Search Lewis County Marriage License

Lewis County marriage license records are kept by the town clerks who issue them across this rural Adirondack region. The county seat is Lowville, where the Town Clerk handles most marriage license applications in the area. Over twenty municipal clerks throughout Lewis County can issue a marriage license, and any license from this county works statewide. If you need a copy of a marriage license filed here, you can reach out to the town clerk who first issued it or send a request to the New York State Department of Health for records from 1881 onward.

Lewis County Marriage License Office in Lowville

The Town of Lowville Clerk is the most used office for marriage licenses in Lewis County. The office is at 5533 Bostwick Street in Lowville, NY 13367. Hours run Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and then 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The clerk closes for lunch. Both partners must show up in person at the same time to fill out the application. This is required under DRL Section 13. No one else can apply for you, even with a power of attorney.

The fee for a marriage license in Lewis County is $40.00. You pay this at the time the license is issued. Bring a driver's license or passport for ID, plus your birth certificate. If you have been married before, bring all divorce decrees or a death certificate for a former spouse. The clerk checks all of these before issuing the license. Per DRL Section 13-b, you must wait 24 hours after the license is issued before any ceremony can happen. The license then stays valid for 60 days.

The Lewis County Clerk's office at 7660 North State Street in Lowville handles land records, court filings, and other county documents. It does not issue marriage licenses. That job sits with the town and village clerks. The County Clerk can be reached at (315) 376-5333 or by email at clerk@lewiscounty.ny.gov. The county clerk does hold some historical marriage records from 1847 to 1850 (incomplete) and from 1908 to 1935.

The screenshot below shows the Lewis County Records website where you can find local government information.

This page covers county services and provides contact details for local offices.

How to Get a Lewis County Marriage License

Getting a marriage license in Lewis County is straightforward. Pick any town clerk office in the county, or any clerk in the state for that matter. You do not have to live in Lewis County to apply here, and you do not have to get married in the county either. The license works throughout New York State for 60 days. Most couples in the area go to the Lowville office because it is the county seat and the most accessible.

When you arrive, both of you fill out the application together. The clerk needs your names, dates of birth, addresses, and Social Security numbers. You each show proof of age, which is usually a birth certificate. A photo ID like a driver's license or passport is also needed. If either of you was married before, you must bring certified copies of all divorce decrees or death certificates for prior spouses. DRL Section 14 spells out what the clerk must include on the license form. The whole process takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

After you get the license, the 24-hour wait starts. A judge can waive this if there is a good reason. Once the wait is up, any authorized person can perform the ceremony. Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, that includes judges, mayors, ordained clergy, and appointed marriage officers. The officiant signs the license after the ceremony and sends it back to the clerk who issued it within five days.

Note: Out-of-state personal checks are not accepted at many Lewis County clerk offices, so bring cash or a money order if you are from out of state.

Lewis County Marriage License Copies

A certified copy of a marriage license from Lewis County costs $10 from the town clerk who issued it. That is the cheapest way to get one. If you go through the New York State Department of Health, the fee is $30 per copy and processing takes 10 to 12 weeks. You can also use VitalChek for faster service, though the cost is higher.

To request a copy from the Lowville Town Clerk, come in person with your photo ID and the $10 fee. You can also mail a request with a notarized letter that lists both spouse names and the marriage date, plus a check or money order for $10. Only the bride or groom can request a certified copy unless the record is over 50 years old and both spouses are deceased.

The NYS DOH mail request page explains how to order by mail from the state. Priority handling costs an extra $15 and takes about two weeks. Send requests to the Vital Records Certification Unit at P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602.

One-Day Marriage Officiant in Lewis County

Lewis County offers a one-day marriage officiant license. This lets a friend or family member perform your wedding ceremony. The person must be at least 18 years old. They do not need to live in New York State. The application fee is $25.00. You can only apply for this at the same clerk's office that issued your marriage license.

The one-day license is tied to your specific couple. It expires on the date you get married or when your marriage license expires, whichever comes first. This option has grown in popularity in Lewis County, especially for outdoor weddings near the Adirondack foothills. Many couples like having a close friend lead the ceremony rather than a stranger. The officiant still must return the signed license to the issuing clerk within five business days after the wedding.

Note: A one-day officiant license can only be applied for after the couple's marriage license has been issued.

Town Clerks in Lewis County

Lewis County has many small towns and villages with their own clerk offices. Each one can issue a marriage license for $40. The list includes Castorland, Constableville, Copenhagen, Croghan, Denmark, Diana, Greig, Harrisburg, Lewis, Leyden, Lowville, Lyons Falls, Lyonsdale, Martinsburg, Montague, New Bremen, Osceola, Pinckney, Port Leyden, Turin, Watson, and West Turin. You can pick whichever office is most convenient for you.

A marriage license from any of these Lewis County clerks works throughout New York State. The license is not tied to where you got it. After the wedding, the officiant sends the signed license back to the clerk who issued it. That clerk files it with the state and mails you a Certificate of Marriage Registration within about 15 days. Under DRL Section 14, this registration is automatic and included in your $40 fee.

Lewis County Marriage License History

The Lewis County Clerk holds some historical marriage records from 1847 to 1850, though these are incomplete. A more complete set covers 1908 through 1935. For records outside those ranges, contact the town clerk who issued the license or the NYS Department of Health genealogy section. The state has records from 1881 onward for areas outside New York City.

The Lewis County website has more information on local government services. For genealogy research, the New York State Archives holds indexes to marriage records on microfiche. The nearest viewing location is the Flower Memorial Library at 229 Washington Street in Watertown, about 25 miles from Lowville. The indexes show names, dates, places, and certificate numbers for marriages recorded statewide.

Genealogy copies cost $22 for a search that covers one to three years. Wider year ranges cost more. Processing through the state can take eight months or longer. Going to the local clerk first may save a lot of time if you know which town issued the license.

Cities in Lewis County

Lewis County is a rural area with no major cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. Marriage licenses issued by any Lewis County town clerk work throughout New York State.

Nearby Counties

These counties sit next to Lewis County. Check with the right clerk for where your license was filed.