Access Tioga County Marriage License

Tioga County marriage license applications are handled by local town clerks in the county. The County Clerk's office in Owego manages land records, court documents, and a small set of older marriage records. If you want to get married in Tioga County or need to look up a past marriage license, this page has what you need. It covers the application process, fees, required documents, and where to search for historical records. The county sits in the Southern Tier of New York, bordered by Broome, Tompkins, Cortland, and Chemung counties as well as Pennsylvania.

Tioga County Clerk Office

The Tioga County Clerk is at 16 Court Street in Owego. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You enter through the Court Annex at 20 Court Street, right next door. The security station closes at 4:30 PM sharp, so plan to arrive by 4:15 PM if you need to visit. The email is CountyClerk@tiogacountyny.gov and the phone number is (607) 687-8660.

The County Clerk records deeds, mortgages, and other property documents. The office also serves as clerk of the Supreme and County Courts. They hold marriage records from 1908 to 1926 only. For other years, you contact the town clerk where the marriage license was obtained. The office also handles DBA filings, military discharge papers, notary licensing, passports, and census records.

Tioga County Marriage License Process

To get a marriage license in Tioga County, both people must visit a town clerk together. Bring your original birth certificates with raised seals showing your parents' names. You also need a photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, or state-issued ID card. If either person was married before, bring the final divorce decree or death certificate for the former spouse. All documents must be originals, not copies.

The license fee is $40. This is set by state law under DRL §13-b. A 24-hour waiting period applies after you file the application. You cannot hold the wedding on the same day you get the license. The license then stays valid for 60 days. Both applicants must be at least 18 years old under DRL §13.

Tioga County Marriage License Records Search

The Tioga County Clerk offers a records search tool on their county website. The County Clerk eSearch tool lets you look up property and court records online.

While the eSearch tool mainly covers land and court records, you can contact the clerk by phone or email for marriage record requests from the 1908 to 1926 window. For newer records, reach out to the town clerk where the license was filed.

Marriage Officiants in Tioga County

Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, judges, clergy, and certain other officials can perform weddings in New York. Town justices in Tioga County can officiate. Since 2023, any person 18 or older can get a one-day marriage officiant license for $25 from the issuing clerk. This lets a friend or family member lead the ceremony.

The officiant signs the marriage license after the ceremony and returns it to the issuing clerk within five business days. This step is required by law. If the license does not come back, the couple's marriage certificate gets delayed. Check with the clerk a couple of weeks after the wedding to confirm everything was filed.

Tioga County Marriage Records

The County Clerk holds marriage records from 1908 to 1926 only. That is a shorter range than most other New York counties. For marriages outside those years, contact the town clerk where the license was purchased. The New York State Department of Health also has marriage records from 1880 onward for areas outside New York City.

The New York Family History Guide for Tioga County is a good place to start for genealogy research. Tioga County was formed in 1791 from Montgomery County. The county name means "at the forks" in the Iroquois language. The Tioga County Clerk's office holds state census originals from 1825, 1835, 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, and 1925.

The Tioga County Surrogate's Court at 20 Court Street in Owego handles probate and related matters. Their phone is (607) 689-6099. They can help with estate records that may include marriage information.

Tioga County Marriage License Costs

The license fee is $40 everywhere in New York. Certified copies of a marriage certificate cost $10 from the issuing clerk. You can also order copies from the state Department of Health by mail. The mail request page on the state health department site has forms and instructions. Local clerks are usually faster.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Tioga County. You can get a marriage license from a town clerk in any of them.