Getting a Marriage License in Walthall County
Marriage licenses in Walthall County are issued by the Circuit Clerk, Dan "Nut" Hawn. The office works out of the Walthall County Courthouse at 200 Ball Avenue in Tylertown, with mail handled through P.O. Box 351, Tylertown, MS 39667. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The clerk can be reached by phone at 601-876-5677 or by fax at 601-876-4077. Couples planning a Mississippi wedding apply here in person, not at the Chancery side of the courthouse and not through the state health department.
The local marriage page maintained by the Walthall County Chamber outlines the basic rules for applicants. The Circuit Clerk's office is the same counter that handles felony case files, circuit civil suits, and voter records, so it is a busy public window worth calling ahead before a visit.
The county requires both partners to apply together. Each person must present valid identification, such as a birth certificate or a driver's license, and each must be at least 21 years old. An applicant under 21 needs a parent or parents to sign, and in some cases a court order may be required before the license can be issued. The county does not publish a separate waiting period on its marriage page, so applicants should confirm timing when they call.
A clear look at the local requirements is available on the Walthall County marriage license page.
That page confirms the Circuit Clerk address, office hours, the identification rule, the age requirement, and the $36 filing fee that applies to every couple.
How to Apply for a Walthall County Marriage License
The application process is short, but both partners have to take part. A little preparation keeps the visit to a single trip. Gather identification, confirm ages, and have the fee ready before heading to Ball Avenue.
- Call the Circuit Clerk at 601-876-5677 to confirm current hours and the filing fee.
- Both applicants appear together at the courthouse, 200 Ball Avenue in Tylertown.
- Bring valid identification for each person, such as a birth certificate or driver's license.
- If either applicant is under 21, ask in advance about the parental signature or court-order requirement.
- Pay the $36 filing fee at the clerk's counter.
- After the ceremony, make sure the officiant returns the signed license to the clerk for recording.
- For later copies, start with the Circuit Clerk or the state health department, depending on whether a local certified copy or a statewide search is needed.
Note: A returned and recorded license is what makes a certified marriage copy possible later, so confirm the officiant files it promptly.
Walthall County Marriage License Application Fields
The local marriage page lists the core information and conditions a couple must satisfy at the counter. The table below turns those rules into a quick checklist so both partners arrive ready. Each item comes straight from the county marriage page rather than a generic state form.
| Application Item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Joint appearance | Yes | Both bride and groom must appear together at the Circuit Clerk's office. |
| Valid identification | Yes | Each applicant presents valid ID such as a birth certificate or driver's license. |
| Minimum age | Yes | Each applicant must be at least 21 years old. |
| Parental signature or court order | If under 21 | Applicants under 21 need a parent's signature, and a court order may be required. |
| Filing fee | Yes | The local marriage license fee is $36, paid at the counter. |
Walthall County Marriage and Divorce Record Fees
Costs depend on which office holds the record and how the copy is ordered. The marriage license fee is paid locally to the Circuit Clerk. Certified marriage copies and divorce index searches carry a flat state charge through the Mississippi State Department of Health. Chancery case lookups through the subscription portal add a monthly fee plus a per-page document charge.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license (Circuit Clerk) | $36 |
| MSDH certified marriage copy | $17 |
| MSDH five-year divorce index search | $17 |
| Delta Chancery case-search subscription | $30 per month |
| Delta scanned court documents | $0.50 per page |
The MSDH certified copy charge may carry an added vendor fee when ordered through the online or phone service. Always confirm the current total with the office before sending payment.
How to Look Up Walthall County Marriage Records
Two offices hold Walthall County marriage records. The Circuit Clerk keeps local copies of licenses issued in the county, and the Mississippi State Department of Health keeps a statewide collection. MSDH explains that Mississippi marriage records are maintained by both state and county officials, and the department can supply a copy or search for the county where a license was issued.
The state collection has gaps worth knowing. MSDH marriage records cover January 1, 1926 through June 30, 1938, and January 1, 1942 to the present. The department also warns that not all marriage records are on file and directs people to the Circuit Clerk in the county where the license was issued. For a Walthall license, that means the Tylertown courthouse.
The Mississippi State Department of Health describes its order methods and coverage on its marriage records page.
That page lists mail, online, phone, and in-person ordering, along with the covered date ranges and the Ridgeland office address. To find a record, have the full names of both spouses, the approximate date, and the county where the license was issued.
How to Find Walthall County Divorce Records
Divorce records are Chancery Court records, not vital records. In Walthall County, divorce cases are filed and finalized in Chancery Court, and the Chancery Clerk, Shannon Fortinberry, keeps the case files. The clerk can be reached at 601-876-3553 for certified decree copies and older paper files. The Mississippi State Department of Health does not maintain divorce records at all.
What the state can do is search county divorce indexes. MSDH offers a five-year index search covering January 1, 1926 through June 30, 1938, and January 1, 1942 to the present, for a $17 fee. That search locates the county where a divorce was granted along with the book and page number in the Chancery Clerk's office, which is useful when the county is unknown. The certified decree itself still comes from the Chancery Clerk.
Subscribers can also locate chancery cases online. The Walthall Chancery Court Cases Link, hosted by Delta Computer Systems, lets account holders search by party name, case number, filed date, final disposition date, docket book and page, or file number, with cases available from 2004 to the present. Certified copies of decrees and orders for any Walthall County divorce still pass through the Walthall County Chancery Court clerk.
The MSDH approach to divorce records is laid out on its divorce records page.
That page confirms the index-only role of the state office and points certified-decree requests back to the county Chancery Clerk. The steps below show the order to follow.
- Search Chancery cases through the Delta portal if subscriber access is available, using party name, case number, filed date, disposition date, docket book and page, or file number.
- If the county is unknown, request the MSDH five-year divorce index search for $17 to pinpoint the county, book, and page.
- Once Walthall County is confirmed, contact the Chancery Clerk at 601-876-3553 for certified decree copies.
- For sealed, adoption-related, custody-sensitive, or minor-related material, expect restricted access.
Some divorce-related material is never open to the general public. Adoption files, custody and minor-related details, and any record sealed by the court fall outside ordinary public access. The clerk can confirm which parts of a file are releasable and which are restricted under Mississippi law.
Certified Copies of Walthall County Marriage and Divorce Records
Certified copies carry the clerk's authentication and are the version accepted for legal use, such as a name change, a benefits claim, or an immigration filing. A plain or uncertified printout will not satisfy those needs. For marriage records, a certified copy can come from the Circuit Clerk locally or from MSDH at the state level. For divorce, the certified decree comes from the Chancery Clerk.
MSDH lays out its ordering options on its online and phone ordering page.
That page explains the VitalChek service, the cards accepted, express shipping, and the $17 certified-copy charge plus any vendor fee. Mail orders to MSDH require a cashier's check or money order, online and phone orders run through VitalChek with a credit card, and in-person orders are taken at the Ridgeland office between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. MSDH says records ordered in person are mailed within 7 to 10 business days.
Mississippi Vital Records Office
The Mississippi State Department of Health Vital Records office is the statewide source for certified marriage copies and for the divorce index search. It does not hold divorce decrees, but its index can route a request to the right county. The Ridgeland office accepts in-person orders on weekdays, and staff answer questions about coverage and fees by phone and email.
For local certified copies and the original license record, the Walthall County Circuit Clerk remains the first stop. The state office is best for older marriage records, out-of-area requests, and the index search that finds the county behind an old divorce.