Getting a Marriage License in Shiawassee County
Marriage records and licenses are handled by the Shiawassee County Clerk. They are not a District Court matter. County Clerk Caroline Wilson runs the vital records desk that issues licenses and keeps marriage certificates on file. The office sits on the second floor of the Circuit Courthouse at 208 North Shiawassee Street in Corunna. You can reach the vital records line at 989-743-2242, option 1.
A marriage license is the permit a couple needs before they wed. The certificate is the proof that the marriage happened. The Clerk handles both. A key timing rule trips up many couples. Marriage and concealed pistol license applications are not processed between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. or after 4:30 p.m. Plan to arrive well inside normal counter hours. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and again from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The county posts an online marriage application through a vendor portal, so part of the process can start from home. The rest, including identification and signatures, still happens with the Clerk.
The Shiawassee County Clerk page lists the vital records services and links the online tools. That page is the safest starting point for a Shiawassee County marriage record request.
The Clerk's office also records births, deaths, business names, and professional registrations, so marriage work shares the same counter.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
A little planning makes the license trip fast. Start with the county's online marriage application, then finish in person. Bring both people and valid photo identification. Because the exact form fields could not be fully checked, call the vital records line before you travel.
- Open the online marriage application linked from the County Clerk page and complete what you can from home.
- Gather government photo identification for both applicants and any records the Clerk asks for.
- Avoid the closed windows. Do not arrive for license processing from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or after 4:30 p.m.
- Visit the vital records desk together so both parties can provide details and sign.
- Pay the required fee, then wait for any applicable waiting period before the license is valid.
Note: Call 989-743-2242, option 1, before your visit because the online marriage form fields were not fully visible and requirements can change.
Shiawassee County Marriage Application Fields
The online marriage application runs on the county's CountyFusion vendor portal. Its live fields could not be fully inspected, so treat the list below as a guide and verify with the Clerk. Most Michigan marriage applications ask for the details shown here.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 full name | Yes | Legal name of the first party. |
| Applicant 2 full name | Yes | Legal name of the second party. |
| Address / residency | Yes | Michigan licensing depends on county and residency rules; confirm with the Clerk. |
| Date of birth / age | Yes | Age is verified from identification. |
| Identification | Yes | Government photo ID; presented in person or uploaded. |
You can open the CountyFusion online marriage application to start the process. That vendor login is where the county routes both the marriage application and the death, marriage, and DBA indexes.
Because the portal is JavaScript driven, exact labels may differ from the guide above, so confirm anything unclear with the vital records desk.
Shiawassee County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Fees are simple once you know the copy count. The first certified copy costs the most. Extra copies of the same record cost less. Mail requests add a flat postage charge. Older genealogy records carry a search fee because staff must recreate them.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| First certified copy (marriage, death, birth, genealogy, naturalization) | $25.00 |
| Additional certified copy of the same document | $10.00 |
| Mail-in request postage | $3.00 flat |
| Genealogy record filed in 1932 or earlier | Additional $10.00 search fee per name |
These amounts apply at the Shiawassee County Clerk. State copies ordered through Michigan's vital records program carry their own fees. Confirm the current statewide charge before you mail a state request.
Note: A state divorce certificate and a divorce decree are different records, and only the court that ended the marriage can supply the full decree and case file.
How to Look Up Shiawassee County Marriage Records
There are three main ways to find a Shiawassee County marriage record. You can use the county's online index, visit the Clerk in person, or order from the state. Each path leads to the same certificate, but the speed and cost differ.
For county records, the Clerk links a death, marriage, and DBA index through CountyFusion. That index helps you confirm a record exists before you pay for a copy. To pull a certified copy locally, contact the vital records desk or visit the Circuit Courthouse counter in Corunna. Have full names and the approximate event date ready. A firm date narrows the search and avoids extra fees. Naturalization and older genealogy records carry an extra search fee because staff must recreate them by hand.
Anyone may request a Michigan marriage record in writing once the search fee is prepaid. Statewide records reach back to 1867. That wide range makes the state office useful for older marriages the county cannot quickly locate. For events in Shiawassee County itself, the local Clerk is usually the faster stop.
How to Find Shiawassee County Divorce Records
Divorce records are court records. They are kept by the Circuit Court Family Division, not the vital records desk. The Shiawassee County Family Court holds exclusive jurisdiction over divorce, custody, support, paternity, and adoption. Family Court sits at 110 East Mack Street, second floor, in Corunna, and the phone line is 989-743-2372.
Public divorce case information may appear in the state case search if the case is open to the public. Details such as minor-child, financial, and protected personal data stay limited. For the full file or the signed decree, go to the Circuit Court Clerk counter at the Circuit Courthouse. The County Clerk's Circuit Court information page explains counter access and filing rules. The County Clerk is also the clerk of the 35th Circuit Court, so the same office that keeps marriage certificates keeps the divorce files.
Filing a new divorce follows a set path. Use the state SCAO forms or an attorney, then file with the Circuit Court Clerk by mail or in person. Shiawassee is not an e-filing county for the Circuit Court. Since July 1, 2025, the Clerk no longer accepts routine court filings by email, and only limited emergency motions may be sent electronically. Case-initiating documents must be mailed or hand delivered with the filing fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope helps if you need papers returned. Michigan Legal Help and the Michigan Courts trial court page explain the court levels. Case information can be tracked through the MiCOURT case search once the case is filed. Probate matters such as estates after a death are handled separately by the county Probate Court records office.
Certified Copies of Shiawassee County Records
Certified copies carry the Clerk's seal. Courts, banks, and government agencies usually demand a certified copy, not a printout. A name change, a Social Security update, or a spouse benefit claim often needs one. Order a certified marriage copy from the Shiawassee County Clerk, or request a state copy from Michigan's vital records office.
The first certified copy costs $25.00, and each extra copy of the same record costs $10.00. Mail orders add $3.00 flat for postage. Order a few extras at once if you expect to file with more than one agency. For a divorce decree, request the certified copy from the Circuit Court Clerk, since the court, not the vital records desk, holds the full case file.
Timing matters for state copies. A Michigan certificate may not be ready until at least 30 days after the event, so a fresh marriage or divorce is faster to obtain from the local office. Mail requests to the state also take longer than a counter visit in Corunna. For a Shiawassee County event, start local and use the state only when the county cannot help.
Michigan Vital Records Office
The state keeps a second copy of Michigan marriage and divorce records. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services runs the statewide vital records program. It is the right choice for older events or when the couple wed or divorced in another county. Anyone may request a Michigan marriage or divorce record in writing with the search fee prepaid.
State marriage records reach back to 1867, and divorce records reach back to 1897. A certificate may not be ready until at least 30 days after the event. Birth records stay restricted unless they are more than 100 years old. Remember that the state issues a divorce certificate, while the full decree stays with the Circuit Court.
The MDHHS certified copy eligibility page spells out who may order and what a written request must include. Review it before mailing a state order for a Shiawassee County marriage or divorce record.
Verify the current state search fee on the MDHHS page before you send payment, since statewide charges are set separately from the county desk.
Michigan Vital Records (MDHHS)
Statewide marriage and divorce records
Written request with prepaid search fee