Hancock County Marriage and Divorce Records

Hancock County Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses in Hancock County are issued by the Circuit Clerk, not the Chancery Clerk. This split surprises many applicants, because divorce and most family matters run through Chancery Court. The marriage office sits inside the courthouse at 152 Main Street, Suite B, in Bay St. Louis. Both parties must come in together to apply. No online application form exists, so a visit in person is required.

The clerk needs proof of age from each person. A driver's license, a birth certificate, or a passport all work. The fee is $37, paid by cash or card. If either party has been divorced, the office needs the divorce date. If a female applicant was divorced and took her maiden name back, the office needs the actual divorce decree. There is no blood test step and no county residency rule for the license itself.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

The process is short when both people arrive prepared. Plan to visit the Circuit Clerk during regular weekday hours, since both parties sign in front of the clerk. Gather every document before the trip so a missing item does not force a second visit.

1. Both parties travel together to the Circuit Clerk at 152 Main Street, Suite B, Bay St. Louis.
2. Each person presents proof of age, such as a driver's license, birth certificate, or passport.
3. Anyone previously divorced gives the divorce date, and a restored maiden name calls for the divorce decree.
4. Applicants under 21 bring the required parent signatures and parent identification.
5. Both parties complete and sign the application in front of the clerk.
6. Pay the $37 fee by cash or card and receive the license.

Marriage License Application Fields

The application gathers identity, age, and prior-marriage details for both people. The chart below lists the main items the Circuit Clerk collects and when each one applies. Having these ready keeps the counter visit brief.

Age and Parental Consent Rules

Mississippi sets firm age and consent steps for young applicants. In Hancock County, anyone 21 or older may apply without a parent's signature. Younger applicants need a parent present or a signed parent consent on file. The exact rule depends on age and on whether the applicant is the bride or the groom.

• A bride who is 15 needs both parents' signatures and IDs.
• A bride who is 16 to 20 needs one parent's signature and ID.
• A groom who is 17 needs both parents' signatures and IDs.
• A groom who is 18 to 20 needs one parent's signature and ID.
• If a parent is missing, the other can sign with proof of sole custody.

Officiants and License Return

Once the license is issued, an approved officiant performs the ceremony. Hancock County recognizes an ordained minister, reverend, or priest. Justice Court Judges also perform marriages, and their office answers at 228-467-5573. Members of the Board of Supervisors may officiate as well, reachable at 228-467-0172. Any license applied for in Mississippi must be used in a ceremony held in Mississippi.

The paperwork does not end at the altar. After the ceremony, the statistical record and the perforated bottom portion of the license must be mailed back to the Circuit Clerk at 152 Main Street, Suite B, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520. The clerk records the return and files the marriage. A certified copy then becomes available, which most people need to change a name with Social Security.

Note: A marriage is not fully recorded until the signed license is returned to the Circuit Clerk, so confirm the officiant mails it promptly after the ceremony.

Hancock County Marriage and Divorce Fees

Costs differ by office and by the type of copy you need. Marriage fees are set by the Circuit Clerk. Divorce copy charges are handled by the Chancery Clerk, since divorce files live with the court. The table groups the common charges in one place.

Certified Marriage Copies

A certified copy is the version banks, the Social Security office, and other agencies accept. For a Hancock County marriage, only the Circuit Clerk issues these copies. The county public records request form even warns that certified marriage copies must be ordered from the Circuit Clerk's Office at 228-467-5265 and nowhere else. Do not route a marriage copy request through the general county records form.

The first certified copy costs $17, and each extra copy is $6. Copies can be requested in person, by phone, or by mail to the Suite B office. Bring or send the names of both spouses and the marriage date to speed the search. The online index can confirm the date and book and page before you order.

Searching Hancock County Marriage Records

Hancock County marriage records can be checked online through the Delta Computer Systems marriage index. The search works as a finding aid, not as an image library. You can look up a couple by name, by marriage date, or by book and page when known. The marriage index field setup is shown in the search form linked here at the Hancock County marriage license search page.

That form returns index entries only, since images of the marriage records are not available online. After locating a match, contact the Circuit Clerk for a certified copy. The table below lists the search fields the marriage index offers.

Note: The online marriage search shows index data such as names and book and page, but you still need the Circuit Clerk for any certified or official copy.

Hancock County Divorce Records

Divorce records are chancery court records in Hancock County. Mississippi Chancery Courts handle divorce, custody, adoption, and alimony, so the file never sits with the Circuit Clerk. The Chancery court-records office is at 152 Main Street, Suite A, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520, reachable at 228-467-5406. No online divorce portal for Hancock County was located, so a divorce search starts with the court office itself. The state judiciary explains Chancery Court duties at the Mississippi Chancery Court overview, which confirms divorce sits in equity court.

To pull a divorce file, work with the Chancery Clerk rather than a vital records office. The clerk's office cannot give legal advice or fill out forms, and it points filers to state legal resources. A certified divorce decree is requested from the Chancery Clerk, since the decree is a court judgment and not a state-issued certificate.

What a Divorce File Contains

A divorce case file holds far more than the final order. Mississippi divorces are filed in Chancery Court, and the record builds over the life of the case. Grounds include irreconcilable differences as well as fault grounds set under Title 93 of the state code. A complete file can run dozens of pages.

• Complaint for divorce and the summons served on the other spouse.
• Financial affidavits listing income, debts, and assets.
• Property settlement agreement dividing money and property.
• Child custody and support materials when minors are involved.
• Temporary orders, the final judgment, and any sealed exhibits.

Restricted Domestic Records

Not every part of a domestic file is open to the public. Chancery judges seal sensitive material to protect children and private finances. Public access can be limited by sealed filings, information about minors, and financial identifiers like account or Social Security numbers. Protective orders, adoption confidentiality, and youth-court rules can close records as well.

When a file is sealed, even the parties may need a court order to obtain copies. Adoption records are among the most tightly guarded in Mississippi. If a search turns up a restricted case, the Chancery Clerk can explain what is viewable and what requires a judge's permission.

Note: Sealed divorce and adoption files in Hancock County usually require a court order, so expect extra steps when a record is closed for privacy.

Where to Request Certified Copies

Marriage and divorce copies come from two different counters inside the same courthouse. Match the record to the right office before you visit or call. The cards below give the address and phone for each.