Track Down Free Anderson County Marriage Records & Licenses

Explore Anderson County marriage records for free today. Marriage documents are considered public records; anyone interested in learning about someone’s marital status or history may do so.

This resource includes helpful instructions for requesting copies of these marriage records through official government channels; it also covers how to track down historical records for genealogy purposes and even how to apply for a new marriage license in Anderson County, South Carolina.

How To Look Up Anderson County Marriage Records

Unlike some other counties and states, which post online indexes that anyone can peruse, Anderson County’s marriage license records are not publicly available online.

Instead, records can be requested from the Anderson County Probate Court, which is responsible for issuing and maintaining marriage licenses.¹

There are only two ways to order copies of marriage licenses from the probate court: by mail or in person. The court offers only certified copies; there’s no option for ordering non-certified versions. Copies cost $5 apiece.

The court clerk accepts payment in the form of cash, check, or money order (made out to “Anderson County Probate Court”).

To request copies of Anderson County marital records in person, you can visit the court at this address during regular business hours (8:30 to 5 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays):

Anderson County Probate Court
100 S. Main St.
Andersson, SC 29624

Anyone is allowed to order these records, despite their relationship — or lack thereof — to the registrants.

Alternatively, you can mail in a written request to the court’s Post Office box:

Anderson County Probate Court
P.O. Box 8002
Andersson, SC 29622

There’s no online form to print out and complete for your request. Interested parties must send in a handwritten or typed letter including the full names of both registrants, as well as the wedding date, along with payment and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

For more information, you can contact the Anderson County Probate Court Clerk at 864.260.4786 or call the court’s general information line at 864.269.4049. You can also email the court at [email protected].

Unlike in some other parts of the country, marriage records can’t be ordered from city and local agencies in Anderson County. However, it’s also possible to track down historical marriage documents through the county library, which will be discussed in the next section of this resource.

How To Search Historical or Archived Marriage Records in Anderson County

The Anderson County Library System is home to a historical and genealogical record collection dating back to the time of the Revolutionary War.² The South Carolina Collection includes marriage records for Anderson County, which are on microfilm from 1911 to 1956.³

Anyone can visit the library’s main branch location in Anderson, South Carolina, to view the records on microfilm for free. If you wish to purchase a printout of the records, the cost is $0.10 per page, payable by cash or check (made out to “Anderson County Library”).

Alternatively, if you can’t visit in person, you can send in a written request for a historical marriage record search via mail or email. The library charges a flat research fee of $5 for every request. In addition, if you wish to have paper copies of records mailed to you, you must pay $0.10 per page for black-and-white copies or $0.50 per page for color copies.

There’s no official form that you can download and complete to make your record request; just be sure to be as specific as possible and give as much information about the marriage in question as possible, including registrant names, wedding location, etc.

You can visit or send your request to:

South Carolina Collection Department
Anderson County Library
300 North McDuffie Street
Anderson, SC 29621

Phone: 864.260.4500, ext. 130
Email: [email protected]

The library is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

There are several other helpful resources for tracking down genealogical records in Anderson County, including:

• Local newspapers, including the Anderson Independent-Mail, which has been in print since 1899
• Local churches and other religious institutions
• Genealogical websites
• The Anderson County Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society
• The Anderson County Historical Society

In addition, the South Carolina Department of Archives & History also maintains some marriage records.⁴

You can submit a search request for free online by using the Historical Research Request Form.⁶ It takes around two to four weeks for a response.

For more information, you can contact or visit the state archives using this information:

South Carolina Department of Archives & History
8301 Parklane Rd.
Columbia, SC 29223

Phone: 803.896.6196 (General), 803.896.6104 (Research Room)

It’s worth mentioning that common-law marriages were legal in South Carolina until 2019. When looking up historical Anderson County marital records, you may want to include information on common-law arrangements in your search as well.

How Do You Find South Carolina Marriage Records Outside of Anderson County?

If you’re unable to locate the Anderson County marital records you’re looking for by using county custodians, you may want to expand your search to other South Carolina counties.

In that case, interested parties can request copies of marriage records from the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC).⁷ The DHEC keeps records of marriages celebrated between July 1950 and December 2022. You can use the Vital Records Marriage/Divorce Application found online to make your request.⁸

To receive a full, certified copy of a marriage certificate, you must be:

• One of the registrants
• An adult child of either or both registrants
• A present or former spouse of either registrant
• A legal representative of either or both registrants.

Everyone else will receive a statement of marriage facts, including the names of the wedding parties and the date and county in which a license was granted.

You can request same-day service by visiting the DHEC Vital Records Office in Columbia, South Carolina. The DHEC charges a $17 non-refundable search fee for this expedited option, plus $3 for each copy of a record. You may pay in person with exact cash or a money order or cashier’s check payable to “S.C. DHEC.”

You can also drop off your request form at the office for a non-refundable non-expedited search fee of $12 plus $3 per copy. Orders that aren’t expedited typically take around four weeks for fulfillment. You can find a full schedule of fees online.⁹

To place your order in person, you can visit the DHEC Vital Records Office during regular business hours (8:30 to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays):

DHEC State Vital Records Office
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: 803.898.3630

Requesters must bring along a valid government- or school-issued photo ID, along with payment. The average processing time for this option is 30 to 45 minutes.

In addition, you can mail the completed application form, along with a photocopy of your ID and payment of $12 for a non-refundable research fee and $3 per desired copy (payable with exact cash, cashier’s check, or money order) to the address above.

It’s also possible to order records from DHEC online or by phone using VitalChek, a third-party service. This option involves an extra service fee of $12.85.

How To Acquire an Anderson County Marriage License

In South Carolina, marriage licenses are issued by county probate courts. This differs from the process in many other states, where court clerks typically issue these important documents.

Marriage licenses must be applied for in person from the Probate Court during business hours (Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.):¹

Anderson County Probate Court
100 S. Main St.
Anderson, SC 29624

There’s no residency requirement for marriage licenses, meaning you and your partner can call anywhere else in the world home. In addition, you’re not limited to being married in the county in which you receive the marriage license. So you can receive a license in Anderson County and get married in Myrtle Beach or anywhere else in the state.

Once a marriage license has been issued, it is good for 6 months.

If both parties to the marriage are 18 years or older, there are just a few required items you must bring to the Anderson County Probate Court when applying for a license:

• A Social Security card for each applicant
• A legal document for each applicant that shows their full name (for example, a birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, etc.)

In addition, if one or both of the applicants are under the age of 18 and older than 16 years old, they must supply a certified copy of their birth certificate. This copy will remain in the probate court’s files permanently. They must also bring along at least one parent with legal documentation proving their relationship to the minor (e.g., a birth certificate).

The Anderson County Probate Court charges $46 for a marriage license, payable with cash only.

Once the license has been applied for, there is a 24-hour waiting period before it can be picked up. After 24 hours have passed, one or both of the parties named on the document can pick it up.

For more information, you can call the Anderson County Probate Court at 864.260.4049 or send an email to [email protected].

Equipped with the information found in this resource, interested parties should be able to seamlessly find the Anderson County marriage records they’re looking for.