Search Allegany County Marriage License

Allegany County marriage license records are held by the town clerks who issue them across the county. The County Clerk's office in Belmont has some older marriage records from 1908 to April 1935, but current licenses come from individual town clerks. Allegany County sits in the western part of New York State with a rural character and over 30 towns. If you plan to get married or need a copy of a marriage license from Allegany County, you start at the town clerk level. The fee is $40 for a new license, and certified copies of existing records cost $10 from the issuing clerk.

Allegany County Clerk's Office

The Allegany County Clerk sits at 7 Court Street in Belmont. The phone number is (585) 268-9270. This office handles deeds, mortgages, court records, and divorce filings. It does not issue new marriage licenses. That job belongs to the town clerks. However, the County Clerk does hold marriage records from 1908 to April 1935 in the office. If you need a record from that time frame, this is the place to look.

The County Clerk also keeps census books from 1850 through 1925, naturalization records starting in 1866, and civil court records going back to 1806. Land records begin in 1807. For anything tied to vital statistics like birth, death, or marriage, you go to the town clerk where the event took place or to the New York State Department of Health. Under DRL Section 14, the town or city clerk is the one who fills out and issues each marriage license.

Allegany County Marriage License Application

To get a marriage license in Allegany County, both partners must appear together at a town clerk's office. The Town of Allegany clerk is one option. You can also go to clerks in Wellsville, Cuba, Alfred, Andover, Bolivar, or any of the other 30-plus towns. Each charges the $40 fee set by state law. You need a valid driver's license, Social Security card, and original birth certificate. If this is a second marriage, bring your divorce decree or a death certificate for a prior spouse.

New York does not require a blood test. Both of you must be at least 18 years old. Per DRL Section 13-b, there is a 24-hour waiting period after the license is issued before you can have the ceremony. The license stays good for 60 days. Active military members get 180 days. You can marry anywhere in New York State with this license, not just in Allegany County.

The process at the Town of Allegany clerk takes about 30 minutes. Call ahead to set up a time. Appointments help make sure the clerk is available when you arrive. The Town Clerk handles all the paperwork and sends a copy to the New York State Department of Health after the signed license comes back from the officiant.

Note: Allegany County town clerk offices are small and may have limited hours, so calling first is a good idea.

Copies of Allegany County Marriage Records

Certified copies of a marriage license cost $10 from the town clerk who issued it. You need to contact that specific clerk. For example, if you got your license in the Town of Wellsville, call Wellsville's town clerk. If you got it in Cuba, call Cuba. The county clerk does not issue copies of marriage licenses except for the old records from 1908 to 1935.

You can also get a copy from the New York State Department of Health by mail. The state charges $30 per copy. Regular handling takes 10 to 12 weeks. Send your request to the Vital Records Certification Unit at P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. Include a check or money order payable to the New York State Department of Health. You also need to send a copy of your photo ID.

For genealogy purposes, the state offers uncertified copies of marriage records that have been on file for at least 50 years, as long as both spouses are known to be deceased. The base genealogy fee is $22 for a one-to-three year search. These requests can take eight months or more to process. Going to the local town clerk is almost always faster. The New York State Archives also has microfiche indexes to marriage records from 1881.

Town Clerks in Allegany County

Allegany County has a large number of towns, each with its own clerk who can issue marriage licenses. The full list includes Alfred, Allen, Alma, Almond, Amity, Andover, Angelica, Belfast, Belmont, Birdsall, Bolivar, Burns, Canaseraga, Caneadea, Centerville, Clarksville, Cuba, Friendship, Genesee, Granger, Grove, Hume, Independence, New Hudson, Richburg, Rushford, Scio, Ward, Wellsville, West Almond, Willing, and Wirt. All of them charge $40 for a new license and $10 for a certified copy.

Allegany County was formed in 1806 from Genesee County. It is a rural area with small towns spread across hilly land. Most town clerk offices keep limited hours. Some are open only a few days a week. Always call before you visit. The Surrogate's Court in Belmont has probate records going back to 1807 if you need those for family research.

Any authorized person can perform your wedding once you have the license. Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, that includes judges, town justices, mayors, ordained clergy, and appointed marriage officers. The officiant must sign the license and return it to the issuing clerk within five days.

Allegany County Marriage Records History

The County Clerk's office has marriage records from 1908 to April 1935. Before and after that window, records sit with the town clerks and the state. Court records in Allegany County go all the way back to 1806. The miscellaneous records in the clerk's ledger books date to 1806 as well and include things like church formations, school district listings, and Civil War soldier discharges. There are 18 volumes labeled A through R.

For older marriage records, the New York State Library has genealogy resources and can point you to the right place. The Department of Health satellite office at 800 North Pearl Street in Menands accepts in-person genealogy requests, which can speed up the process compared to mail. Census records at the County Clerk cover 1850, 1855, 1860, 1865, 1870, 1875, 1880, 1892, 1905, 1915, and 1925. A census certificate costs $5.

Note: The Ellicottville town clerk has marriage certificates on file for marriages where the application was filed in that town, going back to 1893.

Cities in Allegany County

Allegany County is a rural area with no large cities. All marriage license applications go through town clerk offices throughout the county.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Allegany County. If you are not sure which clerk issued your marriage license, check the town where the application was filed.