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§ 9-11-201. Licenses required

(a) All persons hereafter contracting marriage in this state are required to first obtain a license from the clerk of the county court of some county in this state. (b) On and after July 1, 1997, the county clerk shall record the Social Security numbers of the persons obtaining a marriage license on the marriage […]

§ 9-11-202. Form of license

(a) The license may be in the following form: (b) The party solemnizing the rites of matrimony shall endorse on the license his or her certificate of that fact in the following form: (c) If the parties intend to contract a covenant marriage, the application for a marriage license must also include the following statement […]

§ 9-11-203. Issuance by clerks

(a) The clerks of the county courts of the several counties in this state are required to furnish the license upon: (1) Application’s being made; (2) Being fully assured that applicants are lawfully entitled to the license; and (3) Receipt of his or her fee. (b) It shall be lawful for clerks of the circuit […]

§ 9-11-204. Issuance of license unlawfully — Penalty

If any county clerk in this state shall issue any license contrary to the provisions of this act, or to any persons who are declared by law as not entitled to the license, he or she shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined in any sum not less than […]

§ 9-11-206. Clerk’s fees

The fee prescribed by law for the issuance of the marriage license shall be paid to the clerk at the time the applicants apply for the marriage license and sign the notice of intention to wed.

§ 9-11-207. Applicants for marriage licenses to be sober

It shall be unlawful for any clerk who is authorized to issue marriage licenses to furnish or sell to any person or persons a license to marry at a time when either of the contracting parties is visibly under the influence of intoxicating drinks or under the influence of any kind of drugs. The parties […]

§ 9-11-208. License not issued to persons of the same sex

(a) (1) (A) It is the public policy of the State of Arkansas to recognize the marital union only of man and woman. (B) A license shall not be issued to a person to marry another person of the same sex, and no same-sex marriage shall be recognized as entitled to the benefits of marriage. […]

§ 9-11-209. Proof of age — Parental consent

(a) Any person applying for the license to marry another may introduce the parent or guardian of himself or herself or the other party, or the certificate of the parent or guardian duly attested, to prove to the satisfaction of the clerk that the parties to the marriage are of lawful age. (b) In case […]

§ 9-11-210. Bond of applicant

(a) Any person applying for a license under the provisions of this act shall be required to enter into bond to the State of Arkansas in the penal sum of one hundred dollars ($100) for the use of and benefit of the general fund of the county to ensure that the parties applying have a […]

§ 9-11-212. Application without other’s consent — Penalties — Damages

(a) If any person shall apply for and obtain a license to marry another, without first obtaining the consent of that party, the person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined in any sum not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100). The fines, when […]

§ 9-11-213. Persons who may solemnize marriages

(a) For the purpose of being registered and perpetuating the evidence thereof, marriage shall be solemnized only by the following persons: (1) The Governor; (2) Any former justice of the Supreme Court; (3) Any judges of the courts of record within this state, including any former judge of a court of record who served at […]

§ 9-11-214. Recordation of credentials of clerical character

(a) No minister of the gospel or priest of any religious sect or denomination shall be authorized to solemnize the rites of matrimony in this state until the minister or priest has caused to be recorded his or her license or credentials of his or her clerical character in the office of the county clerk […]

§ 9-11-215. Marriage ceremony

(a) When marriages are solemnized by a minister of the gospel or priest, the ceremony shall be according to the forms and customs of the church or society to which he or she belongs. When solemnized by a civil officer, the form observed shall be the one the officer deems most appropriate. (b) It shall […]

§ 9-11-216. Solemnization contrary to law — Penalty

(a) Any person who presumes to solemnize marriage in this state contrary to the provisions of this act shall be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined in any sum not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500). (b) The fine imposed by subsection (a) […]

§ 9-11-218. Return of executed license to clerk — Effect on bond

(a) Any person obtaining a license under the provisions of this act shall be required to return the license to the office of the clerk of the county court within sixty (60) days from the date of the license. (b) (1) If the license is duly executed and officially signed by some person authorized by […]

§ 9-11-219. False return or record — Penalty

If any person authorized to solemnize any marriage in this state shall willfully make a false return of any marriage or pretended marriage to the clerk and recorder, or if the clerk and recorder shall willfully make a false record of any return of a marriage license made to him or her, the offender shall […]

§ 9-11-220. Duty of clerk on return of license — Issuance of certificate

(a) Upon the return of any license officially signed as having been executed and that the parties therein named have been duly and according to law joined in marriage, the clerk issuing the license shall make a record thereof in the marriage record in his or her office. (b) The clerk shall immediately make out […]