St. Charles County Marriage Licenses
Marriage licenses in St. Charles County are handled by the Recorder of Deeds. The Recorder is Mary Dempsey, and the office is in the County Administration Building at 201 N. Second St., Suite 338, St. Charles, MO 63301. The public phone number is 636-949-7505, and the certified copy request line is 636-949-7509. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but marriage licenses are not issued after 4:30 p.m.
The county requires all marriage applications to begin in the online system. If applicants have not finished the application before arriving, they use a public computer at the Recorder office. For online completion, applicants need a PC or laptop, electronic signatures, valid government ID uploads, security-question answers, and names that match Social Security Administration records. Both applicants must be at least 18 for online license completion, and at least one applicant must be a St. Charles County resident.
The Recorder page shown in the manifest is the official office source for St. Charles County marriage records.
Use the Recorder for marriage licenses and recorded marriage copies, not for divorce decrees from the Circuit Court.
Apply for St. Charles County Marriage Records
The St. Charles County marriage license process is time-sensitive. The online application may be completed no more than 30 days before the ceremony. Both applicants must appear together unless one qualifies as an absent applicant because of incarceration, active military service, or an ADA qualification with the proper affidavit. The ceremony must take place in Missouri within 30 days after issuance, and the county states that St. Louis County and City of St. Louis courts will not use a St. Charles County marriage license.
- Complete the online application through the county marriage license system no more than 30 days before the ceremony.
- Make sure each applicant's name matches government ID and Social Security Administration records.
- Upload valid government-issued photo ID and provide the required electronic signatures when completing the process online.
- Choose delivery by mail to a St. Charles County address or pickup at the County Administration Building with government photo ID.
- Have the ceremony in Missouri within 30 days, then make sure the officiant and two witnesses sign the license.
- The officiant must return the signed license within 15 days so the Recorder can record it and mail the certified copy and keepsake.
Note: The county says to allow 30 days after the ceremony for recording and mailing of the certified copy.
St. Charles County Marriage Application Fields
The county's marriage instructions identify the main information needed for the online application and completion process. These fields are not the same as a public marriage record search. They are the inputs used before the license is issued and recorded.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant names | Text | Yes | Must match government ID and Social Security Administration name records. |
| Government-issued photo ID upload | File | Yes online | Required for both applicants using online completion. |
| Social Security number knowledge | Text or in-person information | Yes | Required for both applicants. |
| Electronic signature | Signature | Yes online | Required from both applicants. |
| Security questions | Question fields | Yes online | Used for identity and security checks. |
| Delivery option | Option | Yes | Mail to St. Charles County address or pickup at County Administration Building. |
| Absent applicant affidavit | PDF or form | Conditional | Used for incarceration, active military, or ADA qualification. |
St. Charles County Marriage Fees
Marriage fees are listed by the Recorder of Deeds and should be separated from court copy fees. The marriage package includes the license, certified copy, and postage. Cash or credit card is accepted, with a convenience fee for card payments. Discover and personal checks are not accepted. If a license is lost or destroyed, the county lists a separate replacement replica fee.
| Item | Amount or Rule |
|---|---|
| Marriage license package | $58 total |
| License portion | $47 |
| Certified marriage copy in package | $9 |
| Postage in package | $2 |
| Lost or destroyed license replacement replica | $10 |
| Payment restrictions | Cash or credit card accepted with convenience fee; Discover and personal checks not accepted |
| Court document copies for divorce decrees | $0.25 per page and $1.50 certification through the Circuit Clerk |
Search St. Charles County Marriage Records
Recorded marriage access depends on the year. The county states that 1807 through 1946 licenses are accessible on Ancestry. For 1947 to the present, the Recorder links the county's Fidlar portal for marriage records and also allows searches at the Recorder office. The manifest included a Fidlar marriage application and search row, but that screenshot failed with an HTTP 403 result, so the page should rely on the county's text instructions rather than claiming a live inspection of the search screen.
The county marriage license source is also useful for current application and copy rules.
That source supports the 30-day application window, license return rule, and the fee schedule used above.
| Marriage Record Period | Search Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1807-1946 | Ancestry access named by county page | Historical license access, not a court divorce file. |
| 1947-present | County-linked Fidlar portal or Recorder office search | Used for recorded St. Charles County marriage records. |
| Current license application | County online application system | Application must be processed through the online system. |
| Certified marriage copy | Recorder certified copy line or office | Call 636-949-7509 for copy requests. |
Find St. Charles County Divorce Records
Divorce records are not Recorder of Deeds records. Divorce decrees are requested from the Circuit Clerk because dissolution cases are Family Court cases in the St. Charles County Circuit Court. Case information can be searched through Missouri Case.net by name, case number, filing date, or hearing date, subject to public access limits. A divorce docket can show filings, service, hearings, motions, and judgment entries, while certified decree copies come from the clerk when the file is public or the requester is entitled to access.
Family Court research identifies the local path for dissolution cases with minor children. The sequence can include petition, summons and service, case management conference, answer or counterpetition, parent education, mediation, discovery, pretrial conference, trial or non-contested hearing, and judgment of dissolution. Local Rule 68.10 requires parent education in dissolution, legal separation, annulment, paternity, and child custody or visitation enforcement matters, with petitioner or movant completion within 60 days of filing and respondent completion within 60 days of service unless waived for good cause.
Marriage vs. divorce record: A marriage record proves or documents a license recorded by the Recorder. A divorce decree is a Circuit Court family case record requested from the Circuit Clerk.
St. Charles County Marriage Copy Access
Certified copies are official copies certified by the office that holds the record. For marriage records, the Recorder handles the recorded license and certified marriage copy. For divorce decrees, the Circuit Clerk handles court copies and certification. The Circuit Clerk's researched fee schedule lists court document copies at $0.25 per page and certification at $1.50. Sealed files are not copied for the general public, and the clerk research says parties or their attorneys must appear in person with proof of identity to obtain copies from sealed files.
Missouri public access rules also affect family records. Court case information is usually searched first through Case.net, but protected identifiers, sealed matters, adoption-related files, juvenile material, and records closed by statute or court order may be withheld or redacted. For county administrative records, the Registrar is the Sunshine Law custodian. That path is not a substitute for a sealed divorce file or for certified court copies.