Search Jim Wells County Marriage Records

Jim Wells County marriage records are maintained by the County Clerk in Alice. The clerk's office issues marriage licenses and keeps certified copies of all licenses recorded in the county. If you need to find or request Jim Wells County marriage records, the county clerk in Alice handles all requests.

Jim Wells County Clerk Office

The Jim Wells County Clerk's main office is at P.O. Box 978, Alice, TX 78333. The phone number is (361) 668-5701. The clerk handles marriage licenses, certified copies, and all official county records. Jim Wells County was created in 1911 and named after James Babbage Wells Jr., a South Texas judge and political figure. Alice is the county seat and the largest community in the county.

Both applicants must appear in person together at the clerk's office. Each person needs a valid photo ID and their Social Security number. No blood test is needed. A license issued in Jim Wells County is valid for use anywhere in Texas under Texas Family Code Chapter 2.

Getting a Marriage License in Jim Wells County

Both applicants must go to the clerk's office at the same time. Each person needs a valid government-issued photo ID. Driver's licenses, passports, and state ID cards all qualify. You will provide your Social Security number as well. The clerk will walk you through the application.

Texas requires a 72-hour wait after you get the license before the ceremony can happen. This comes from Texas Family Code Section 2.204. You can waive this wait by completing the free Twogether in Texas premarital education course and presenting your certificate at the time you apply. This also saves you $60 on the license fee, dropping it from around $81 to about $21. The certificate must be from within the past year. Your license stays valid for 90 days from the date it is issued, so plan your ceremony date ahead of time.

Note: Minors under 18 cannot get a marriage license in Texas without a court order removing disabilities of minority.

Certified Copies of Jim Wells County Marriage Records

Certified copies of Jim Wells County marriage licenses must come from the Jim Wells County Clerk. The Texas Department of State Health Services maintains a statewide marriage index from 1966 and issues verification letters for $20, but does not provide certified copies. Only the county clerk where the license was filed can issue certified copies.

To request in person, visit the clerk's office in Alice during business hours. For mail requests, write to P.O. Box 978, Alice, TX 78333. Include both parties' full names, the approximate date of marriage, and payment for the copy fee. Call (361) 668-5701 to confirm current fees and procedures. Statewide inquiries can go to DSHS at (888) 963-7111.

Certified copies carry the clerk's seal and are accepted for name changes, legal filings, insurance updates, and government purposes. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 194, the county clerk sends a copy of each application to the state vital statistics unit within 90 days.

What Jim Wells County Marriage Records Include

Jim Wells County marriage license records follow the state format. Each record includes both parties' full legal names, dates of birth, current addresses, and Social Security numbers. The record also shows when the license was issued, when and where the ceremony took place, who performed it, and any prior marriages. These records are public. Anyone can request a copy with enough identifying information to locate the record in the index.

For genealogy, FamilySearch has digitized marriage records for many Texas counties going back to the mid-1800s. Jim Wells County records date from 1911. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission holds older South Texas records that may include earlier marriages in this region before the county was formed.

Informal Marriage in Jim Wells County

Texas allows informal marriage under Texas Family Code Section 2.401. Couples in Jim Wells County can sign a Declaration of Informal Marriage at the county clerk's office, creating a public record. Informal marriage can also be established by proving three things: agreement to be married, cohabitation in Texas as spouses, and holding out to others as married. Informal marriage carries the same legal weight as a formal ceremony. A divorce is required to end it.

Jim Wells County Marriage Record Sources

The Jim Wells County official website provides contact information and details about the county clerk's office in Alice.

The Jim Wells County website provides office information and contact details for residents seeking marriage licenses or certified copies of records in Alice.

For statewide marriage verification, the Texas DSHS Vital Statistics section maintains the statewide index and issues verification letters for $20.

DSHS can be reached at (888) 963-7111 and processes requests by mail, in person, or online through Texas.gov.

Cities in Jim Wells County

Jim Wells County is a South Texas county with Alice as the county seat. All marriage licenses issued in the county are recorded with the Jim Wells County Clerk.

No cities in Jim Wells County meet the population threshold for dedicated city pages. Marriage licenses for Alice and other communities in the county are all handled by the Jim Wells County Clerk's office.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Jim Wells County. Marriage records for those areas are kept with each county's own clerk office.