Chemung County Marriage License

Chemung County marriage license applications are processed by municipal clerks in the county. The City of Elmira clerk is the busiest office for marriage licenses in the area. Chemung County sits in the Southern Tier of New York State with Elmira as its county seat. Marriage records are kept by the clerk of the municipality where the license was issued. The County Clerk at 210 Lake Street in Elmira handles land records and court filings but does not manage vital records directly. If you need a marriage license or a copy of one, the city or town clerk is where you go first.

City of Elmira Clerk Marriage License

The City of Elmira City Clerk is at City Hall, First Floor, 317 East Church Street, Elmira, NY 14901. Phone: (607) 737-5672 or (607) 737-5673. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The fee for a marriage license is $40. Both partners must appear in person together. Each person needs a current driver's license and an original birth certificate from the Health Department (not a hospital certificate). No blood test is needed.

Under DRL Section 13, you must have a marriage license before the wedding. Per DRL Section 13-b, the ceremony cannot take place within 24 hours of the exact time the license was issued. The license is valid for 60 days only. Both applicants must be 18 or older. If either person was married before, a certified copy of the divorce decree, dissolution certificate, or death certificate must be shown for all prior marriages at the time you apply.

Chemung County Marriage License Copies

To get a copy of a marriage certificate from the City of Elmira, you must show ID to the clerk and pay $10. Only the bride or groom can request a certified copy. If you do not live in the city, you can mail a notarized statement with the names (including maiden name) and marriage date, along with a certified check or money order for $10 payable to the City of Elmira.

If both spouses are deceased, relatives can request a verified marriage transcript for genealogy purposes. That costs $22 by check or money order payable to the City of Elmira. This is a genealogy marriage search and gives you an uncertified transcript rather than a certified copy. The City Clerk's office does not keep birth or death certificates. Those are at the Chemung County Department of Vital Records at 103 Washington Street, phone (607) 737-2018.

You can also get copies from the NYS Department of Health for $30 each. State processing takes 10 to 12 weeks. The Chemung County Clerk website has information about county services and contact details.

This page covers the County Clerk's available records and office hours.

Note: The County Clerk's office at 210 Lake Street handles court records and land filings, not vital records.

Marriage License Process in Chemung County

Any town or city clerk in New York State can issue a marriage license. In Chemung County, the Elmira clerk is the most visited office, but town clerks throughout the county also handle applications. All charge $40. You do not have to apply in the municipality where you live or plan to wed. The license works statewide for 60 days.

The City of Elmira website screenshot below shows information about the clerk's office and its services.

Visit this page for the latest details on marriage license hours and requirements at the Elmira City Clerk's office.

After your wedding, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the clerk who issued it. You get a Certificate of Marriage Registration by mail within about 15 days. That certificate serves as proof that your marriage is on file with the state. If you do not get it within four weeks, contact the clerk. Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, judges, mayors, clergy, and other officials can perform marriages. The officiant does not have to live in New York.

Chemung County Marriage Records History

Chemung County was formed in 1836 from Tioga County. Marriage records at the town level start in 1908. Land records at the County Clerk go back to 1791. Probate records at the Surrogate Court begin in 1836. The Surrogate's Court is at the Hazlett Building, 203-205 Lake Street, Elmira, NY 14902. Phone: (607) 873-9400.

The Steele Memorial Library at 101 East Church Street in Elmira has a genealogy department. Phone: (607) 733-9173. The library is also one of the locations where you can view the New York State Archives microfiche indexes to vital records. Marriage indexes are available after 50 years. The New York State Library has more genealogy resources and vital records information.

Cities in Chemung County

Chemung County includes the City of Elmira and surrounding towns. Marriage licenses from any clerk in the county work throughout New York State.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Chemung County. Check with the issuing clerk if you need copies of a marriage license.