Chatham Marriage License Office
Marriage licenses in Chatham County are handled by the Chatham County Register of Deeds, not by the Clerk of Superior Court. The Register of Deeds is the legal custodian of vital records for births, deaths, and marriages, and also maintains real estate records, notary public records, assumed business names, and other recorded documents.
The Register of Deeds office is at 12 East Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312, on the first floor of the Courthouse Annex. The mailing address is PO Box 756, Pittsboro, NC 27312. The main office number is (919) 542-8235. Lunday Riggsbee is listed as Chatham County Register of Deeds, with direct line (919) 542-8236. Marriage licenses are by appointment only, so applicants should call before going to the annex.
Chatham County Register of Deeds
12 East Street
Pittsboro, NC 27312
(919) 542-8235
Register hours: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Chatham Marriage Record Rules
The Chatham marriage license requirements page states that both applicants must appear together. A North Carolina marriage license issued in Chatham County is valid in North Carolina for 60 days from the date of issuance. Applicants who are at least 18 can apply without consent. No one under 16 may marry in North Carolina, and applicants over 16 but under 18 may marry only with parental consent.
Each applicant must provide Social Security verification plus one accepted identification document. Accepted IDs listed by Chatham County are an unexpired U.S. driver's license, unexpired state-issued ID, unexpired passport, or unexpired U.S. military identification. Social Security verification may be a Social Security card, W-2 form, or payroll check stub showing the applicant's name and Social Security number. If an applicant has never been issued a Social Security card and is not eligible for one, the applicant should bring an affidavit stating that fact.
Prior marriages require extra attention. An applicant must know the month and year of divorce. If a divorce was entered and signed by a judge within the last 90 days, Chatham County requires the divorce decree.
Apply for Chatham Marriage License
Chatham County does not describe a fully online marriage license application in the research material. The documented process is appointment based through the Register of Deeds. Because the office accepts cash or check for the license fee and certified copy fee, applicants should plan payment before the appointment.
- Call the Chatham County Register of Deeds at (919) 542-8235 to schedule a marriage license appointment.
- Have both applicants appear together at the Register of Deeds office.
- Bring an accepted unexpired ID for each applicant.
- Bring Social Security verification for each applicant or the required no-SSN affidavit if it applies.
- Disclose prior marriage information and bring a recent divorce decree if the last divorce was signed by a judge within 90 days.
- Pay the marriage license fee by cash or check.
- Request and pay for a certified copy if needed after the completed license is returned.
Marriage License Field Inventory
The Chatham County requirements page does not publish a web-form field list, but it does identify the documents and facts applicants must provide. Those items function as the practical application inventory for a marriage license appointment.
| Field / Information Required | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 identification | Physical ID | Yes | Unexpired driver license, state ID, passport, or military ID. |
| Applicant 2 identification | Physical ID | Yes | Same accepted ID list. |
| Applicant 1 Social Security verification | Document/number | Yes unless affidavit applies | SS card, W-2, or payroll stub. |
| Applicant 2 Social Security verification | Document/number | Yes unless affidavit applies | Same options. |
| No-SSN affidavit | Affidavit | Conditional | For an applicant never issued an SSN and ineligible to receive one. |
| Prior divorce date | Oral or written info | Conditional | Month and year of divorce. |
| Recent divorce decree | Court document | Conditional | Required if signed by a judge within the last 90 days. |
| Certified copy request/payment | Fee request | Optional | The certified copy can be mailed after the license is returned. |
Chatham Marriage and Divorce Fees
The Chatham Register of Deeds publishes the marriage license and certified copy amounts. Divorce judgment copies are handled by the Clerk of Superior Court for the county where the divorce was granted, and the research did not locate a Chatham-specific divorce-copy amount. Do not apply Register of Deeds copy prices to court divorce files unless the record being requested is actually a Register of Deeds vital record.
| Item | Amount / Method | Source Note |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60.00, cash or check only | Chatham Register of Deeds marriage requirements. |
| Certified marriage copy | $10.00 per copy, cash or check only | May be paid while obtaining the license and mailed after return. |
| Uncertified Register of Deeds copy | 25 cents per page | Register of Deeds fee source, not a court divorce fee. |
| Divorce judgment copy | Fee not located in Chatham research | Request through the Clerk of Superior Court where divorce was granted. |
Marriage Records Source Screens
North Carolina's statewide marriage overview is available through the NC marriage help topic.
The statewide help topic supports the basic North Carolina marriage framework, while Chatham County's Register of Deeds supplies the local appointment, fee, and document rules.
Search Chatham Marriage Records
Certified marriage copies are vital records held by the Register of Deeds. Chatham County says certified vital-record copies are available to persons eligible under state law. The same office handles marriage licenses, so a marriage-record request should start with the Register of Deeds rather than the Clerk of Superior Court.
The research also located the Register of Deeds remote access site for online deeds search and fraud alert. It was not documented as the marriage-license application channel. For marriage records, call the Register of Deeds or use the office's vital-record copy process instead of assuming a real estate recording portal contains the needed marriage certificate.
Note: Chatham marriage licenses are Register of Deeds records, while divorce judgments are court records held by the Clerk.
Find Chatham Divorce Records
Divorce records are held by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted. If the divorce was granted in Chatham County, request the judgment or court file from the Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court at the Chatham County Courthouse. The NC court records help topic says copies of divorce judgments come from the clerk's office for a fee.
The NC separation and divorce help topic covers ending a marriage, property, alimony, and enforcement. Divorce certificates may also be available through North Carolina Vital Records, but a certificate is not the same as the court judgment or full divorce file. Case status or hearing information may appear in the Portal, while older files and certified copies usually require Clerk contact.
The separation and divorce source screen is part of the manifest for Chatham County marriage and divorce records.
That source is useful when a user needs the difference between a divorce case, a judgment, and other family-law issues that may appear in the court file.
Chatham Divorce Packet Steps
The North Carolina divorce packet gives the statewide process for certain absolute divorce filings. It lists five main actions: complete court forms, file papers in the Clerk of Court's office, serve the defendant or spouse, wait 30 days and set a hearing date, then go to court with a prepared judgment for the judge's review.
- Complete the required North Carolina divorce forms for the case type.
- File the papers with the Clerk of Superior Court in the proper county.
- Serve the defendant or spouse as required by court rules.
- Wait the required 30 days and set a hearing date when the case is ready.
- Attend court with the prepared judgment for the judge's review.
Guide & File is available for certain absolute divorce filings. A Chatham County divorce judgment copy should still be requested from the Clerk if the divorce was granted in Chatham County.
The official divorce packet source is shown in the manifest image below.
The packet source supports the filing sequence, but it does not replace the Clerk's role as the custodian of Chatham County divorce judgments.
Certified Marriage and Divorce Copies
Certified marriage copies come from the Chatham County Register of Deeds when eligibility and identity rules are satisfied. The fee located in the research is $10.00 per certified marriage copy, payable by cash or check. Applicants can pay for the certified copy while obtaining the license, and the copy will be mailed after the completed license is returned.
Certified divorce copies are different. A divorce judgment is a court record, so the copy must come from the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted. For Chatham County, the local court contact is the Clerk of Superior Court at (919) 545-3500. If a person only needs proof of divorce for a vital-record purpose, North Carolina Vital Records may have a certificate, but the court judgment remains with the Clerk.