Getting a Marriage License in Clackamas County
Marriage licenses come from the County Clerk Recording Division, not the court. The office is at 1710 Red Soils Court, Suite 110, in Oregon City. Both people apply together. You fill out the online application first, then schedule an appointment. Walk-in service is offered on Wednesdays.
The rules are simple. Both parties must be at least 18 and bring valid government photo ID. The county asks that application details match birth certificate information, so a birth record helps. The fee is $60 and nonrefundable.
The county explains the full process on its marriage license page.
See the county's how to get a marriage license page for the steps and required items.
The page also covers the waiting period and the return of the signed license.
Oregon marriage law sits in ORS Chapter 106.
That chapter sets the licensing, waiting period, and solemnization rules the county follows.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
Plan the steps before you go. The license is not effective right away, so the timing matters if you have a ceremony date.
- Fill out the online application accurately, matching birth certificate details.
- Schedule an appointment, or use Wednesday walk-in hours.
- Both parties appear together at the Recording Division with government photo ID.
- Pay the $60 fee by debit, credit, cash, certified check, or money order. No personal checks.
- Wait three days for the license to take effect, unless you buy the $15 waiver.
After the license is effective, the ceremony must happen within 60 days, anywhere in Oregon. The officiant then returns the signed license to the Recording Division. The 60-day window is not extendable, so a missed date means a new license.
Marriage License Application Fields
The application asks for details that match a birth record. Having that information ready makes the appointment fast. The table lists what each party provides.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full legal name at birth | Yes | Must match birth certificate |
| Birthplace | Yes | From birth record |
| Parent names | Yes | From birth record |
| Date of birth | Yes | Enter accurately |
| Contact information | Likely | For appointment and application |
| Government photo ID | Yes | Presented in person by both parties |
Clackamas County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Marriage fees are set by the Recording Division. Divorce copy fees follow the Circuit Court rates, since divorce is a court record. The table puts the common items side by side.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60.00 |
| Waiting-period waiver | $15.00 |
| First certified marriage copy | $7.75 |
| Each additional certified marriage copy | $4.00 |
| Divorce record copy (court) | $0.25 per page |
| Certified divorce decree | $5.00 plus per-page charge |
The wedding ceremony fee, if the Clerk officiates, and a marriage license amendment carry their own charges through the Recording Division.
How to Look Up Clackamas County Marriage Records
The official marriage record is the license itself, recorded after the ceremony. A commemorative certificate is unofficial and is not proof of marriage. To get a certified copy, send a written request to the County Clerk Recording Division.
The request must include both parties' names before and after marriage, the wedding date, a phone number, a return address, and the fee. Certified copies are available only after the signed license is returned and recorded, so a brand-new marriage takes a short time to post.
There is no free online lookup that displays a full marriage record by name. The Recording Division is the keeper of the record, and a written, paid request is the standard way to obtain a certified copy. Walk-in service on Wednesdays gives a faster in-person option for license business.
Because the county both issues the license and records it once returned, one office handles the whole life of the record. That keeps the process simple. It also means timing depends on when the officiant mails the signed license back, since a certified copy is only available after recording. County Clerk Catherine McMullen has expanded walk-in services for marriage and passport business, which has eased the wait for some applicants.
How to Find Clackamas County Divorce Records
Divorce is different. Oregon calls it dissolution, and cases are filed in the Circuit Court. Clackamas County divorces run through Clackamas County Circuit Court in Oregon City. You search them through the same OJD Online Records Search portal used for other court cases, or request copies from the Records Center.
Family law in Oregon is governed by ORS Chapter 107.
That chapter covers dissolution, separation, annulment, custody, and support judgments.
Not everything in a divorce file is open. Minor information, protected addresses, financial identifiers, and abuse-related records can be sealed or redacted. Related family matters, like adoption, carry even stronger confidentiality.
Adoption and parent-child provisions sit in ORS Chapter 109.
Adoption case files are specially regulated and are not ordinary public civil records.
Filing for Divorce in Clackamas County
Oregon offers self-help forms for divorce, and the steps follow a set order. The court cannot give legal advice, but the path itself is clear.
- Review the OJD family law self-help materials and forms.
- Confirm that Clackamas County is the correct venue.
- Prepare the petition, summons, and confidential information form, plus parenting and support forms if children are involved.
- File with Clackamas County Circuit Court and pay the fee or request a waiver.
- Serve the other party, unless a joint co-petition is used.
- Complete the response, default, or contested-case steps.
- Attend any hearings, mediation, or parenting class the court orders.
- Get the signed judgment, then order certified copies if you need them.
A contested case takes longer than a joint filing, but the records trail is the same: petition, judgment, and any later changes.
Getting Certified Copies
Certified copies prove a marriage or divorce for legal use. A plain printout will not. For marriage, order from the County Clerk Recording Division. For divorce, order the decree from the Circuit Court Records Center.
Older divorce files take longer. Court records before December 2015 are stored off site, so the court asks for at least three days' notice to retrieve one. Build that wait into your timeline when you need an older decree.
Where Clackamas County Marriage Records Live
In Oregon, the county records and keeps the marriage license. The Oregon Health Authority maintains some statewide vital records, but the Clackamas County marriage record is held locally by the County Clerk Recording Division. That office is the right place for certified marriage copies.
County Clerk Recording Division
1710 Red Soils Court, Suite 110
Oregon City, OR 97045
503-655-8551
recording@clackamas.us