Marriage Licenses in Washtenaw County
The Washtenaw County Clerk / Register of Deeds handles marriage license applications through the Vital Records section. The county marriage license page at washtenaw.org/286 links certified copies, marriage ceremonies, correction steps, and selected Michigan marriage laws. The county records request hub at washtenaw.org/302 shows the broader records routes the office uses.
Michigan marriage law sets the eligibility, the waiting period, the officiant rules, and the license return process. The Washtenaw clerk's office is the local point of contact for applying. Couples generally need ID, residency information, and any prior dissolution paperwork to apply.
How to Apply for a Washtenaw Marriage License
The basic Washtenaw marriage license process follows a set sequence. The county page links each step, but it does not expose every form field in static text. Confirm current rules with the clerk's office before applying.
- Open the Washtenaw marriage license page and review the eligibility and Michigan marriage law summary.
- Gather IDs, dates of birth, residency info, and any prior divorce or death certificate paperwork for either applicant.
- Apply at the County Clerk / Register of Deeds office at 200 N. Main Street, Ann Arbor.
- Pay the marriage license fee at the counter.
- Wait out the Michigan marriage license waiting period unless a waiver applies.
- Pick up the license and have the wedding ceremony.
- Return the signed license to the clerk's office for recording.
- Order certified copies from the clerk after recording.
Marriage License Application Fields
The county marriage license page does not publish a full live form in static text, so exact field labels are confirmed at the counter. The table below lists the fields users commonly fill out for a Michigan marriage license.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 name | Text | Yes | Legal name as on ID. |
| Applicant 2 name | Text | Yes | Legal name as on ID. |
| Date of birth / age | Date | Yes | Used for Michigan marriage eligibility. |
| Address / residency | Text | Yes | Michigan residency or out-of-state rules apply. |
| Identification | Document | Yes | State or federal ID; verify accepted forms. |
| Prior marriage status | Text / document | Conditional | Divorce decree or death certificate if applicable. |
| Waiting-period waiver | Checkbox / request | Optional | Some couples qualify; verify with clerk. |
Certified Copies of Washtenaw Marriage Licenses
After a Washtenaw marriage license is recorded, certified copies are available from the County Clerk. The clerk's records request page lists marriage records as a category and gives the route to order copies. The Michigan Vital Records office at the state level also issues certified marriage copies for Michigan marriages.
Bring ID, the marriage date or year, and full legal names of the spouses. Some uses (immigration, Social Security, name change) require the certified copy with the raised seal. A plain copy will not work for those uses.
Washtenaw Marriage Record Fees
Marriage license fees and certified copy fees are set by Michigan statute and the County Clerk fee schedule. Exact figures are posted on the marriage license page and the Register of Deeds Fee Schedule. Always confirm before mailing in payment.
| Item | Where Posted |
|---|---|
| Marriage license fee | County marriage license page (washtenaw.org/286) |
| Certified copy fee | County records request page (washtenaw.org/302) |
| Waiting-period waiver fee | Set by clerk per Michigan rule |
| State vital records copies | Michigan Department of Health and Human Services |
| Court filing fees on divorce | Trial Court Fees page (washtenaw.org/1288) |
Washtenaw Divorce Records
Divorce in Michigan is a family-division case inside the circuit court. For Washtenaw, that is the 22nd Circuit Court. The family division is set out in MCL 600.1021. Divorce judgments, support orders, custody orders, and related filings sit in the Trial Court case management system. Most divorce dockets are public, with sensitive identifiers redacted and any sealed materials held back.
Search divorce records through the Washtenaw Trial Court Public Access portal. Search by party name. Open the case and read the docket and judgment when available. For older files not in the online portal, request through Clerk of the Court-Court Services at 101 E. Huron Street.
Friend of the Court (FOC) assists the family division with custody, parenting time, and support enforcement. Some FOC files are not in the public docket and require a separate FOC contact route.
Filing for Divorce in Washtenaw County
Filing for divorce in Washtenaw follows the Michigan SCAO process. Each step is set out on the Michigan SCAO forms library. The Trial Court forms page at washtenaw.org/1289 links the local form set.
- Confirm Michigan residency and Washtenaw venue.
- Use the SCAO divorce and family forms; consult counsel if children, custody, or support are at stake.
- File the complaint at Washtenaw Trial Court / Court Services. Some case types use eFiling through Michigan's MiFile.
- Pay the filing fee or file a fee-waiver request.
- Serve the other party. Service rules are set in Michigan Court Rule 2.
- Address temporary orders, custody, parenting time, support, and any FOC referral.
- Attend hearings, mediation, or settlement conferences as scheduled.
- Enter the final judgment of divorce and update Friend of the Court if applicable.
Privacy in Washtenaw Family Records
Divorce dockets are public, but Michigan's court rules protect sensitive identifiers. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and minors' details are redacted under Michigan Court Rule 1.109. Personal Protection Order (PPO) records may also redact the petitioner's address. Friend of the Court files have their own access rules.
Adoption files are confidential under MCL 710.67. Juvenile family division files such as child protective proceedings are restricted under MCL 712A.28.
Marriage License Corrections
Errors on a recorded Washtenaw marriage license get corrected through the County Clerk's office. The county marriage license page links a "Corrections" route with the steps for getting a name or date fixed after the license is on file. Common corrections include a misspelled legal name, a typo in a date, or a wrong field on the post-ceremony return.
Bring documentation that supports the change, such as a birth certificate, a passport, or a court order. Some corrections need a notarized form; others can be done in person at the counter. Confirm current rules with the clerk before mailing in paperwork.
Wedding Ceremonies in Washtenaw
Michigan law sets who can solemnize a marriage. Eligible officiants include judges, magistrates, clergy, and certain other officials. The county marriage license page links to a "Ceremonies" route with the rules for Michigan officiants and any in-clerk ceremony options. After the wedding, the officiant signs the license and returns it to the County Clerk for recording.
If the wedding takes place outside Michigan, the marriage is generally recognized in Michigan as long as it was valid where performed. The Washtenaw County Clerk does not record out-of-state marriages; the certified copy comes from the state where the ceremony happened.
Friend of the Court in Washtenaw
Friend of the Court (FOC) is part of the 22nd Circuit Court family division. FOC tracks custody, parenting time, and support orders. After a Washtenaw divorce, custody and support enforcement runs through FOC for many families.
FOC files include payment history, enforcement actions, and case notes. Access is narrower than for the public divorce docket. To reach FOC, contact the Trial Court at 101 E. Huron Street, Ann Arbor. The Trial Court general info page at washtenaw.org/1253 links the operations page that lists FOC resources.
Support enforcement uses several tools: income withholding, license suspension, tax intercept, and contempt motions. The Prosecutor's child support division at washtenaw.org/3315 works with FOC on enforcement and modification cases.
Annulment and Legal Separation
Michigan does not have a formal legal separation status by that name, but it allows separate maintenance actions. These run in the same family division as divorce. Annulment is a separate type of case that voids the marriage rather than ending it through divorce. Annulment grounds are narrow and require specific proof.
Search annulment and separate maintenance dockets the same way as divorce dockets. They sit in the 22nd Circuit Court family division docket inside the Trial Court Public Access portal.
Couples thinking about annulment in Washtenaw should consult counsel before filing. The grounds are limited, the proof can be hard to gather, and a divorce is often the simpler legal route.