Search Yates County Marriage License

Yates County marriage license records are kept by the town clerks who issue them in this small Finger Lakes county. The county seat is Penn Yan, a village on the shore of Keuka Lake. Town clerks across Yates County handle marriage license applications, and the County Clerk at the County Building in Penn Yan manages land records and court filings separately. If you need a marriage license or want to find an existing record from Yates County, start with the town clerk who issued it or contact the New York State Department of Health for state-level records.

Yates County Marriage License Office

The Yates County Clerk is at the County Building in Penn Yan, NY 14527. The phone number is (315) 536-4221. This office handles land records and court filings. Births and deaths are recorded in the town or village where they happen. A marriage license can be obtained from any town clerk in the state. In general, Yates County local clerks charge $10 for a certified copy of a vital record.

The fee for a marriage license in Yates County is $40.00. Both partners must show up in person together at any town clerk's office. Under DRL Section 13, a marriage license from a town clerk is required before any wedding ceremony can take place. Bring your birth certificate and a photo ID. If you were married before, you need divorce decrees or a death certificate for a prior spouse. No blood test is needed. The clerk fills out the license per DRL Section 14 and issues it right away.

After the license is issued, the 24-hour waiting period starts per DRL Section 13-b. The license stays valid for 60 days. For active military, the period extends to 180 days. A judge can waive the 24-hour wait if there is a pressing reason.

The screenshot below shows the Yates County Clerk's website where you can find details on local services and county departments.

Check this site for contact information for the county clerk and links to town offices.

How to Get a Yates County Marriage License

Pick any town clerk in Yates County. You do not need to be a resident. You can apply here and get married anywhere in New York State. The process is the same across all town clerks in the county. Both of you go to the office together, fill out the application, show your IDs and birth certificates, and pay $40.

The Town of Yates Clerk at 8 South Main Street in Lyndonville, phone (585) 765-9716, is one option. Clerk Michele Harling handles marriage licenses, dog licenses, sporting licenses, and vital records. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. plus 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. from August through April. The Town of Yates keeps vital records dating back to 1883, including births, deaths, and marriages.

Under Section 11 of the Domestic Relations Law, many people can perform your ceremony. Judges, mayors, clergy, and one-day officiants are all authorized. The one-day officiant license costs $25 and lets any person 18 or older perform your specific wedding. After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the issuing clerk within five business days. The clerk files it with the state and mails you a Certificate of Marriage Registration within about 15 days.

Note: Yates County is a popular Finger Lakes wedding area, especially near Keuka Lake and the local wineries.

Copies of Yates County Marriage License

Certified copies cost $10 from the town clerk who issued the license. The fee for genealogy copies is also $10 at the local level. The New York State Department of Health charges $30 per copy with 10 to 12 weeks processing. Priority handling adds $15. Rush orders through VitalChek cost more but come faster.

Only the bride or groom can request a certified copy of a recent record. For genealogy, marriage records on file for 50 or more years with both spouses deceased are available to the public. The NYS DOH genealogy section handles these requests at a base fee of $22 for a one-to-three year search. Processing takes eight months or longer. Going to the local clerk saves time when you know which town issued the license.

The screenshot below shows the Yates County Government website with additional details on county services.

This site has links to town clerk offices and other Yates County departments.

Yates County Marriage Records History

The Town of Yates keeps vital records going back to 1883. That includes births, deaths, and marriages that took place within the town. Other Yates County towns have similar record-keeping histories. Vital records statewide started in 1881. The New York State Archives holds microfiche indexes to marriage records from that year onward for the entire state outside New York City.

The nearest microfiche viewing location for Yates County residents is the Rochester Public Library at 115 South Avenue in Rochester, about 50 miles away. Call (585) 428-8440 for hours and access. The New York State Library in Albany also has genealogy resources. The state Department of Health satellite office at 800 North Pearl Street in Menands lets you submit genealogy requests in person, which can save time compared to mailing forms.

Note: Marriage indexes are released after 50 years, and birth indexes after 75 years per state policy.

Cities in Yates County

Yates County is one of the smallest counties in New York State with no major cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. All marriage license applications go through local town clerks.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Yates County. Contact the right clerk for where your license was filed.