Find Sanilac County Marriage Records

Getting a Marriage License in Sanilac County

A marriage license in Sanilac County comes from the office of County Clerk Leslie Hilgendorf. The clerk works out of Room 203 at 60 West Sanilac in Sandusky, MI 48471. Staff take applications Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office phone line is (810) 648-3212. One or both applicants must appear in person to apply. Hilgendorf also serves as clerk of the 24th Circuit Court, so the same office touches both marriage and divorce records for the county.

Michigan sets a short waiting period. A license is issued three days after you apply and is then ready for pickup. Once issued, it stays valid for thirty days. Pickup is not offered on weekends or legal holidays, so plan the timing around the ceremony. The clerk follows MCL 551.103 for license issuance and waiting-period authority. Bring identification, and be ready to show a birth certificate if the counter asks for one.

The county spells out the full license rules on its marriage record information page.

That page covers residency, age limits, local fees, and the documents each applicant must present at the clerk's counter.

Note: The license is issued three days after applying and stays valid for thirty days, so time the application to the wedding date.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

Applying is simple once the paperwork is in order. Gather identification and any birth records before the visit. Couples with a minor applicant need extra documents. The steps below track the county process from start to pickup.

1. Confirm residency. A Sanilac County resident applies here, and the license then works anywhere in Michigan.
2. Visit Room 203 during business hours. At least one applicant must appear in person to apply.
3. Present a valid Michigan driver's license or state ID for each applicant to prove residency.
4. Provide legal names, dates of birth, and any prior-marriage details for both parties.
5. Pay the license fee at the counter.
6. Wait the three-day period, then pick up the issued license and use it within thirty days.

Marriage License Application Fields

The application asks each couple for a short set of facts. Most of it confirms identity, age, and where the marriage will take place. The table lists the fields the clerk collects and the format notes tied to each one.

Michigan Marriage Law and Eligibility

Age controls who may marry without help from a parent. Applicants who are eighteen or older may contract marriage in Michigan without consent. Applicants who are sixteen or seventeen face stricter terms. They must present a certified birth certificate, and a custodial parent or legal guardian must appear with valid photo identification. When the parents are divorced, the applicant brings the custodial order to the counter.

Residency is judged by a current, valid driver's license or state ID. A Sanilac County resident may apply in the county, and the license is good anywhere in the state. Michigan residents from another county apply where they live, and each county sets its own fee. When both applicants come from out of state and plan to marry in Sanilac County, they apply here, and one applicant must appear in person.

Michigan's marriage-license authority appears in the state marriage statute.

The statute backs the county's three-day waiting period and its issuance practice at the clerk's office.

Sanilac County Marriage and Divorce Fees

Copy fees are set by the county and stay the same whether you order in person or by mail. A certified copy carries a raised seal and works for legal use. The divorce judgment copy is priced separately from other vital records. The table below lists current amounts.

How to Look Up Sanilac County Marriage Records

A certified marriage certificate proves the marriage for legal purposes. In Sanilac County, marriage certificates are treated as publicly purchasable. A requester needs the names on the record and the date of the marriage. The vital records counter inside the clerk's office issues certified copies. Uncertified printouts are not accepted for most official uses, so order the certified version when a court, agency, or employer asks for one.

Two channels handle copy requests. An online credit-card request and a mail-in form both reach the vital records staff. The online vendor form is not always available, so the safest route is the county vital records page or the printed mail-in form. Certified copies are issued by the Sanilac County Clerk of Court, who maintains the county's vital statistics alongside its circuit court records.

The county's vital records page lists request rules, fees, and both request forms.

It is the starting point for marriage, death, and divorce record copies from the county.

How to Find Sanilac County Divorce Records

Divorce is handled by the family division of the 24th Circuit Court. The county clerk sells a certified copy of a divorce judgment through the vital records channel for a set fee. That copy proves the divorce and its date. It is not the full case file. Pleadings, motions, and custody orders stay with the court as part of the broader Sanilac County court records.

The 24th Circuit Court case search on MiCOURT shows public docket entries when a case is not restricted. Domestic-relations cases carry a DO suffix on the case number. The screen lists parties, filing date, events, and hearings, though document images are not posted online. Filing rules changed recently. Beginning April 1, 2025, summons and complaints and summary-disposition motions are no longer accepted through the county e-filing path.

Note: A vital records divorce copy proves the judgment and date, while the full case file with motions and custody orders stays with the court.

Filing for Divorce in Sanilac County Circuit Court

Filing for divorce follows Michigan family-law procedure. The case opens at the 24th Circuit Court, and the county clerk dockets it. Couples with minor children work with the Friend of the Court on custody and support. Fees and the county e-filing notice appear on the circuit court e-file page. The general path runs like this.

1. Confirm residency under Michigan law before filing.
2. Prepare the complaint, summons, and domestic-relations forms.
3. File with the 24th Circuit Court through the county clerk and pay the filing fee, or request a fee waiver if eligible.
4. Serve the other party with the filed paperwork.
5. Work through the Friend of the Court on custody and support when minor children are involved.
6. Resolve by default, consent judgment, mediation, or trial.
7. Order a certified copy of the judgment from the clerk or vital records channel when needed.

Restricted Sanilac County Family Records

Not every family record is open. Michigan law shields the most sensitive matters. Adoption files handled by the circuit family division are normally confidential, with access limited to eligible parties or granted by court order. Juvenile records are separate from adult files and are not freely public. Mental-health proceedings held in the probate court are treated as restricted as well.

Divorce cases can hold protected material too. Information about minor children, home addresses in protected matters, personal protection orders, and child-protective reports may be sealed or withheld. A public case-detail screen is not the full file. Common restricted family categories include the following.

• Adoption records
• Juvenile case files
• Personal protection order details in protected matters
• Identifying information for minor children
• Child-protective proceedings

Note: A public MiCOURT case screen shows docket entries only; official and certified documents come from the court or clerk of record.

Sanilac County Vital Records Office

Certified marriage, death, and divorce copies all run through one county office. The vital records counter sits inside the county clerk's office in the courthouse. Staff take requests in person and process the online and mail-in channels. Call ahead with the names and dates on the record to speed the search.