Flint Marriage Records
Marriage records for Flint residents are kept by the Genesee County Clerk Vital Records Division, which handles all marriage licenses and certified copies for the city. Flint is the largest city in Genesee County with about 80,000 residents, and all marriage record requests go through the county clerk's office located in the city.
Flint Overview
Where to Get Marriage Records in Flint
The Genesee County Clerk Vital Records Division is the place to get marriage records for Flint residents. The office is right in Flint at 1101 Beach Street, Room 140. This is the same building as the Genesee County Courthouse. You can walk in, request by mail, or use the online search tool to find marriage records. The office handles both new license applications and requests for certified copies of past marriages.
| Office | Genesee County Clerk - Vital Records Division |
|---|---|
| Address | 1101 Beach Street, Room 140 Flint, MI 48502 |
| Phone | (810) 257-3225 |
| Mail Requests | Genesee County Clerk Vital Records 900 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48502 |
| Records Available From | 1835 to present |
The county clerk office at Beach Street handles walk-in requests. Mail requests go to the S. Saginaw Street address. Both locations serve the same purpose, so pick what works best for you. Bring a valid photo ID when you visit in person. For mail requests, include a copy of your ID and a check or money order for the fee.
The City of Flint also has a city clerk at 1101 S Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502, phone (810) 766-7346. The city clerk handles city business but does not keep marriage records. All vital records, including marriage licenses and certified copies, are managed by the Genesee County Clerk. Do not confuse the two offices when you look for marriage documents.
How to Search Flint Marriage Records
Genesee County has an online records search portal where you can look up marriage records without going to the office. The database covers marriages recorded in the county and lets you search by name. You can find basic information like the names of the parties and the date of marriage. This is a good first step before requesting a certified copy.
The Genesee County online records portal is at geneseecountymi.gov. The site is free to use for basic searches. You will need at least one party's name to run a search. Results show what is on file, but to get a copy you still need to contact the clerk's office. The portal is useful for confirming whether a record exists before you order.
The Genesee County online search portal is one of the more useful tools in the state. It makes it easy to check records without a trip to the courthouse. The screenshot below shows the portal interface for the Genesee County vital records search.
The portal at geneseecountymi.gov covers marriage, death, and DBA records in one place. Results are returned quickly and include enough detail to confirm a match before ordering a certified copy.
You can also visit in person to search records. Staff can look up cases by name and pull records from the files. If you want a certified copy the same day, in-person visits are your best option. Call ahead to confirm hours before you go. For genealogy research, Genesee County records going back to 1835 are available, making this one of the older county record sets in Michigan.
Marriage License Requirements in Flint
To get a marriage license in Flint, you apply at the Genesee County Clerk's office. Both people getting married must appear in person. Michigan law under MCL 551.101 says you get your license from the county where you live. If neither person lives in Michigan, you apply in the county where the marriage will happen.
The basic requirements for a Genesee County marriage license are:
- Both parties must appear in person at the clerk's office
- Both must be 18 or older (16-17 requires parental consent)
- Valid government-issued photo ID for both parties
- Birth certificate or other proof of age
- Social Security numbers for both parties
- Payment of the license fee
Under MCL 551.103, there is a 3-day waiting period after you apply before the license becomes valid. The license is then valid for 33 days. If you do not use it within 33 days, it is void and you must apply again. Plan your application date so you get married within the valid window. The waiting period cannot be waived in most cases, so apply early enough to give yourself time.
The fee for a marriage license at Genesee County is $20 for county residents. Out-of-state applicants may pay a higher fee. Check with the clerk's office at (810) 257-3225 for current fee amounts before you go. Fees can change and the county sets its own rates within state guidelines. Bring cash or a check. Not all county offices take cards, so confirm the payment method when you call.
The City of Flint also has information on local government services at its city website. The screenshot below shows the City of Flint site where you can find contact information for city offices, though marriage records are handled by the county.
The City of Flint website at cityofflint.com is useful for finding general city services, but all marriage records and license applications are handled through Genesee County.
Getting Certified Copies of Marriage Records
Certified copies of marriage records from Genesee County cost $25 for the first copy. Each additional copy of the same record costs $10. These fees are specific to Genesee County. The state fee through MDHHS is $34 for the first certified copy and $16 for each additional copy of the same record. Genesee County's fees are lower, so getting copies directly from the county clerk is usually the better choice.
To get a certified copy, you can visit the office in person, send a mail request, or use an online ordering service. For in-person requests, bring your ID and the fee. For mail requests, send a completed request form, a copy of your ID, and a check or money order payable to the Genesee County Clerk. Mail requests to 900 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48502. Allow extra time for mail requests to be processed and returned.
Certified copies are legal documents. They are used for name changes, insurance updates, Social Security records, and other official purposes. A plain copy or printout from an online search is not the same as a certified copy. Make sure you request the right type when you apply. The clerk's office can tell you whether a certified copy is what you need for your specific purpose.
For records older than 75 years, Michigan law under MCL 333.2885 makes them available to the general public. Newer records have more access restrictions, but parties to the marriage and close family members can usually get copies. The county clerk can tell you what ID or documentation you need to request a record you are not a direct party to.
Historical Marriage Records and Genealogy Research
Genesee County marriage records go back to 1835, making them a rich source for genealogy research. If you are tracing family history in the Flint area, these older records can tell you a lot. Names, dates, places, and sometimes parents' names appear in older marriage documents. The county clerk has these on file, and some may also be indexed in online genealogy databases.
Michiganology at michiganology.org is a free resource that indexes older Michigan vital records including some marriage records. It is run by the Library of Michigan and is a good starting point for genealogy searches. Records on the site have been digitized and indexed, which makes searching faster than going through paper files. Not all records are on Michiganology, but it covers a large portion of historical vital records from across the state.
The state vital records office through MDHHS at michigan.gov/mdhhs also maintains marriage records and offers certified copies by mail or through VitalChek. For Flint residents, the county clerk is usually faster and less expensive, but the state office is an option if the county cannot help. VitalChek at vitalchek.com lets you order online with a credit card if you prefer that method.
Genesee County Marriage Records
Flint is in Genesee County. Marriage licenses and certified copies are handled by the Genesee County Clerk Vital Records Division. The county page has full details on fees, hours, forms, and the online search tools available for Genesee County marriage records.
Nearby Cities
Looking for marriage records in other Michigan cities? See these nearby locations: