Alamance County Marriage and Divorce Offices
Marriage records and divorce records do not sit in one Alamance County office. The Alamance County Register of Deeds handles marriage licenses, local marriage certificates, certified vital copies, and its own recording systems. Divorce judgments are court records. They are obtained from the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted, because the judgment is part of a civil domestic case file rather than a Register of Deeds record.
That split matters when a copy must be certified. A person who needs proof of a marriage for benefits, name change, passport, or family file usually starts with the Register of Deeds or N.C. Vital Records. A person who needs the actual order ending a marriage, or a certified copy of the divorce judgment, starts with the Clerk of Superior Court. The statewide certificate office can issue divorce certificates for covered years, but that certificate is narrower than the court judgment.
The Register of Deeds marriage license page shows the current local license process for Alamance County marriage records.
Use the county marriage license source for the local application path before using a state certificate service.
Alamance County Marriage License Requirements
Marriage license applications in Alamance County go through the Register of Deeds at 118 West Harden Street in Graham. The office lists regular hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with marriage licenses handled from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Appointments are required. Applicants call 336-570-6565 and choose Prompt 2 for birth, death, marriage, and notary services before appearing in person.
Both parties must appear together. Each applicant must bring current government-issued photo identification. The accepted identification list in the research includes a current driver's license, current state identification card, current military identification, or current passport. Each applicant must know the Social Security number. If an applicant was never issued a Social Security number, the person may use a sworn statement or affidavit obtained at the Register of Deeds office.
Recent prior marriages require more care. If a divorce occurred within the past 30 days, the applicant must present a filed copy of final divorce papers. If a prior marriage ended by death within the past 30 days, a certified death certificate is required. If the death was more than 30 days earlier, the day and year must be known. Applicants under 18 must contact the Register of Deeds before relying on the normal adult license process.
Alamance County Register of Deeds
118 West Harden Street
P.O. Box 837
Graham, NC 27253
336-570-6565, Prompt 2
Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM; marriage licenses 9:00 AM-4:00 PM
Apply for an Alamance County Marriage License
The local marriage license workflow starts online but ends in person. The online worksheet is not a completed license by itself. It helps the office prepare the application, and the official research notes that an online application is deleted after 30 days if the parties do not visit the Register of Deeds to finish the license process.
- Complete the online worksheet or application linked from the official Register of Deeds marriage license page.
- Call 336-570-6565, Prompt 2, to set the required appointment for the license visit.
- Appear together at the Register of Deeds during marriage license hours with current government-issued photo identification.
- Bring the $60 cash license fee and know each applicant's Social Security number, unless a sworn affidavit is needed because no number was ever issued.
- Bring a filed final divorce paper or certified death certificate if the prior marriage ended within the past 30 days.
- Use the license within 60 days. The license may be used anywhere in North Carolina.
- After the ceremony, the officiant returns the license for recording, and certified copies may later be requested from the Register of Deeds or state vital-record route.
Note: The marriage license is local, but once issued it may be used for a ceremony in any North Carolina county.
Alamance County Marriage Application Fields
The research did not expose the full live worksheet screen because the application route is separate from the public information page, but the Register of Deeds requirements identify the core fields and documents that applicants must be ready to provide. Treat these as a practical form-field inventory for the Alamance County marriage license application and appointment.
| Field or Item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant legal names | Yes | Both parties apply together and complete the worksheet before the in-person license step. |
| Current government photo ID | Yes | Accepted ID includes current driver's license, state ID, military ID, or passport. |
| Social Security number | Yes, if issued | Applicant must know the number; sworn affidavit may be used if never issued one. |
| Prior divorce information | Conditional | A filed final divorce paper is required if divorce occurred within the past 30 days. |
| Prior spouse death information | Conditional | Certified death certificate is required if death occurred within 30 days; otherwise day and year are needed. |
| Age status | Yes | Applicants under 18 must contact the Register of Deeds for instructions. |
| Appointment completion | Yes | Online worksheet is deleted after 30 days if parties do not appear to finish the process. |
Alamance County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Use exact fees only from the official local or state research source. Alamance County marriage license fees come from the Register of Deeds. Certified marriage-copy fees come from the Register of Deeds vital-record copy process. Divorce filing and service amounts come from the official North Carolina divorce packet cited in the research.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60 cash only |
| Certified birth, death, or marriage certificate from Register of Deeds | $10 |
| Certified marriage copy by mail | $10 per copy |
| Online Permitium certified copy | $10 each plus card fee |
| Online Permitium uncertified copy | $1 each plus card fee |
| Absolute divorce filing fee from official packet | $225 |
| Sheriff service cost from official packet | $30 |
| Certified mail service cost from official packet | $7 |
| Resumption of maiden name from official packet | $10 |
Indigent filing may waive court costs if the court approves the request. County and state offices can change payment rules, so the office taking the request is the source for final payment instructions.
Search Alamance County Marriage Records
For local Alamance County marriage records, start with the Register of Deeds. Certified copies may be requested by mail with the signed Application for Copy of Vital Records, a photocopy of government photo ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment by money order or bank check. Mail requests go to Alamance County Register of Deeds, P.O. Box 837, 118 West Harden Street, Graham, NC 27253.
Certified-copy eligibility is narrower than casual public searching. The research lists eligible recipients as the applicant, spouse, sibling, child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, a person seeking information for legal determination of personal or property rights with proof, or an authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative with proof. Online Permitium ordering is another route for certified and uncertified copies.
The Register of Deeds vital-records page gives the mail and online copy rules for Alamance County marriage records.
The local vital-record route is the best fit when the record needed is a certified marriage certificate rather than a court order.
Alamance County Marriage Index Access
The Register of Deeds also offers Cott eSearch for recorded Register of Deeds materials. The research describes a guest sign-in path, certified dates panel, PropertyCheck link, and browser requirements. Online records are unofficial and informational. Official records remain with the Register of Deeds office. The county notice recommends Search Directory rather than Search All Matches because formatting changed over time.
| Portal Field or Option | Type | Use |
|---|---|---|
| User ID | Text | Required only for account login. |
| Password | Password | Case-sensitive account password. |
| Sign in as Guest | Button | Allows searching without an account. |
| Certified Dates | Link or panel | Displays indexing and statistics before searching. |
| PropertyCheck | Link | RecordHub property-notification portal. |
The Cott eSearch guest portal is a Register of Deeds access channel, not a divorce-court search.
Use the guest option for Register of Deeds searching, then confirm official copy needs with the Graham office.
Find Alamance County Divorce Records
Divorce judgments are court records, so they route to the Clerk of Superior Court where the divorce was granted. In Alamance County, civil matters are handled at the Historical Courthouse, and divorce files are part of the civil domestic record set. The state help material says divorce judgments may be obtained from the Clerk of Court in the county where the divorce was granted.
Online case searching for divorce matters may use the NC eCourts Portal Smart Search. Search by party name or case number, filter to Alamance, and use civil, family, or domestic filters when available. Filing-date range can help when the marriage or divorce date is known. If the Portal does not show enough detail, use the clerk's office for paper files, certified copies, older files, or access questions.
Absolute divorce filing has its own court process. The official packet applies only when at least one spouse has lived in North Carolina for the last six months and the spouses have been separated for at least 12 months. It also warns not to use that packet if alimony, spousal support, or property and debt division must be preserved.
North Carolina Marriage and Divorce Certificates
N.C. Vital Records is a state-level certificate source. The research says the state order page lists marriage certificate coverage from 1962 to present and divorce certificate coverage from 1958 to present. At the time inspected, the processing page listed average marriage and divorce certificate processing at 9 months. For a local certified marriage copy or a court judgment, the county Register of Deeds or Clerk of Superior Court may be a better route.
The North Carolina Vital Records home page is the state certificate access point for covered events.
State certificates are useful for covered dates, but they do not replace a certified divorce judgment from the court file.
The Alamance County Register of Deeds office page identifies the local office that handles marriage certificates and related vital records.
The local office distinction is the key difference between marriage certificates and divorce judgments in Alamance County.