Getting a Forrest County Marriage License
A marriage in Forrest County starts with a license from the county. In Mississippi, marriage records are kept at both the state and county level. The local office that handles marriage-license matters is the Forrest County Chancery Clerk. That office is led by Chancery Clerk Lance Reid. It sits at 641 Main Street in Hattiesburg, MS 39401, and the phone number is (601) 545-6041. The clerk is the county recorder and keeps public records for the county. Couples apply at this office before the wedding. After the ceremony, the signed license comes back to the clerk for recording.
Some local details should be confirmed by phone before any visit. The exact marriage-license fee was not posted on the county pages reviewed. Identification rules and whether both partners must appear in person were also not listed. Call the Chancery Clerk at (601) 545-6041 to confirm the current fee and accepted payment method. Ask whether an appointment is needed. Ask what photo identification each person must bring. If either person was married before, ask what divorce or death records are required as proof. A quick call prevents a wasted trip to downtown Hattiesburg.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Planning ahead makes the license process fast. Gather identification and any prior-marriage documents first. The steps below follow Mississippi practice and Forrest County procedure, with the local fee and ID details to confirm by phone.
- Contact the Forrest County Chancery Clerk at 641 Main Street, Hattiesburg, or by phone at (601) 545-6041.
- Confirm the current marriage-license hours, fee, and payment method, since the local fee was not published online.
- Bring government-issued photo identification, plus any divorce decree or death certificate if either person was married before.
- Complete the marriage-license application at the clerk's office, or on the official form the clerk provides.
- The license is issued and recorded under Mississippi law and county procedure.
- After the ceremony, the officiant returns the signed license to the clerk for recording, and certified copies can then be ordered.
Forrest County Marriage Application Fields
A marriage-license application asks for basic identity facts about both partners. The exact field list on the current Forrest County form was not captured in the sources reviewed, so the table below reflects the information Mississippi couples are typically asked to provide. Treat the rows marked "Confirm" as items to verify with the clerk. Always check the live form before you rely on it.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full Legal Name | Yes | Both applicants, exactly as shown on photo ID. |
| Date of Birth | Yes | Used to confirm age and eligibility to marry. |
| Photo Identification | Yes | Government-issued ID; confirm accepted types with the clerk. |
| Prior Marriages | Yes | A divorce decree or death certificate may be required as proof. |
| Social Security Number | Confirm | Often requested; verify, as the live form was not inspected. |
Note: The official Forrest County application fields and fee were not located in public sources, so the clerk's office should confirm the current form before you apply.
Looking Up Forrest County Marriage Records
Older and statewide marriage records are handled by the Mississippi State Department of Health. MSDH can provide a copy of a marriage record and can search for the county where the license was issued. MSDH marriage records are available for January 1, 1926 through June 30, 1938, and from January 1, 1942 to the present. There is a gap between those two ranges. For dates inside those windows, the state office is a strong starting point.
The MSDH marriage records page explains what the state holds and how to order a copy.
From there, applicants can download the order form and review the available date ranges before sending a request. MSDH offers more than one way to order. A mail request needs the application form plus a cashier's check or money order. Online and phone orders use a private vital-records service and a credit card.
Online and phone orders run through the MSDH vital-records ordering page.
That page routes orders to VitalChek, the authorized vendor for card payments and faster handling. To find a record, have the full names of both spouses, the approximate date, and the county ready. The more detail you supply, the faster the search.
Forrest County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Fees split between the state and the county. The state divorce-index search has a set price. The Forrest County marriage-license fee was not published in the sources reviewed, so it is marked for confirmation rather than guessed. Certified-copy charges also vary by office and are best confirmed by phone.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Forrest County marriage license | Call (601) 545-6041 to confirm |
| MSDH five-year divorce-index search | $17 |
| Certified marriage record copy (MSDH) | Call to confirm |
| Certified divorce decree copy (Chancery Clerk) | Call to confirm |
Note: Only the $17 MSDH index-search fee was confirmed in the sources reviewed, so call the relevant office for any amount marked "confirm" before sending payment.
Finding Forrest County Divorce Records
Divorce records work differently from marriage records. In Mississippi, a divorce is a Chancery Court matter. Forrest County divorces are filed with and decided by the Chancery Court, and the case files belong to the Chancery Clerk. These domestic files can include the complaint, financial affidavits, custody and support orders, agreed modifications, and the final decree. They sit alongside estates and guardianships covered on the Forrest County Chancery Court records page.
The state does not keep divorce decrees. MSDH says plainly that it does not maintain divorce records. It does offer a five-year search of county divorce indexes for $17. That search covers the same date ranges as marriage records, from January 1, 1926 to June 30, 1938, and from January 1, 1942 to the present. It returns the county where the divorce was granted, plus the book and page number in the Chancery Clerk's office.
The MSDH divorce records page describes the index search and its limits.
It makes clear that a certified decree must come from the chancery clerk in the county that granted the divorce, which for local cases is Forrest County. For a certified copy of a Forrest County divorce decree, contact Lance Reid's Chancery Clerk office directly. MSDH can point you there but cannot issue the decree itself.
Searching Forrest County Divorce Cases
Forrest County divorce cases can also be located through the Chancery Court online case search hosted by Delta Computer Systems. The tool supports several fields, and most are optional. Even partial details can locate a file. The table below lists the fields the search accepts.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party Name (last, first) | text | optional | Search by either spouse's name. |
| Case Number | text | optional | If known from a notice or prior filing. |
| Filed Date | date | optional | Useful for recent cases. |
| Final Disposition Date | date | optional | Useful for closed divorces. |
| Docket (Book/Page) | text | optional | Helps with older recorded cases. |
| File Number | text | optional | A clerk-provided reference number. |
The case search shows index and docket data, not the full documents. To read or copy the pleadings, request the file from the Chancery Clerk. Broader lookups across the other Forrest County courts are covered on the court records page.
Certified Copies of Forrest County Records
Certified copies carry an official seal and signature. Courts, government agencies, banks, and immigration offices usually require them. A plain printout or a screenshot will not be accepted for legal use. Order the certified version whenever a document must stand up in an official setting.
Where you order depends on the record. Certified marriage records for the covered date ranges come from MSDH, or from the Forrest County Chancery Clerk for locally recorded marriages. Certified divorce decrees come only from the Chancery Clerk in the county that granted the divorce. Processing time varies by office and by order method, so ask about turnaround when you call.
Important: An uncertified copy or online printout is not valid for court, immigration, or benefits use; order a certified copy from MSDH or the Chancery Clerk for any legal purpose.
Mississippi Vital Records Office
The Mississippi State Department of Health runs the state vital-records program. It holds marriage records for the listed date ranges and runs the five-year divorce-index search. It does not hold divorce decrees. Orders move by mail with a cashier's check or money order, or online and by phone through the VitalChek service. The office pages below cover both record types and the available date windows.
Mississippi State Department of Health, Vital Records
Marriage records and divorce-index search
Mail orders: application form plus cashier's check or money order
Online and phone orders: VitalChek