Chippewa County Marriage Records

Chippewa County marriage records are kept at the County Clerk office at 319 Court Street in Sault Ste. Marie, in Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula. The clerk maintains marriage licenses and certificates for all marriages recorded in Chippewa County. If you need a certified copy for name changes, insurance, or legal matters, or if you are researching family history, the county clerk is where to go. Mail requests and in-person visits are both accepted, and staff can guide you through the process.

Chippewa County Clerk Office

The Chippewa County Clerk office in Sault Ste. Marie handles all marriage-related records for the county. This includes issuing marriage licenses to couples who plan to marry here, recording completed marriages after the officiant returns the signed license, and providing certified copies to those who need them.

Chippewa County is in the eastern part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It borders Canada across the St. Marys River, and includes the city of Sault Ste. Marie as well as many townships spread across a large geographic area. All marriages recorded in the county are filed with this one clerk's office. If you are searching for a marriage that happened anywhere in Chippewa County, 319 Court Street is the right address.

The office is open on weekdays during regular business hours. Call ahead at (906) 635-6300 to confirm the office is open if you are traveling a long distance to visit.

Requesting Chippewa County Marriage Certificates

Getting a certified copy of a Chippewa County marriage record requires the names of both parties and a rough idea of when the marriage took place. The process is the same whether you visit in person or send a mail request.

In-person requests are the quickest. Bring a valid photo ID and the information about the marriage you are looking for. Pay the $15 fee for the first certified copy. The clerk will pull the record and issue the copy, usually the same day. If the record is older or harder to find, it may take a bit longer, but most requests are completed during the visit.

Mail requests go to the Chippewa County Clerk at 319 Court Street, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. Include both names, the marriage year, your return address, a copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for the fee. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope to help speed up delivery. Processing by mail typically takes 7 to 10 business days.

The state-level option is to order through MDHHS vital records in Lansing. Their office is at 333 S. Grand Avenue and the phone number is 517-335-8666. State copies cost $34 each. You can also order online at VitalChek for convenience, though there is an extra fee for using that service.

Applying for a Marriage License in Chippewa County

Both people must come to the Chippewa County Clerk office together to apply for a marriage license. One person cannot apply on behalf of both. This requirement comes from Michigan state law and applies in all 83 counties.

Each applicant needs a valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID, or passport. Both people need their Social Security numbers. If either person has been married before, the clerk will ask for the date the previous marriage ended and how it ended. Bringing a divorce decree or a death certificate for a former spouse helps verify this information. The clerk records all of this on the license application.

Michigan law requires a 3-day waiting period after the license is issued. Under MCL 551.103, the license is good for 33 days from issuance. The ceremony must happen in that window. If it does not, the license expires and you have to apply again. Give yourself some time buffer when scheduling the ceremony.

The fee is $20 for Michigan residents. If either applicant is a non-resident of Michigan, the fee is $30. No blood test is required in Michigan. Both parties must be at least 18 years old. The law covering all of this is at MCL Chapter 551.

After the ceremony, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the Chippewa County Clerk. The clerk records it and that document becomes the official marriage record for the county.

Online Tools for Chippewa County Marriage Records

Several online resources are useful for researching Chippewa County marriage records without visiting Sault Ste. Marie in person.

The Michiganology vital records search is a free tool from the Library of Michigan. It has indexed historical marriage records from across Michigan, including Chippewa County. If you are tracing family history and looking for marriages from the 1800s or early 1900s, start here. The database shows index information such as names, year, and county. It does not provide certified copies but confirms whether a record exists.

For ordering certified copies without traveling to Sault Ste. Marie, VitalChek allows online orders for Michigan marriage records. The state MDHHS office processes these orders at $34 per copy. This is a legitimate option for people who live far from Chippewa County or cannot visit in person.

The legal framework for marriage records access in Michigan is set out in MCL 333.2885. This statute explains who can get certified copies and under what conditions. For records 75 years or older, access is open to anyone.

The Michigan MDHHS vital records page at michigan.gov shows how to order certified copies of marriage records, including those from Chippewa County, through the state office in Lansing.

Using the state ordering channel is a good option for Chippewa County residents who cannot visit the clerk's office in Sault Ste. Marie, though direct county requests are usually faster and less expensive.

Chippewa County Marriage Record Fees

Fees for marriage records in Chippewa County align with standard Michigan county rates. These apply at the clerk's office in Sault Ste. Marie.

• Marriage license (Michigan resident): $20.00
• Marriage license (non-resident of Michigan): $30.00
• First certified copy: $15.00
• Each additional certified copy in same order: $5.00
• State copy from MDHHS (Lansing): $34.00

If you expect to need more than one certified copy, order them at the same time. The second and additional copies are much cheaper when ordered together. The pricing structure rewards planning ahead.

Note: Confirm current fees with the Chippewa County Clerk at (906) 635-6300 since rates can be updated over time.

Michigan Marriage Law in Chippewa County

The same Michigan statutes that govern marriages everywhere in the state apply in Chippewa County. The county clerk is required to follow these laws when issuing licenses and providing records.

MCL 551.101 defines who can legally marry in Michigan. Both parties must be at least 18. Neither can already be married. Close family members are prohibited from marrying each other. These baseline requirements have been part of Michigan law for a long time and are enforced at the county level when couples apply for licenses in Chippewa County.

The procedural rules for licenses are at MCL 551.103. This covers the 3-day wait, the 33-day validity period, and the duty of the officiant to return the signed license to the county clerk. All of these apply in Chippewa County without modification.

The access rules for existing records come from MCL 333.2885. Records 75 years or older are public. Newer records have restrictions on who may receive certified copies. The Chippewa County Clerk applies these rules when processing copy requests, the same as clerks in every other Michigan county.

Cities in Chippewa County

Chippewa County is a large Upper Peninsula county with Sault Ste. Marie as its main city. All marriages for residents of the county are recorded with the county clerk at 319 Court Street.

The county includes the city of Sault Ste. Marie, Brimley, Kinross, Dafter, and many rural townships covering a wide area in the eastern Upper Peninsula. None currently qualify for individual city pages on this site based on population.

Nearby Counties

Chippewa County borders these other Upper Peninsula counties. If a marriage took place in a neighboring county, use these links to find the right clerk office.