Getting a Marriage License in Benton County
Marriage licenses are issued by the Benton County Clerk. The main office is at 215 E Central Ave., Bentonville. Branch offices are at 2111 W Walnut St., Rogers, and 707 Lincoln St., Siloam Springs. Licenses are issued by appointment, and walk-ins are welcome from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Both parties must be present together.
Eligibility is straightforward. Both applicants must be over 18 and must bring government-issued photo ID. A license issued in Benton County can be used to marry anywhere in Arkansas; a license issued in any other Arkansas county can also be used to marry in Benton County. The completed license must be returned to the issuing county within 60 days of the date of issue. The County Clerk advises couples whose wedding is not immediate to wait until closer to the wedding date before applying.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Prepare ahead. Confirm both ID documents are current. Bring exact cash if not paying by card. Schedule an appointment when possible to avoid the wait.
- Schedule an appointment through the County Clerk marriage license page, or walk in 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Both applicants appear in person at the same time.
- Bring government-issued photo ID for each applicant.
- Confirm both applicants are over 18.
- Pay $60.00 exact cash, or $62.80 by credit/debit card.
- Receive the license and use it anywhere in Arkansas.
- Return the completed license to the Benton County Clerk within 60 days of issue.
Marriage License Application Fields
The County Clerk does not publish the full online application form-field list in extracted text. The process requires identity confirmation through ID, age confirmation, and payment. Both parties' identity, the age representation, and the chosen license type form the application core.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment | Recommended | Page states licenses are issued by appointment; walk-ins welcome. |
| Both Parties' Identity | Yes | Both parties must be present with government-issued photo ID. |
| Age Confirmation | Yes | Both applicants must be over 18. |
| Full Legal Name | Yes | As shown on photo ID. |
| Date of Birth | Yes | For age verification. |
| Payment | Yes | $60.00 cash exact, or $62.80 card. |
| License Return | Yes | Completed license back to Benton County within 60 days. |
Benton County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Marriage license fees come straight from the County Clerk's marriage license page. Divorce filing fees fall under the Circuit Clerk's court fee schedule at bentoncountyar.gov/circuit-clerk/court-fees. Divorces are domestic relations cases initiated at $165.00 under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-6-403(b)(1).
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license, cash exact | $60.00 |
| Marriage license, card | $62.80 |
| Initiating a domestic relations cause (divorce) | $165.00 |
| Reopening a domestic relations case | $50.00 |
| Certification of a court document | $5.00 |
| Copy of pleading or document | $0.25 per page |
| Subpoena issued by Circuit Clerk | $2.50 |
How to Look Up Benton County Marriage Records
Marriage records sit with the County Clerk. Call 479-271-1013 to confirm a record exists and to order a certified copy. The County Clerk also handles DBA certificates, ministers' credentials, and corporation filings issued by the Arkansas Secretary of State. Branch offices in Rogers (2111 W Walnut St.) and Siloam Springs (707 Lincoln St.) can pull marriage records as well.
For a name search, the County Clerk asks for the names of both parties at the time of marriage and an approximate date of the license. Older records may require a longer date range. Online statewide marriage-record search is limited; in-person or phone requests to the County Clerk remain the most reliable path.
How to Find Benton County Divorce Records
Divorce cases are domestic relations matters in Benton County Circuit Court. The Circuit Clerk maintains the case file. Public docket information is available through Arkansas Judiciary CourtConnect. Start with the participant search; enter one or both spouse names. The portal returns case index information and the docket. Official or certified copies must be ordered from the Circuit Clerk Civil/Domestic desk at 479-271-1015.
The Circuit Clerk publishes Domestic Relations Coversheet, Domestic Relations Disposition, Standing Order, Standing Order Spanish, and Visitation Schedule forms on its page. Some divorce file items are restricted: minors' identifiers, financial account numbers, protected addresses, adoption-related entries, and juvenile or dependency content can be sealed or redacted under Administrative Order No. 19.
The statewide court forms library is at arcourts.gov/forms-and-publications/court-forms.
The statewide library is useful when the Circuit Clerk's local form set does not match a particular case need.
Filing for Divorce in Benton County
A divorce begins with a complaint filed at the Benton County Circuit Clerk Civil/Domestic desk, 102 NE A St., Bentonville. Arkansas residency and venue rules apply. The petitioner files the domestic relations coversheet plus the complaint. The respondent is served. Standing orders take effect at filing. Hearings move under the assigned Circuit Court division. Pro se filers can pull blank coversheets and standing-order forms from the Circuit Clerk's forms page, but the Circuit Clerk does not provide legal forms for completing the actual divorce paperwork and cannot give legal advice.
Getting Certified Copies
Certified copies of marriage licenses come from the County Clerk. Certified copies of divorce decrees come from the Circuit Clerk. Both offices accept cash exact, checks payable to Benton County Circuit Clerk or BCCC (with the requester's driver's license number and phone number written on the check), money orders, cashier's checks, debit, and credit. American Express is not accepted at the Circuit Clerk. Certification adds $5.00 per court document at the Circuit Clerk.
Arkansas Vital Records and Statewide Resources
Arkansas vital records (long-form birth and death certificates, and statewide marriage and divorce indexes) are maintained at the Arkansas Department of Health Division of Vital Records. The county-level marriage license file at the Benton County Clerk is the most direct local source for marriage records. Divorce decrees are court records held by the Circuit Clerk in the county of filing.
Benton County Clerk
215 E Central Ave.
Bentonville, AR 72712
479-271-1013
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., open through lunch
Benton County Circuit Clerk (Divorce Filings)
102 NE A St.
Bentonville, AR 72712
479-271-1015 (Civil / Domestic)
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Annulment in Arkansas
Annulment is a separate remedy from divorce. An annulment treats the marriage as void from the start under defined legal grounds, while a divorce ends a valid marriage. Arkansas annulment grounds are narrow and include fraud, duress, lack of capacity, and bigamy. The case is filed at the Benton County Circuit Clerk Civil/Domestic desk like a divorce, and the case docket appears on CourtConnect. Property and support questions still get resolved by the court even when the marriage is annulled. Counsel is strongly recommended for annulment because the proof burden is specific and pleading errors can convert the case into a divorce by default.
Orders of Protection
Domestic-violence protective orders are family-related court matters that can run parallel to a divorce. The Prosecuting Attorney's office links Order of Protection resources at 100 NE A St., 479-271-1030. Petitions are filed at Circuit Court. District courts may also receive protective-order matters referred under Arkansas Administrative Order 18. Public dockets exist, but protected addresses and minor details can be redacted under Administrative Order No. 19. Service of the order on the respondent is critical; an unsigned petition without service is not enforceable.
Uncontested vs Contested Divorce
Uncontested divorces move fastest. Both spouses sign the decree, custody is agreed, and finances are sorted before filing. Contested cases run longer, with discovery, temporary hearings, custody evaluations, and trial. Benton County's standing order takes effect at filing in either situation and governs day-to-day rules during the case. Pro se filings are accepted, but Circuit Clerk staff cannot give legal advice or supply blank divorce forms. Legal Aid of Arkansas and the Arkansas Judiciary self-help resources can guide low-income or pro se litigants.
Branch Office Hours and Service Levels
The County Clerk runs branch offices in Rogers and Siloam Springs in addition to the main Bentonville location. The Rogers branch at 2111 West Walnut Street is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., open through lunch. The Siloam Springs branch at 707 Lincoln Street is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but closes noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. Both branches issue marriage licenses with the same fee schedule and the same ID rules as Bentonville. Probate filings concentrate in Bentonville; branch offices do not handle probate.