St. Mary Parish Marriage License

Getting a St. Mary Parish marriage license means visiting one of two Clerk of Court offices: the main office in Franklin or the branch office in Morgan City, where both applicants must appear together with required documents and pay the fee before the 24-hour wait begins.

St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court Offices

St. Mary Parish spans a wide area of south Louisiana, so having two clerk office locations helps residents on different sides of the parish. The main office is in Franklin, the parish seat. The branch office is in Morgan City, on the western side of the parish near the Atchafalaya River. Both offices can issue marriage licenses.

The clerk's office at 101 Main Street in Franklin is the primary location for most legal matters including marriage license applications. The Morgan City office at 423 Houston Street provides service for the coastal and industrial parts of the parish. Call both offices to confirm their current services and hours before you make the drive. Hours at both locations are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The Louisiana.gov St. Mary Parish page provides official contact details for the Clerk of Court and parish offices.

St. Mary Parish has two clerk office locations, in Franklin (the parish seat) and Morgan City, serving this coastal south Louisiana parish.

Applying for a St. Mary Parish Marriage License

Both parties getting married must appear at the clerk's office together. Louisiana law requires both applicants to be present in person when the application is signed. You cannot send a representative or apply on behalf of the other person. The clerk needs to check each person's identification and collect information from both parties at the same time.

After you submit the application and pay the fee, the 24-hour waiting period begins under RS 9:242. You return the next business day to pick up the license. Once in hand, the license is valid for 30 days under RS 9:206. If your ceremony date is more than 30 days away, wait before applying so the license does not expire. Louisiana allows a license issued in St. Mary Parish to be used for a ceremony in any other Louisiana parish. The ceremony location does not need to match the issuing parish.

If either applicant was previously divorced, bring a certified copy of the divorce judgment from the court that issued it. There may be a waiting period question depending on when the judgment was signed. Ask the clerk when you visit. If a prior spouse has passed away, bring a certified death certificate instead.

What to Bring to the St. Mary Parish Clerk

Both applicants must bring their own complete set of documents. One person's paperwork does not cover the requirement for both. The clerk cannot accept the application unless both individuals present the required items.

Each applicant must bring:

• Valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport
• Original certified birth certificate from the vital records office where you were born
• Social Security number
• Certified divorce judgment if previously married and now divorced
• Certified death certificate for a deceased former spouse, if applicable

State law under RS 9:225 requires certified birth certificates. Hospital records and photocopies are not accepted. If your birth certificate is in a foreign language, you must have it translated by a certified translator before the clerk can accept it. This is a firm requirement. Plan for this step in advance if it applies to you. Finding a certified translator in the Franklin or Morgan City area can take time. Arrange it ahead of your visit.

St. Mary Parish Marriage License Fee

The fee for a St. Mary Parish marriage license is approximately $27.50 to $35.00. Call 337-828-4100 for the Franklin office or 985-384-4640 for Morgan City before your visit to confirm the current fee. Ask about accepted payment methods as well. Some offices prefer cash or money orders. Bringing the right payment type saves time at the counter.

Certified copies of the marriage record are also available from the clerk after the ceremony is recorded and the signed license is returned. If you need copies for legal matters such as name changes or beneficiary updates, ask the clerk what the current copy fee is. Ordering a few extra certified copies at the time of recording is usually convenient and saves an extra trip later.

The Louisiana Department of Health Vital Records office offers marriage certificates as well. These are shorter documents that confirm the marriage. For full copies of the license with all recorded details, go to the Clerk of Court. The eClerks Louisiana marriage license resource can help answer general questions about the statewide marriage process.

Marriage Laws and Age Rules in St. Mary Parish

The Clerk of Court in St. Mary Parish applies Louisiana state law to all marriage license applications. The rules are the same throughout the state. There are no local exceptions or special procedures.

Both applicants must be 18 or older to apply on their own. A 17-year-old can apply only if both parents sign a notarized consent affidavit and a judge in the 16th Judicial District signs a waiver. No one under 16 may be issued a marriage license anywhere in Louisiana. This rule is absolute. Louisiana law also prohibits marriage between close relatives, specifically those related by blood or adoption within the fourth degree collateral. The clerk must refuse to issue a license in those cases regardless of what the applicants say.

Louisiana is one of only three states with a covenant marriage option, along with Arizona and Arkansas. Covenant marriage is a stronger legal commitment requiring pre-marital counseling. It also limits the grounds for divorce later on. If you want a covenant marriage, ask the clerk for details when you come in to apply.

After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed license to the Clerk of Court. This creates the official marriage record for St. Mary Parish. A marriage performed in another parish using a St. Mary Parish license is still recorded in St. Mary Parish since the license was issued there. The record is kept permanently and copies can be requested from the clerk at any time after.

After the Ceremony

Certified copies are available from the Franklin or Morgan City office after the ceremony is recorded. Get several copies when you first request them. You will need them for the Social Security Administration, the Louisiana DMV, your bank, your employer, and other institutions. Ordering more at the time of recording is cheaper than making multiple trips later.

For statewide records, the Louisiana Department of Health also holds marriage records and can issue certificates for marriages recorded in St. Mary Parish. The Secretary of State website at sos.la.gov handles some related state-level record functions as well.

Nearby Parishes

St. Mary Parish is in the south Louisiana coastal region, bordered by several parishes where you can also apply for a marriage license.