Find Cape Girardeau County Marriage Records

Cape Girardeau County marriage records date back to 1805, making this one of the oldest collections in Missouri. The Recorder of Deeds office in Jackson handles all marriage license filings, certified copies, and record searches for the county. Cape Girardeau County also offers multiple online search tools, including a Vitals Search portal for recent records and an ArcaSearch site for historical documents. Whether you need a current license or a record from the 1800s, the Recorder's office and its digital tools can help you search Cape Girardeau County marriage records.

Cape Girardeau County Recorder

Andrew David Blattner serves as the Cape Girardeau County Recorder of Deeds. The office has a full team including Chief Deputy Sherry Brock, Deputy Laura Schmitt, and Deputy Danielle Stoverink. The office sits at #1 Barton Square, Suite 203, in Jackson. You can enter from the street level or second floor of the Administration building. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

The Cape Girardeau County Recorder website provides details about services and online tools. Cape Girardeau County marriage licenses follow state law under Chapter 451 RSMo. Both people appear in person with valid photo ID and Social Security number. No blood test. No wait. The license fee is $51 and is issued the same day. It stays valid for 30 days.

The office issued 553 marriage licenses in 2021 and collected over $834,000 in fee revenue that year. It is a busy office with a lot of records on file.

Search Cape Girardeau Marriage Records Online

Cape Girardeau County has two separate online tools for searching marriage records. The Vitals Search web portal covers marriage licenses from 1974 to the present. This free search tool on the county website lets you look up licenses by name. It is a quick way to check if a record exists without visiting the office in Jackson.

For historical records, the ArcaSearch Historical Research Site has Cape Girardeau County marriage records from 1798 to 1881. Historical marriage record books from 1806 to April 1, 1968 are also available through this portal. These tools make Cape Girardeau County one of the better counties in Missouri for online marriage record research.

The Cape Girardeau County Recorder's office page is shown below from the state vital records portal, which provides guidance on how to obtain marriage records statewide.

For in-person searches, visit the Recorder's office in Jackson. Staff can pull up records by name or date and provide copies on the spot.

Cape Girardeau County Marriage Fees

The fees for marriage records in Cape Girardeau County are clearly set. A marriage license costs $51. A certified copy of a marriage license is $9. Plain copies run $2 for the first page and $1 for each page after that. These fees are standard for most Missouri counties.

After the ceremony, the officiant must return the signed license to the Cape Girardeau County Recorder within 15 days, as required by RSMo 451.130. If you need extra certified copies later, contact the Recorder's office. You can request them in person, by mail, or by phone. Each certified copy costs $9.

Note: Call the Recorder's office at (573) 243-8123 to confirm accepted payment methods before visiting.

Marriage Certificates From Cape Girardeau County

The Cape Girardeau County Recorder holds the original marriage certificates. The Missouri Bureau of Vital Records in Jefferson City has only an index from July 1, 1948 forward. The state office issues a Certified Statement Relating to Marriage that shows names, date, and county. For the full certificate from a Cape Girardeau County marriage, you must go to the county Recorder.

You can order the state-level statement by mail, in person in Jefferson City, or through VitalChek online or by phone. VitalChek charges an extra service fee. Under RSMo 193.255, certified copies are limited to people with a direct and tangible interest in the record. Plain copies and viewing are open to anyone under the Missouri Sunshine Law.

Historical Records in Cape Girardeau County

Cape Girardeau County has some of the oldest records in Missouri. Marriage files date back to 1805, before Missouri was even a state. The county was established in 1812 when Missouri was still a territory. This means the Recorder's office has over 200 years of marriage documentation.

The Archive Center at 112 E. Washington St in Jackson offers additional genealogical resources for those researching Cape Girardeau County. The Missouri State Archives may also hold microfilm copies of older records. FamilySearch has microfilm copies of Missouri county marriage records. The Missouri Recorders Association keeps a directory of all 114 county Recorders if you need to check another county.

Cape Girardeau County's records are especially valuable for researchers interested in early Missouri history. The county was established before Missouri became a state, and its marriage documentation stretches back to 1805. If you are tracing family lines in southeast Missouri, this is one of the most important counties to check. The ArcaSearch tool for historical records (1798 to 1881) is a unique resource that few other counties offer.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Cape Girardeau County in southeast Missouri. Marriage records are filed in the county where the license was obtained. Confirm you are contacting the correct county before requesting records.