Getting a Marriage License in Wexford County
A marriage license in Wexford County starts at the office of the County Clerk. The clerk, Alaina M. Nyman, works from the courthouse in Cadillac and also serves as clerk for the Circuit Court. That office issues licenses, records the marriage after the ceremony, and stores the certified copies people request later. Couples plan the visit around a few firm rules, so it pays to know them before the trip downtown.
Each applicant must appear in person and be at least 18 years old. Bring a valid photo ID, such as a driver's license, a state ID card, or a passport. A certified copy of each applicant's birth certificate is also required. County residents apply here as a matter of course. Out-of-state applicants may apply too, but only when the wedding itself will take place in Wexford County.
Michigan sets a three-day waiting period between the day you apply and the day the license is handed over. The finished license then stays valid for 30 days. Anyone who cannot wait the full three days may ask for a waiver, which carries an added fee.
The clerk's official marriage page lists these requirements and links the magistrate details for a courthouse wedding, as shown on the Wexford County marriage license page. The screen spells out the same fee split and identification rules that apply at the counter.
Reading it ahead of time helps couples arrive with the right documents and the correct payment, which keeps the appointment short. The clerk's office sits at the county building, and the contact details are below.
Wexford County Clerk
437 E. Division St.
Cadillac, MI 49601
(231) 779-9450
Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Preparation saves a second trip. Gather identification and birth records for both people, confirm which fee applies, and check that the wedding date leaves room for the waiting period.
- Confirm that at least one applicant lives in Wexford County, or that the wedding will be held in the county if you live out of state.
- Both applicants go together to the County Clerk's office at the courthouse in Cadillac.
- Bring a photo ID and a certified birth certificate copy for each applicant.
- Pay the license fee, which is $20 for county residents or $30 for out-of-state applications.
- Wait the standard three days, unless you qualify for and pay the $50 waiver.
- Use the license within 30 days of the date it is issued.
- After the ceremony is performed and returned for recording, order certified copies by mail, email, online payment, or in person.
Marriage License and Vital Record Request Fields
The clerk uses one Vital Records Request and Certified Copy Order Form for both marriage and death records. When you order a certified marriage record, you complete the marriage section and the requester block. The fields below come from that official form.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant's Full Name | Yes | First spouse or applicant on the marriage record. |
| Second Applicant's Full Name | Yes | The other spouse or applicant. |
| Date of Marriage | Yes | Needed to locate the correct record. |
| Maiden Name | If applicable | Listed when it applies to an applicant. |
| Number of Copies Requested | Yes | Sets the fee for first and added copies. |
| Applicant's Relationship | Yes | Shows the requester's entitlement to the record. |
| Requester Name, Phone, Mailing Address | Yes | Where the clerk returns the copies. |
| Signature and Today's Date | Yes | Signed written request is required. |
| Credit Card Number, Expiration, Security Code | Only by card | Used when paying by card rather than by mail. |
Note: The form warns that misstating identity or claiming another person's identity can trigger criminal penalties under Michigan and federal vital-record law.
How to Look Up Wexford County Marriage Records
Marriage records for the county live with the County Clerk. The clerk's genealogy service supports searches of birth, death, and marriage records held locally. To pull a specific marriage record, you need both applicants' names and the date of the marriage. That detail lets staff match the request to the right entry without a long search.
The clerk offers several ways to place a request, so you can choose the one that fits. A statewide certified path also exists through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services when a search crosses county lines. Note that the MiCOURT case search covers court cases, not marriage certificates, so it is not the tool for a marriage record.
- By mail, using the request form or a signed letter with names, marriage date, and fees.
- By email to clerkasst@wexfordcounty.org, after which a deputy clerk arranges payment.
- Online through the GovPros credit-card order service.
- In person at the Clerk's Office, where the form is available at the counter.
Wexford County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Fees split between the clerk's marriage services and the Circuit Court's divorce filings. Marriage figures come from the clerk's fee list, and divorce figures come from the circuit filing schedule. The table sets out the common charges.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license (county resident) | $20 |
| Marriage license (out-of-state application) | $30 |
| Three-day waiting-period waiver | $50 |
| Certified marriage copy | $15 first / $5 each additional |
| New circuit civil case (divorce filing) | $175 |
| Divorce with minor children, custody, and support | $255 |
| Certified circuit copy (divorce judgment) | $10 first page / $1 each additional page |
| Circuit photocopies | $1 per copy |
How to Find Wexford County Divorce Records
Divorce is a court matter, not a clerk vital record in the same way a marriage license is. The 28th Circuit Court Family Division handles divorce for the county from the courthouse at 437 E. Division Street in Cadillac. The Family Division line is (231) 779-9490. That division also handles custody, paternity, child support, parenting time, name changes, and family protective orders, so a divorce file may sit alongside related case types.
To search a divorce case, start with the statewide MiCOURT case search, which can include domestic, divorce, and family cases for participating courts. Certified judgments, pleadings, and older or non-digitized files come from the County Clerk and Circuit Court counter. A broader look across every case type runs through the county court records search, which covers criminal, civil, and family matters together.
People who file without a lawyer should use Michigan SCAO forms or Michigan Legal Help. Clerk staff cannot give legal advice or choose forms for you. Some family and juvenile matters carry a nonpublic label, so parts of a related file may not appear in a public search.
Getting Certified Copies in Wexford County
Certified copies carry an official seal, and courts, agencies, and name-change filings usually require them rather than a plain printout. For a marriage record, the County Clerk takes orders through four channels, and the first certified copy costs $15 with each added copy at $5. Mailed requests may take up to five business days, and an overnight prepaid, self-addressed envelope speeds the return. If you mail a request without a return envelope, add $1 for postage.
For a divorce judgment, the certified copy comes from the Circuit Court through the County Clerk, at $10 for the first page and $1 for each added page. The record notes for an online marriage order must include both applicants' names and the date of the marriage so staff can confirm the right file.
- By mail with a signed request, the fees, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
- By email to the clerk's office, with payment arranged afterward.
- Online by credit card through the GovPros order service.
- In person at the counter, using the form available there.
Federal Courts and Wexford County Records
County records and federal records are two separate systems. Wexford County marriage licenses and divorce judgments never appear in the federal courts, and a federal case does not show up in the county clerk's files. This distinction matters when a family matter touches federal law, such as certain immigration-linked issues or a federal civil action, which stay entirely within the federal system.
The county sits inside the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, and its public site sets out how that court works, as seen on the Western District of Michigan home page. The federal court handles federal crimes, federal civil suits, and bankruptcy, none of which are county marriage or divorce records.
The court publishes the counties it serves, and Wexford County falls in the Southern Division, as listed on the Western District county list. Being on that list does not move a divorce or marriage file into federal hands, since those remain county records.
The nearest federal courthouses sit outside the county, and their addresses appear on the court's location directory, shown on the Western District court locations page. For any Wexford County marriage or divorce record, the local clerk and Circuit Court remain the correct offices, not a federal building.
Keeping the two systems straight saves a wasted trip, because a federal courthouse cannot issue a county marriage certificate or divorce decree.
Michigan Vital Records Office
Michigan keeps a statewide vital records system alongside the county files. The state office holds certified marriage records for events across Michigan, which offers a second path when a request crosses county lines. For a Wexford County marriage, though, the County Clerk stays the fastest local source. Full divorce case files and judgments remain with the court, since the state office deals in record verification rather than the complete court file.
The statewide certified path runs through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services vital records service. Confirm the current ordering method, fees, and mailing details directly with the state before sending a request, since a statewide order usually costs more and takes longer than a copy pulled from the County Clerk who recorded the marriage.