Jefferson County Marriage and Divorce Records

Getting a Marriage License in Jefferson County

Marriage licenses are issued by the Jefferson County Clerk, not the court. Kentucky lets a couple obtain a license in any county if both parties are 18 or older, and that license may be used in any Kentucky county. It cannot be used outside Kentucky. A license is valid for 30 days, counting the date it is issued. If the marriage is not solemnized within that window, the couple must apply again.

Both parties must appear in person to get a license. There is no waiting period and no blood test. The clerk's office accepts applications at the Professional License Department in Metro Hall and at seven branch offices around the county, several with extended evening hours on different weekdays. Because both people have to be there together, it helps to pick a branch and a time that works for both before making the trip.

Kentucky also bars certain marriages, including those between first cousins, anyone with a living spouse not yet divorced, and a person who is mentally incompetent. Common-law and proxy marriages are not recognized.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

The application is quick when both people come prepared. The steps below follow the County Clerk's marriage process.

1. Both parties go in person to the Professional License Department at Metro Hall or to a branch office.
2. Bring valid identification, such as a driver's license, a current state picture ID, or a passport.
3. Confirm both parties are 18 or older; a 17-year-old needs a District Court order, and no one under 17 may marry.
4. Pay the license fee by cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover.
5. Use the license within 30 days, in Kentucky only, with an authorized officiant and at least two witnesses.

An authorized officiant can be clergy, a judge or retired judge of the Court of Justice, a county judge or executive, or certain other officials. No Kentucky residency is required to marry.

Marriage License Application Requirements

The clerk's marriage process asks for a short set of items at the counter. The table lists what each applicant should bring and confirm.

Once issued, the license must be used within 30 days, or the couple applies for a new one.

Marriage License Branch Locations

The County Clerk takes marriage applications at the main Professional License office and seven branches. Each branch keeps regular weekday hours and adds one extended evening, on a different day depending on the location. The table lists the offices and addresses.

Because both parties must appear together, pick a branch and time that works for both before you go.

Jefferson County Marriage and Divorce Fees

Fees split between the County Clerk for marriage records and the court for divorce records. The table lists the marriage figures from the clerk's schedule, plus the divorce note.

The marriage license fee rose to $60 under a 2025 state fee change, so confirm the current amount before you pay.

How to Look Up Jefferson County Marriage Records

Marriage records are kept by the County Clerk. The clerk offers an online marriage license search and copy service, and copies can also be requested by mail. For a mail request, the information you provide depends on the marriage date. The clerk uses a date boundary that matters for record seekers.

For marriages before June 26, 2015, a mail request asks for the bride's maiden name, the groom's name, and the year. For marriages after June 25, 2015, the request uses partner 1 or partner 2 maiden name and the date or year. Send written requests to the Jefferson County Clerk's Office, Professional License Department, 527 W. Jefferson St., Room 100A, Louisville, KY 40202.

The Jefferson County Clerk marriage search service is the online tool named in the clerk's materials.

Having the right names and year on hand speeds any marriage record request. A common reason a search comes back empty is a spelling difference or a wrong year, so try a maiden name and a close year if the first attempt fails. The clerk's office can confirm what it holds and the cost of a certified copy if you call before mailing a request.

How to Find Jefferson County Divorce Records

Divorce is a court matter, so divorce records do not come from the County Clerk's marriage office. Jefferson Family Court handles dissolution, custody, support, and related cases, and the Office of Circuit Court Clerk keeps the file. Family Court sits in the Judicial Center, with the clerk in room 105, reachable at 502-595-3025.

To get a certified divorce decree or case copy, request it from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk through Family Court or, for older cases, Archives and Records. Kentucky Family Court jurisdiction also covers maintenance, equitable distribution, adoption, termination of parental rights, paternity, and domestic violence matters, so a single family file can hold more than the divorce itself.

For the full court-record process, see Jefferson County court records.

Jefferson Family Court is a distinctive local court. The clerk says it was established in 1991, has 10 divisions and 10 full-time judges, and uses a "One Family, One Judge, One Court" model so related matters for one family stay with the same judge. That structure means a divorce, a custody dispute, and a support case for the same family may share a judge and a file path, which can make records easier to track once you know the case number.

If you are starting a divorce rather than searching for one, the Kentucky Court of Justice offers legal forms and a self-help portal, and a divorce is filed in Jefferson Family Court through the Circuit Court Clerk. Filing fees apply, and a fee waiver may be available for those who qualify. After the decree is entered, request a certified copy from Family Court or Archives and Records depending on the case age.

Getting Certified Copies

A certified copy bears an official seal and is the version courts and agencies accept. For a marriage record, the County Clerk issues certified copies in person or by mail. For a divorce decree, the certified copy comes from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk, since the court holds the case file.

Match the record to the right office before you pay. The County Clerk cannot issue a divorce decree, and the court does not handle marriage licenses. Sending a request to the wrong counter is the most common delay people hit. For legal uses such as a name change, a benefit claim, or an immigration filing, ask for a certified copy rather than an uncertified printout, since agencies will not accept a plain copy.

Kentucky Marriage and Divorce Record Offices

In Jefferson County, the two record offices are local. The County Clerk's Professional License Department issues marriage licenses and sells certified marriage copies. The Office of Circuit Court Clerk keeps divorce files. The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics maintains statewide vital records, but for a Jefferson County marriage license or copy, the County Clerk is the direct source.

For divorce, the Family Court clerk at 502-595-3025 is the contact rather than the marriage office.

Related Jefferson County Records

You may also want probate records, public records, the County Clerk page, or the Office of Circuit Court Clerk.