Madison Parish Marriage Records
Madison Parish marriage records are filed and kept at the Clerk of Court office in Tallulah. The 6th Judicial District Court serves Madison Parish. If you need to get a marriage license, find a past filing, or request a certified copy of a marriage record, the Clerk of Court in Tallulah handles all of it. This guide covers the office, the process, and the online tools you can use to search Madison Parish marriage records.
Madison Parish Quick Facts
Madison Parish Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court in Madison Parish is Marion Hopkins. The office is at 100 North Cedar Street, P.O. Box 1710, Tallulah, LA 71282. This is where you go to get a marriage license, search past records, or request a certified copy. As the office describes its mission, "The Madison Parish Clerk of Court maintains and preserves the official records of the parish." Marriage licenses are part of that core responsibility.
The Clerk handles a wide range of official duties. Land records processing, UCC documents, civil and criminal court proceedings, and marriage licenses all fall under the Clerk's responsibilities. For marriage-related needs, the Marriage Department is your point of contact. Staff can help you look up a record by name or date, confirm a filing, or walk you through the application process.
You can reach the office by phone at (318) 574-0655. Fax is available at (318) 574-3961. Email inquiries can go to mpcofc@bellsouth.net. For more details on the office, visit the Madison Parish government page for the Clerk of Court.
The Madison Parish Clerk of Court government listing has current contact information and a summary of services provided by the office.
The parish government page above shows the official listing for the Madison Parish Clerk of Court, including office contact details and an overview of record-keeping duties.
| Office Address | 100 North Cedar Street, Tallulah, LA 71282 |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 1710, Tallulah, LA 71282 |
| Phone | (318) 574-0655 |
| Fax | (318) 574-3961 |
| mpcofc@bellsouth.net | |
| Clerk | Marion Hopkins |
| Website | www.madisonparishclerk.com |
Getting a Marriage License in Madison Parish
Both parties must appear in person at the Clerk of Court office to get a marriage license. You cannot send someone in your place. You cannot complete the process online. Both people must show up together and bring all required documents at the same time.
Under Louisiana law at R.S. 9:222, a marriage license can be issued in any Louisiana parish regardless of where you live or where the ceremony will happen. You just need to get married somewhere in Louisiana. So if you live outside Madison Parish but want your license here, that is fine under state law. The license is valid for 30 days from the date it is issued.
Louisiana imposes a 24-hour waiting period under R.S. 9:241. You cannot use your license until at least 24 hours have passed from when it was issued. Plan your ceremony date with this in mind. A judge can waive the wait in limited circumstances, but this is not the standard path.
Contact the Madison Parish Clerk at (318) 574-0655 to confirm current fees and any specific requirements before your visit. Having the right information before you go saves a trip.
Note: Marriage licenses are only valid for use in Louisiana. They do not transfer to other states.
Documents for Madison Parish Marriage Records
Each person applying must bring valid photo identification. A driver's license or state-issued ID card is the standard option. You also need a certified birth certificate for each applicant. Regular photocopies are not accepted. The certificate must be an original certified copy from the state that issued it.
Both applicants need to provide their Social Security numbers. The application also asks for both parents' names and birthplaces, and the mother's maiden name for each person. Have this information ready before you go. Gaps in this information can slow down the process or require a return visit.
If either party was previously married, bring documentation showing that the prior marriage ended. A certified copy of the divorce decree or the death certificate of a former spouse is required. Louisiana law requires this proof before a new license can be issued. This applies whether the prior marriage ended in Louisiana or another state.
If either applicant is between 16 and 17 years old, both parents must provide consent. No one under 16 can marry in Louisiana under any circumstances. Parental consent must be given in person or by notarized written statement.
Search Madison Parish Marriage Records Online
Madison Parish participates in eClerksLA, the statewide online records portal for Louisiana clerks of court. You can search marriage record indexes by name, date, or record type without going to the courthouse. This is a useful option for basic lookups or for searches done from out of town.
eClerksLA above is the statewide Louisiana portal giving public access to clerk of court records, including marriage license indexes from Madison Parish and parishes across the state.
The Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority (LCRAA) portal is another statewide system for searching court records from participating parishes. Marriage license indexes from Madison Parish may appear in this system. If you are not certain which parish holds the record you need, this is a good place to check across multiple jurisdictions at once.
The Louisiana State Archives holds historical vital records and older marriage documents from parishes across the state. If you are searching for a record from many decades ago, the archives may have it when the parish clerk does not. Their holdings go back to the 1800s in many cases.
The Louisiana State Archives page above is the resource for historical marriage records and vital records from Madison Parish and across Louisiana, particularly for older documents not held at the parish level.
Note: Online searches provide record indexes and document information. Certified copies require a direct request to the Madison Parish Clerk of Court.
Louisiana Marriage Records Resources
Beyond the Madison Parish Clerk's office and the statewide online portals, the Louisiana Department of Health is a resource for certified marriage certificates. The department issues certified copies of marriage certificates for events after 1946. These certificates are shorter than the full license record but carry legal weight for most purposes. For full application details, the Clerk of Court is the right source.
If your research requires looking at records across northeast Louisiana, knowing the surrounding parish clerks is helpful. Each clerk maintains records for their own jurisdiction. Marriage licenses issued in Madison Parish are filed here, not in neighboring parishes, even if one of the parties lives across the border.
For genealogy research, Madison Parish records can provide names, dates, and family information going back to the parish's founding. The Clerk's office can assist with searches for older records. The State Archives are a good backup for very old documents or records that may have been transferred out of the local office.
Cities in Madison Parish
Madison Parish includes Tallulah (the parish seat), Waverly, Mound, and a few other small communities. All marriage licenses for residents of Madison Parish are issued by the Clerk of Court in Tallulah.
Nearby Parishes
These parishes border Madison Parish. Each has its own Clerk of Court for marriage records. Contact the clerk in the parish where you plan to get married or where the ceremony will be held.