Wayne County Marriage License Steps
The Wayne County Clerk publishes a three-step process on the marriage licenses page. Step one is to prepare by reading the page. Step two is to apply through the eVitals application. Step three is to schedule an appointment through eScheduler. If available eScheduler appointments fall after the wedding date, applicants are told to call (313) 967-6938 because time-sensitive appointments are granted for marriage licenses.
- Read the marriage license page on the Wayne County Clerk site.
- Complete the eVitals online application.
- Schedule an eScheduler appointment at the Vital Statistics Records Office.
- Appear in person with required ID and birth records.
- Pay the license fee in cash, money order, debit, or credit (no personal checks).
- Receive the license; have the officiant complete and return the 2nd and 3rd copies within 10 days.
The page also covers requirements for foreign-born applicants, parental consent rules for minors, and what to do when no certified birth certificate is available.
Who Applies in Wayne County
Michigan rule: a person obtains a marriage license from the county clerk in the county where the applicant resides. Wayne County residents apply through Wayne County. If both parties are nonresidents of Michigan, they must apply in the county where the marriage will be performed. At least one party must appear in person with required documents. The Clerk's Vital Statistics Records Office is at 400 Monroe Street, Suite 610, Detroit, MI 48226. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., closed for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day.
Required ID and Birth Records
Wayne County's checklist is specific. Each person present must show a valid driver's license or state ID with proof of residency. Each person must present a certified copy of birth certificate or birth registration with parental information. Hospital and baptismal certificates are not accepted. If only one party applies, that person must show ID plus their birth certificate or passport plus the spouse's birth certificate or passport. Both individuals must include Social Security numbers on the application; applicants without SSNs must say so when applying.
If no certified birth certificate is available, applicants may use a valid signed U.S. passport, or a letter of no record from the state of birth plus a NUMIDENT from Social Security. Foreign birth certificates must be translated into English by a certified translator, and a notary other than the translator must notarize the translator's signature.
Foreign-Born Applicant Documents
The Clerk lists specific options for foreign-born applicants. Acceptable documentation includes a valid passport in English or with certified/notarized English translation showing full date of birth, a certified birth certificate in English or with translation, a valid I-94 card attached to the passport, a valid Resident Alien Card or Green Card, a valid Work Authorization Card, U.S. Naturalization Papers, or a valid signed U.S. Passport. Refugees need a letter from the spouse who brought them into the U.S. Canadian citizens may use card-sized birth certificates.
Foreign documents must show the full date of birth and be translated by a certified translator with a separate notary verification of the translator's signature.
Age and Parental Consent
Marriage at age 18 does not require parental consent. Age 16 with parental consent is allowed. Parents must appear with ID for 16- or 17-year-old applicants. Custodial parents must appear in person and bring proof of custody. Michigan eliminated the premarital counseling requirement. Applicants receive written educational materials on HIV and sexually transmitted disease transmission and prevention.
Marriage License Fees
The license fee depends on residency. Certified copies have their own fee schedule, and an uncertified marriage license search costs the same whether the record is found or not. Cash, money order, debit, or credit are accepted at application. Personal checks are not accepted.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Marriage license, one or both applicants Wayne County resident | $30.00 |
| Marriage license, both parties non-Wayne County residents | $40.00 |
| Certified copy of marriage license | $24.00 |
| Each additional certified copy purchased at same time | $7.00 |
| Marriage license search for uncertified copy | $11.50 whether found or not |
Completing and Returning the License
A spouse intending to change name after marriage must sign and print all three documents with the name they will use after the wedding. The officiant must enter city/village/township and county where the marriage occurs and document the marriage date, then sign, type or print name, title, and complete address. P.O. Boxes are not accepted. After the marriage, the Wayne County Clerk's Office must receive the 2nd and 3rd copies within 10 days. The license is valid only in Michigan.
Certified Marriage Copies
Certified marriage copies are ordered in person by appointment at 400 Monroe Street, Suite 610, by mail using the official order-by-mail PDF, online through VitalChek, or via rushed VitalChek delivery. Mail payments are money orders only. Online certified ordering through VitalChek accepts major credit cards including American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa.
Divorce Records from 1942
Divorce records are civil and family circuit court files. The Wayne County Clerk Records Division says civil court records, including divorce records, are available from 1942 to present. The Third Judicial Circuit Family Division processes divorce and custody cases and other family matters, including Personal Protection Orders. Divorce, custody, and family matters are at the Wayne County Clerk's Office in Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Suite 201. Domestic-relations motions must be filed in the Wayne County Clerk's Office under Third Circuit directive.
Divorce Filing Fees
The Clerk Civil Court Services fee schedule covers divorce and related motions. Divorce with no children is $175.00. Divorce with children is $255.00. Motions are $20.00. Support motions are $60.00. Custody/parenting time motions are $100.00. Jury demand is $85.00. Certified or authenticated documents are $10.00 plus $1.00 per page. Copies are $2.00 per page. Record search fee is $1.00. Register of Actions fee is $1.00.
How to Order Wayne County Divorce Copies
The Clerk Records Division accepts in-person, mail, email/GovPayNow, and VitalChek orders. Mail payments are money orders only. Email orders move through GovPayNow under Pay Location Code 6223, with the receipt PDF and request sent to wcrecordroom@waynecountymi.gov. Certified or authenticated documents must be mailed because of the raised seal.
- Use the Third Circuit case search to find the case number and register of actions.
- If the file is from 2010-present, view it in the Records Division room.
- If older, request from Archives; files ordered before 4:30 p.m. are available the next business day after 2 p.m.
- Request copies in person, by mail, by email with GovPayNow receipt, or online through VitalChek.
- Request certified or authenticated copies by mail because of the raised seal.
For probate-related family records like name changes filed before 1996, the file lives with Wayne County Probate Court. Name changes filed after 1996 are at the Clerk Records Division. For the probate path, see the Wayne County Probate Court records page.
Name Changes
Wayne County splits name change records by date. Name change documents after 1996 are at the Wayne County Clerk Records Division. Name changes before 1996 are with Wayne County Probate Court. The split matters for genealogy, identity verification, and post-marriage or post-divorce paperwork tied to older Wayne County orders. For pre-1996 cases, contact the Probate Court Records Department at filedept@wcpc.us. For post-1996 cases, request from the Clerk Records Division at wcrecordroom@waynecountymi.gov.