Montgomery County Marriage License Records
Montgomery County marriage license records are handled by the Probate Court in Dayton. Both applications and certified copies go through this office.
Montgomery County Overview
Montgomery County Probate Court
The Montgomery County Probate Court is in the Montgomery County Courts Building at 41 N Perry Street, 2nd Floor, Dayton, OH 45402. The phone number is (937) 225-4353. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Plan to arrive by 4:00 p.m. at the latest because the application process takes some time to complete. If you show up right at closing, the staff may not be able to help you.
Both people must appear in person under ORC 3101.05. At least one applicant must live in Montgomery County. If both of you live out of state, you can still get a license here, but the wedding must take place in Montgomery County. The court takes applications under oath and records them in the official book as required by state law.
Note: The court closes at 4:15 p.m. but recommends arriving by 4:00 p.m. because the application takes time.
What to Bring
Each person needs a valid photo ID. Driver's licenses, state IDs, and passports all work. You also need your Social Security number. Under ORC 3101.051, that number is removed from any public version of the marriage record. It stays in the court's files but is not visible on copies.
If you have been married before, you need a certified copy of your most recent divorce decree. The court wants the case number, the date the divorce was finalized, and the court that granted it. If your former spouse died, bring a certified death certificate. You must also provide the names of any minor children from previous marriages. The application asks for each person's name, age, birthplace, residence, occupation, father's name, and mother's maiden name. Filing false information is a crime under ORC 2921.13.
Fees and Payment Options
The marriage license fee is $75. Montgomery County gives you several ways to pay. They take cash, money orders, cashier's checks, and all major credit cards (American Express, Discover, Mastercard, Visa). Debit cards are also fine. There is a credit card convenience fee of 2.3% with a $2.00 minimum. The debit card fee is $2.95 flat, and ACH payments cost just $0.50.
Ohio dropped its waiting period back in 2001. You can get your license and have the ceremony the same day if that is what you want. The license is valid for 60 days from the date of issue per ORC 3101.07. The expiration date is printed on the license. If 60 days pass with no ceremony, the license expires. You would need to reapply and pay the fee again.
Officiants and Filing
Under ORC 3101.08, the following people can perform a wedding in Ohio: ordained or licensed ministers registered with the Ohio Secretary of State, county and municipal court judges, probate judges per ORC 2101.27, mayors, and religious societies acting in line with their own rules. The superintendent of the Ohio School for the Deaf and Blind can also officiate.
The officiant must file the signed marriage certificate with the Montgomery County Probate Court within 30 days. That deadline comes from ORC 3101.13. Missing it is a minor misdemeanor with a $50 fine. The court gives a pre-addressed return envelope with every license.
Getting Certified Copies
Certified copies of Montgomery County marriage records cost $2.00 each. That is one of the lowest copy fees in Ohio. You can get them three ways: in person at 41 N Perry Street on the 2nd Floor, by mail using the Marriage License Certified Copy Order Form, or online with a credit card. The online option works only if the license was issued in Montgomery County and you know the exact marriage date.
You can request copies by mail too. Send a written request to the court at 41 N Perry Street, 2nd Floor, Dayton, OH 45402. Include the full names of both spouses and the date of the marriage. The court also has a Marriage License Certified Copy Order Form you can fill out and mail in. Mail requests may take a few days to process. For quicker results, visit in person or use the online option if you know the exact date.
The Montgomery County Probate Court website has detailed information about the marriage license process. Below is a screenshot of their marriage license page.
Montgomery County also maintains a Records Center and Archives that houses older documents. The screenshot below shows the Records Center page where you can find archived marriage records and other historical documents.
Note: Online ordering of certified copies requires the exact marriage date. If you do not have it, you will need to request copies in person or by mail.
Historical Records
Montgomery County marriage records go back to 1803. The Wright State University Libraries hold Montgomery County marriage records from 1803 to 1913 in their Special Collections. That is a valuable resource for genealogical research. The Ohio History Connection may also have some archived records.
The Ohio Department of Health keeps a statewide marriage index from September 7, 1949, to the present. It covers all 88 counties but does not issue certified copies. Those must come from the Montgomery County Probate Court. Marriage records are public under ORC 149.43. Social Security numbers are always removed before records are shared with the public.
Cities in Montgomery County
Montgomery County is home to several major cities. All of them use the Probate Court in Dayton for marriage license applications.
Nearby Counties
Browse marriage license records in neighboring Ohio counties.