Marriage License in Chautauqua County

Chautauqua County marriage license records are available from the town, city, or village clerk where the application was taken. The County Clerk in Mayville keeps marriage records from 1908 to April 1935 and can issue certified copies of divorce judgments. For current marriage license needs, you visit a local municipal clerk. Chautauqua County is in the far western part of New York State along Lake Erie. The fee for a marriage license is $40 at any clerk in the county. You can buy a license from any clerk in New York, not just in the county where you live.

Chautauqua County Clerk's Office

The Chautauqua County Clerk is at the Courthouse, 1 North Erie Street, Mayville, NY 14757. Phone: (716) 753-4331. Email: barmorel@chqgov.com. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The County Clerk handles passports, land records, and court filings. The office also has marriage records from 1908 to April 1935 for the entire county. For a certified copy of a divorce judgment, call (716) 753-4873.

Birth and death certificates are not at the County Clerk. Those are at the town, city, or village clerk where the event happened. Marriage records work the same way for anything after 1935. You contact the clerk of the municipality where the license was purchased. The Chautauqua County government website has a FAQ section that explains where to find vital records.

Chautauqua County Marriage License Application

To get a marriage license in Chautauqua County, both partners must go to a town or city clerk together. Under DRL Section 13, every couple who plans to marry in New York must get a license first. Bring photo ID and a birth certificate. If you were married before, show how each marriage ended with a divorce decree or death certificate. The fee is $40 at all locations.

After the clerk issues your license, you wait 24 hours per DRL Section 13-b. The license is then good for 60 days. You can hold the ceremony anywhere in New York State. Civil ceremonies can be done by judges, village mayors, and marriage officers. Religious ceremonies are handled by ordained clergy. Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, many types of officials can perform marriages. The officiant does not have to be a New York resident.

The Chautauqua County Clerk website screenshot below has information about available records and services.

Check this page for details on the County Clerk's records, including older marriage records from 1908 to 1935.

Chautauqua County Marriage License Copies

Certified copies cost $10 from the municipal clerk who issued the license. The NYS Department of Health also provides copies for $30 each. State processing takes 10 to 12 weeks. For faster service, priority handling at an extra $15 takes about two weeks. VitalChek offers rush delivery for a higher fee.

Vital records in New York started in 1881. The County Clerk has state census records from 1825 to 1925, naturalization records from 1814 to 1972, marriage records from 1908 to 1935, property deeds and mortgages from 1811 to the present, and tax assessment records from 1854 to 1934. The Chautauqua County vital records portal has more details on what is available.

This portal provides access to county records and contact information for various departments.

Note: For genealogy, the Chautauqua County Historical Society at Moore Park in Westfield may have additional marriage-related records and local history.

Chautauqua County Courts

The Chautauqua County Courthouse is at 3 North Erie Street, Mayville, NY 14757. Phone: (716) 753-4266. Supreme Court Justice is Hon. Grace M. Hanlon. County Court Judge is Hon. David Foley. Chief Clerk Tracie Lorenzo can be reached at (716) 753-4835. Court hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The courts close on all state holidays.

The Surrogate's Court handles wills, estates, and adoptions. It is in the courthouse at P.O. Box C, Mayville, NY 14757. Phone: (716) 753-4337. Surrogate's Court Judge is Hon. Stephen W. Cass. Family Court is at the Chautauqua Municipal Building, 2 Academy Street, Suite 5, Mayville. Phone: (716) 753-4100. Probate records at the Surrogate's Court date back to 1811. Chautauqua County was incorporated in 1808 from Genesee County. Court records at the County Clerk start in 1794.

Cities in Chautauqua County

Chautauqua County includes Jamestown, Dunkirk, and several smaller communities. All marriage license applications go through municipal clerks.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Chautauqua County. You can get a marriage license from any clerk in the state.