the requester is not the named person, and a self-addressed stamped return envelope. Mail requests go to Register of Deeds, 120 W. Washington Street, Suite 3030, Nashville, NC 27856.
Find Nash County Divorce Records
Divorce records do not follow the same route as marriage certificates. Divorce judgments are court records available from the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Nash County divorce case information may appear in the NC eCourts Portal, but a certified divorce judgment comes from the clerk rather than the Register of Deeds. A divorce certificate may also be available through NC Vital Records where that certificate, not the full judgment, is the needed record.
Absolute divorce cases use District Court civil and domestic procedures. The North Carolina divorce packet and Guide & File resources are official court sources for preparing divorce documents.
Use the packet source for forms and procedure, then use the Nash County Clerk of Superior Court for filed case records, judgments, and certified court copies.
Nash County Marriage vs Divorce Records
The fastest way to avoid a failed request is to separate certificate records from court case records. Marriage certificates are vital records. Divorce judgments are court records.
| Record needed | Custodian | Access path |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license | Register of Deeds | Apply in person during license issuance hours. |
| Certified marriage certificate | Register of Deeds | Request in person, by mail, or online if eligible. |
| Non-certified marriage copy | Register of Deeds | Public copy request through the county process. |
| Divorce case information | Clerk of Superior Court / NC eCourts Portal | Search Portal or contact the clerk. |
| Certified divorce judgment | Clerk of Superior Court | Request from the county where the divorce was granted. |
| Divorce certificate | NC Vital Records when applicable | Use state vital-record guidance for certificate requests. |
Nash County Register Search
The Register of Deeds also provides online search access for recorded instruments through its eSearch system. That tool is not a substitute for every vital-record certificate request, but it is part of the official Register of Deeds record environment and may help users working with names, dates, and related recorded documents.
The official Nash Register of Deeds eSearch is linked from the county source inventory.
When the goal is a legal certified marriage certificate, follow the vital-records copy process rather than relying only on an index search.
Note: Marriage records and divorce records in Nash County are public-facing record types, but certified vital copies require eligibility and identity proof.