Find Marriage Records in Wood County

Wood County marriage records are kept by the County Clerk in Quitman. The clerk issues marriage licenses, records them, and provides certified copies to anyone who requests them with proper identifying information. Wood County is in Northeast Texas and is served by the clerk's office at the Quitman courthouse, which handles all official marriage record functions for the county.

Wood County Clerk Office

The Wood County Clerk is located in Quitman, Texas. The county's main website is co.wood.tx.us, with an alternative portal at woodcountytx.org. The clerk's office manages marriage licenses, property recordings, probate records, and court filings. Contact the office directly to confirm hours and current fees before making the drive to Quitman.

As a mid-size rural county in East Texas, Wood County's clerk provides a full range of county record services. The office keeps records that span many decades and can assist with both recent requests and older historical searches. For older genealogical records, contact the clerk to find out what indexes are available.

Getting a Marriage License in Wood County

Both applicants must appear in person at the Wood County Clerk's office in Quitman. Each person must bring a valid photo ID. Your Social Security number is required at the time of application. Both parties must be at least 18. If either person is under 18, an emancipation order is required. The standard license fee is $81. Under Texas Family Code Chapter 2, the license is valid for a ceremony anywhere in Texas.

A 72-hour waiting period applies after the license is issued. You can waive it by completing the Twogether in Texas premarital education course, which also reduces the fee. A judge can also grant a waiver, and active military members are exempt from the wait. If you were divorced, the divorce must be final for at least 30 days before you apply for a new license, unless a court waives that period.

The license expires 90 days from the issue date. If the ceremony doesn't happen in that window, you have to start over and pay the fee again. There's no way to extend a license. Pick your ceremony date before you apply so the timeline works.

Note: Texas issues a marriage license, not a marriage certificate. The license is the legal record of the marriage. Certified copies of the license are what you get from the clerk.

Certified Copies of Wood County Marriage Records

Certified copies of Wood County marriage records come only from the Wood County Clerk. The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics Section maintains a statewide index from 1966 and can issue a verification letter for $20, but it does not provide certified copies. Requests can be made online through the CDC vital records guide for Texas, but those only apply to DSHS verifications, not county-issued copies.

For a certified copy from Wood County, contact the clerk in Quitman by mail or in person. Include both parties' full legal names and the approximate date of the marriage. Bring or include payment for the applicable fee. Certified copies carry the clerk's seal and are legally valid for name changes, government filings, and financial purposes.

What Wood County Marriage Records Contain

Wood County marriage licenses follow the standard Texas format. The record shows both parties' full legal names, dates of birth, addresses, and Social Security numbers. It also shows when the license was issued, when and where the ceremony took place, and who performed it. Any prior marriages and their outcomes are included. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 194, the clerk sends a copy to the state vital statistics unit within 90 days of the application.

The state index is searchable by both parties' names. Both the county and state records are public. Anyone can request a copy with enough identifying information to locate the record.

Informal Marriage in Wood County

Texas allows couples to register an informal marriage, also called common-law marriage, under Texas Family Code Section 2.401. You can do this at the Wood County Clerk's office in Quitman by signing a Declaration of Informal Marriage. Both parties must appear in person, be at least 18 years old, and pay the $46 filing fee. The declaration creates an official public record of the marriage.

Without a declaration, a couple can still establish informal marriage status by proving three elements: an agreement to be married, living together in Texas as a married couple, and representing to others that they were married. Having a signed declaration makes that much simpler to prove if it ever becomes necessary.

Wood County Clerk Information

The Texas DSHS Vital Statistics page explains what the state maintains in terms of marriage records and how to request a statewide verification for marriages from 1966 forward.

The DSHS statewide index is useful for confirming that a marriage took place in Texas, though you need to go to the Wood County Clerk directly for a certified copy.

Cities in Wood County

Wood County includes Mineola, Quitman, Winnsboro, and several smaller communities. None reach the population threshold for a dedicated city records page. All marriage records for Wood County are handled at the clerk's office in Quitman.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Wood County. Each has its own clerk's office for marriage records.