Cattaraugus County Marriage License Search

Cattaraugus County marriage license records are kept by the town or city clerk who issued them. When you need a certified copy of a marriage license in Cattaraugus County, you must contact the specific municipality where the license was purchased. The County Clerk in Little Valley handles deeds, court records, and divorce filings but does not issue new marriage licenses. This county has many small towns spread across the southwestern corner of New York State. Each town clerk charges $40 for a new license and $10 for a certified copy, as set by state law.

Cattaraugus County Clerk Office

The Cattaraugus County Clerk is at 303 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755. Phone: (716) 938-9111. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The County Clerk keeps deeds, mortgages, judgments, court records, divorce filings, and military discharges. It also has marriage records from 1908 to April 1935 only. Current marriage licenses are not available here.

If you need a marriage license copy, you have to figure out which town clerk issued the original. For instance, if you bought your license from the Town of Yorkshire but got married in Ellicottville, you contact the Town of Yorkshire clerk. The license goes with the clerk who sold it, not the place where the wedding happened. The Cattaraugus County website has contact details for departments and resources.

How to Get a Marriage License in Cattaraugus County

Both people must appear together at a town or city clerk's office. Bring valid photo ID and a birth certificate. If either person was married before, you need to show how each prior marriage ended. That means a divorce decree or death certificate. The fee is $40 everywhere in the county. No blood test is required in New York. Per DRL Section 13, you must get the license before the ceremony.

Town clerks in Cattaraugus County include offices in Olean, Salamanca, Ellicottville, Franklinville, Randolph, and many others. You pick whichever clerk is most handy. The license is valid statewide. After the clerk issues it, you wait 24 hours per DRL Section 13-b. Then you have 60 days to hold the ceremony. Active military get 180 days. The Cattaraugus County records portal has more info on county services.

The Ellicottville town clerk has birth and death certificates on file from 1893 to the present. Marriage certificates are available for applications filed in Ellicottville. All certified copies from that office cost $10 and require proof of identity.

The screenshot below shows the Cattaraugus County Clerk website with information about records and services.

Use this site to find contact information for specific town clerks across the county.

Note: The County Clerk's office has no records of births or deaths at all.

Cattaraugus County Marriage License Copies

A certified copy costs $10 from the issuing town clerk. You can also get one from the New York State Department of Health for $30. The state route 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 payable to the NYS Department of Health and a copy of your photo ID.

For genealogy, uncertified copies of marriage records on file for 50 years or more are available when both spouses are deceased. The base search fee is $22. The DOH genealogy page lists the full fee schedule. Processing can take eight months. Going to the town clerk directly is much faster. The Cattaraugus County records site screenshot below shows additional county resources.

This portal covers county government services and contact details for various offices.

Cattaraugus County Marriage Records History

The County Clerk has marriage records from 1908 to April 1935. Census books go from 1850 through 1925. A census certificate costs $5. Court records date back to 1806, though there is no alphabetical index. Miscellaneous records in ledger books also go back to 1806. They include church formation records, school district listings, Civil War soldier discharges, and more. Eighteen volumes labeled A through R hold this collection.

The New York State Archives has statewide marriage indexes from 1881. These are on microfiche and can be viewed at the Archives in Albany or at several libraries around the state. Marriage indexes become available after 50 years. For older records in Cattaraugus County, the town clerks and the Surrogate's Court are your best sources. Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, any authorized officiant can perform a marriage once the couple has a valid license.

Cities in Cattaraugus County

Cattaraugus County has smaller cities and towns. Marriage licenses from any clerk in the county work throughout New York State.

Nearby Counties

These counties are next to Cattaraugus County. Check which town clerk issued your license before requesting copies.