Macomb County Marriage License Requirements
The Macomb County Clerk / Register of Deeds office handles marriage licenses at 120 N. Main Street, Mount Clemens. The official marriage license page says applicants should apply 30 days or less before the wedding date. The online application stays available for two weeks after submission. At least one applicant must be a Macomb County resident with proof of residency, such as a current driver's license or state ID, unless the application is filed under the nonresident rules.
The marriage license page lists each step of the process. Reading it before starting saves a return trip if any document is missing.
How to Apply for a Macomb County Marriage License
The application starts online. After submission, both applicants make an appointment at the Clerk's Vital Records office for notarization of the affidavit, fee payment, and license pickup. Payment is not collected online. Both applicants must appear together at the appointment with their identification documents.
- Open the official Marriage Licenses page and start the online application.
- Provide each applicant's legal name, address, date of birth, place of birth, parents' names and birthplaces, and Social Security numbers.
- Submit the online application; the application remains active for two weeks.
- Make an appointment at the Clerk's Vital Records office.
- Both applicants attend the appointment, present photo ID, sign the affidavit before a notary, and pay the license fee.
- Take the license; the three-day waiting period starts the next day.
Required Information and Documents
Macomb's official marriage application asks for the same data points used statewide. Birth certificates are not required but help; if birth certificates are unavailable, applicants need place of birth for both parties and parents' names and birthplaces for both applicants, matching birth records.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 legal name | Yes | Use legal name as it appears on ID. |
| Applicant 2 legal name | Yes | Use legal name as it appears on ID. |
| Current address / residency | Yes | At least one Macomb resident for the resident fee. |
| Date of birth | Yes | Used to verify age and identity. |
| Place of birth | Yes (if birth certificate is not used) | Must match birth record. |
| Parent names and birthplaces | Yes (if birth certificate is not used) | Required by official page when birth certificates are unavailable. |
| Social Security number | Yes | Required by MCL 551.102. |
| Wedding date | Yes | Apply 30 days or less before the date. |
| Appointment | Yes | Both applicants attend for notarization and payment. |
Macomb County Marriage License Fees and Waiting Period
The license fee depends on residency. Accepted payments are cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. Checks are payable to "Macomb County Clerk." The license carries a three-day waiting period that starts the day after application. The license is valid anywhere in Michigan for 33 days from the date of application. Applicants getting married outside Michigan must obtain the license in the state or country of marriage.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Michigan resident application fee | $20 |
| Nonresident Michigan marriage license application | $30 |
| Waiver of three-day waiting period | $10 additional |
Note: The application day does not count toward the three-day waiting period; plan the appointment at least four days before the wedding to avoid the waiver fee.
Certified Macomb County Marriage Copies
Certified copies of a Macomb County marriage license or certificate are ordered through the Clerk's Vital Records office. Photo ID is required, and fees apply. For very old marriage records, the state of Michigan also holds historical vital records through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The Clerk's office is the right starting point for any Macomb-issued marriage.
Macomb County Divorce Cases
Divorce cases in Macomb County are filed in the 16th Judicial Circuit Court's domestic relations division. The Clerk Court Records page links a Divorce Cases information page and a Divorce Process Flow Chart. Friend of the Court serves the 16th Judicial Circuit Court for enforcement of support, alimony, and parenting-time orders. Divorce records may contain public judgments and docket entries, but confidential financial, child, and protected personal identifying information may be restricted.
- Confirm Macomb County venue and residency under Michigan divorce law.
- Use Michigan Courts / SCAO divorce forms and any Macomb local forms.
- File the initial paperwork with the Macomb County Clerk's Circuit Court Section.
- Pay the filing fee or request a fee waiver if eligible.
- Serve the other party.
- Follow Friend of the Court requirements when children, support, custody, parenting time, or alimony are involved.
- Use CourtView to monitor case status.
- Order certified or plain copies of the divorce judgment from the Clerk after entry.
Order a Macomb County Divorce Judgment
Divorce judgments are Circuit Court records ordered through the Macomb County Clerk's Court Section. The online document order categories on the Clerk's page include "Divorce judgment." Mail orders use the official Clerk fax/mail form. In-person orders happen at the Clerk's counter at 40 N. Main Street, first floor, before 4:15 p.m.
Macomb County Clerk — Court Section
40 N. Main Street (1st Floor)
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
586-469-5351
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.–4:15 p.m.
Vital Records (Marriage)
120 N. Main Street
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
586-469-5120
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.–4:15 p.m.
Friend of the Court and Family Records
Macomb's Friend of the Court office serves the 16th Judicial Circuit Court in enforcement of support, alimony, and parenting-time orders. Friend of the Court documents may be part of a divorce file or a separate FOC file. Public access to FOC files is more restricted than ordinary civil records because of financial and child-related details. Personal Protection Orders are linked from the Circuit Court forms and services area. PPO files may protect victim addresses and other safety information.
Name Changes Tied to Marriage and Divorce
A spouse can change the legal last name on a Macomb County marriage license by selecting the new name on the application or by court order in connection with the marriage. Divorce judgments commonly include an order restoring a former name. Either route updates the legal name on identity documents. The Michigan Secretary of State updates the driver's license or state ID after the change, and the Social Security Administration updates the federal record. For a stand-alone name change unrelated to marriage or divorce, the Clerk page links Circuit Court name change forms.
The Marriage Ceremony and Returning the License
After the three-day waiting period and within 33 days of application, the couple holds the ceremony anywhere in Michigan. Authorized officiants include judges, magistrates, district court magistrates, federal magistrates, mayors, ministers, and others authorized by Michigan law. The officiant and one witness sign the license. The officiant returns the completed license to the issuing Macomb County Clerk's Office for recording. The marriage becomes a public record after the Clerk records it. Certified copies of the recorded marriage certificate can then be ordered through the Clerk's Vital Records office.
Friend of the Court Enforcement
Friend of the Court (FOC) is the office that enforces child support, alimony, custody, and parenting-time orders for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court. After a divorce judgment, an FOC file follows the case for ongoing support and parenting issues. FOC contacts parties, processes payments through MiSDU (Michigan State Disbursement Unit), and pursues enforcement when payments are missed or when parenting time is violated. Parties can request FOC review, mediation, or referee hearings for many disputes. Anyone with active FOC case questions should contact the Macomb FOC office through the 16th Circuit Court page.
Types of Macomb County Divorce Cases
The Macomb County Clerk lists DO cases (divorce without minor children) as e-file eligible. DM cases (divorce with minor children) start on paper and run through FOC review. The Clerk Court Records page also links a Divorce Process Flow Chart for self-represented parties. Contested divorces, custody disputes, and post-judgment modifications follow longer paths than uncontested no-children cases. Filers without an attorney can use the Self-Help Center for forms and information at the 16th Circuit Court building, room 360, but the Self-Help Center cannot give legal advice.
Confidential Family Information
Some details in marriage and divorce files are protected by Michigan court rule. Financial information, Social Security numbers, child identifying data, and certain safety-related fields are redacted under MCR 1.109 and related rules. Adoption records are confidential under MCL 710.67; they are not visible like ordinary civil records. Domestic violence and PPO details may include sealed sections that protect victim addresses.