Getting a Greenville County Marriage License
Marriage licenses in Greenville County come from the Greenville County Probate Court Marriage License Division, not the Clerk of Court. The office sits at 301 University Ridge, Greenville County Square, Suite N-T100, Greenville, SC 29601. You can call 864-467-7571 or 864-467-7468, or email probatemarriage@greenvillecounty.org. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office closes on most major holidays. You can apply in person or online. Either way, the same rules apply to both people getting married.
To get a license, each person must have the legal capacity to marry. That means no court has declared either person incapacitated. You need a valid government-issued photo ID. You also need your Social Security card or an official document that shows your Social Security number. If you do not have an SSN, bring a resident alien card or a Social Security Administration statement. Most applicants are 18 or older. A 16 or 17 year old can apply, but the office requires an appointment and extra documents, such as a certified long-form birth certificate and parent consent.
There is a 24-hour waiting period. The license is issued one day after the application is completed and filed, not the same day. Note: A South Carolina marriage license does not expire once it is issued, and it is valid only for ceremonies performed inside the state.
How to Apply for a Greenville County Marriage License
The Greenville County Probate Court lays out a clear online process, and the in-person path mirrors it. Get your documents ready before you start. Both people need ID and proof of a Social Security number. If either person was married before, the prior marriage must be fully ended. A recently divorced applicant should make sure the divorce decree is signed by a judge and filed with the Clerk of Court.
- Start the marriage license worksheet online or visit the Marriage License Division in person to begin the application.
- Bring a valid government photo ID and a Social Security card or official SSN document for each applicant.
- Both applicants complete and sign the application. The online path requires a notarized, signed paper form with original signatures.
- Pay the license fee by major credit card online, or by accepted payment in person.
- Wait out the 24-hour period between filing the application and issuance of the license.
- Choose pickup in person or return by mail, then collect the license when it is ready.
The Probate Court does not perform marriage ceremonies. After the wedding, the officiant returns the signed license. Copies for S.C. DHEC and the Probate Court must be sent back within 15 days.
The image below shows the county marriage license process page.
That county page walks through the online application, the document list, and the return steps in full detail.
Greenville County Marriage License Application Fields
The Greenville County online application asks for a set of fields and uploads from both people. Some pieces require the live worksheet to confirm exact labels, but the core items are consistent. You provide identity information, contact details, the planned wedding date, and document uploads. The office processes applications by the date of the wedding, so that date matters.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant one and two information | Yes | Name, date, and contact fields for each person. |
| Wedding date | Yes | The office processes applications by date of the wedding. |
| Government ID upload | Yes | Driver's license, military ID, or passport for each applicant. |
| Social Security document upload | Yes | SSN card or official SSN document for each applicant. |
| Disclaimer acknowledgments | Yes | Checkboxes to confirm each item was read. |
| Pickup or mail choice | Yes | Pick up in person or receive by mail. |
| Notarized signed application | Yes | Original signatures; sign above the last four SSN digits. |
Greenville County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Greenville County marriage fees depend on where you live. Greenville County residents pay the lowest rate. Other South Carolina residents pay more, and out-of-state couples pay the most. Copy and certified copy fees are set by the Probate Court fee schedule, not the Clerk. These are not the same as a divorce filing fee, which is a Family Court charge.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license, Greenville County residents | $50.00 |
| Marriage license, South Carolina residents | $75.00 |
| Marriage license, out-of-state residents | $115.00 |
| License correction or re-issuance | $6.75 |
| Certified copy of marriage license | $5.00 plus $0.50 per page |
| Certified copy, years 1911-1970 | $6.00 |
| Certified copy, years 1971-present | $5.50 |
| Plain copies | $0.50 per page |
| Research fee | $7.00 |
| Keepsake folder | $2.00 |
Note: Divorce filing fees are charged by the Family Court and may be waived for filers who qualify as indigent, so confirm the current amount with the court before you file.
How to Look Up Greenville County Marriage Records
Greenville County runs an online Marriage License Search behind a public-records disclaimer page. You reach it through the county marriage license search link. You accept the disclaimer first, then search by name. The search covers licenses issued in Greenville County. For older licenses, the Probate Court keeps a historical records search and charges a research fee for staff lookups.
To find a record, it helps to know the names of both spouses and a rough date. A marriage license has three identical copies. One goes to the couple, one to the Probate Court, and one to S.C. DHEC. So a certified copy can come from the county or from the state vital records office.
The screenshot below shows the county marriage license search entry.
That page is the gateway to the marriage record index after you accept the county disclaimer.
How to Find Greenville County Divorce Records
Divorce is a Family Court matter, not a Probate matter. The Greenville County Family Court sits at 350 Halton Road, Greenville, SC 29607, and the main line is 864-467-5800. The Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over divorce, legal separation, custody, support, alimony, and the division of marital property. So a divorce file lives with the court system, not with the office that issued the marriage license.
Where the file sits depends on its age. Family Court records from 1925 through April 1996 are held at the Clerk's Circuit Court office at 305 E. North Street. Records after April 1996 are at the Family Court office. South Carolina allows a no-fault divorce based on one year of continuous separation, and it also recognizes fault grounds under state domestic law. Some family records are sensitive and may have restricted access, so not every detail shows online.
The image below is the state Family Court overview, which covers divorce among other domestic matters.
That state page explains what the Family Court handles and points to the dockets and forms used in divorce cases. For more on the court that holds family files, see the Greenville County Family Court page.
Filing for Divorce in Greenville County
A Greenville County divorce starts with a filing in Family Court. You must meet the state residency rule and have valid grounds. The South Carolina Judicial Branch offers self-represented litigant packets, including a simple divorce packet, for filers who qualify. Those packets help people who do not have a lawyer prepare the right forms.
- Confirm your residency and grounds under South Carolina law.
- Prepare the Family Court forms, using the state simple divorce packet if you are eligible.
- File the case with the Greenville Family Court and pay the filing fee, or ask for a fee waiver if you cannot afford it.
- Serve your spouse with the filed papers.
- Attend any required hearings or mediation.
- Get the signed final decree and make sure it is filed before you remarry.
Certified divorce decrees come from the Clerk or the Family Court office. A recently divorced person needs the signed, filed decree before getting a new marriage license.
Getting Certified Greenville County Copies
A certified copy carries the court or state seal. You need one for legal steps, such as a name change, a benefits claim, or a later marriage. A plain printout from an online search is not certified proof. For a certified Greenville County marriage license copy, order from the Probate Court or from the state vital records office. For a certified divorce decree, request it from the Greenville County Clerk of Court or the Family Court office. Older marriage copies cost a bit more, and the price depends on the year of the record.
South Carolina Vital Records Office
The state holds copies of marriage and divorce records through the South Carolina Department of Public Health, Vital Records office. Each Greenville County marriage license has a copy sent to S.C. DHEC, so the state is a second source for a certified marriage copy. The office also issues certified copies of South Carolina divorce reports.
The state statute on who may perform marriage ceremonies is shown below.
The S.C. Code Title 20, Chapter 1 covers marriage licensing, the 24-hour waiting period, and authorized officiants. Under S.C. Code § 20-1-20, ministers of the Gospel, Jewish rabbis, officers authorized to administer oaths, and qualifying Native American spiritual leaders may perform ceremonies.