Beaufort County Marriage Records Office
Marriage licenses and recorded marriage records in Beaufort County are handled by the Beaufort County Register of Deeds, not by the court clerk. The official Register of Deeds is Carolyn L. Garris. The office is at 112 W 2nd Street, Washington, NC 27889, with mailing address PO Box 514, Washington, NC 27889. The published phone number is (252) 946-2323, fax is (252) 946-7938, and the official email listed in the research source is carolyn.garris@beaufortcountync.gov.
The Register of Deeds is the custodian and manager for county vital records and real estate records. For marriage work, that means applications, licenses, recorded marriage records, certified marriage copies, and index searches belong with that office. Divorce judgments are different. They are court records kept by the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted.
The official Register of Deeds page shows the office that handles Beaufort County marriage record requests.
Use that office path for Beaufort County marriage records, then use the court clerk or state vital records path only when the requested record is a divorce item.
Beaufort County Marriage Requirements
Beaufort County marriage licenses are issued by the Register of Deeds between 8:00 AM and 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Both applicants must appear in person. Each applicant must bring government-issued picture identification, such as a driver's license, passport, or military ID. The county also requires Social Security proof. If an applicant does not have a Social Security card, the county page says a W-2 form or tax return document with the full Social Security number and applicant name may be used.
An online application can save time, but it does not issue the license by itself. The Beaufort County online marriage application sends information to the Register of Deeds. Applicants still cannot marry until both appear at the office with required ID and Social Security proof and finish issuance in person.
| Requirement | Beaufort County rule | Record impact |
|---|---|---|
| Office | Register of Deeds | Marriage license and later certified marriage copy |
| Appearance | Both parties appear in person | Online submission alone is not final issuance |
| Photo ID | Government-issued picture ID | Used to verify legal identity |
| SSN proof | SS card, W-2, or tax return with full SSN/name | Presented at the office if applicable |
| License hours | 8:00 AM-3:30 PM, Monday-Friday | Arrive during license issuance hours |
The county marriage-license requirements page is the source for the in-person ID and Social Security proof rules.
Those requirements matter because an incomplete application will not create the official Beaufort County marriage record.
Apply for Beaufort County Marriage License
The county supports an online marriage application, but the application is only the first step. Applicants should treat it as a data-entry tool before the office visit. The license is issued after the Register of Deeds verifies identity and Social Security proof in person, and after the required fee is paid under the current county fee schedule.
- Complete the Beaufort County online marriage application if using the online start.
- Both applicants go to the Register of Deeds at 112 W 2nd Street in Washington during license hours.
- Bring government photo ID and Social Security proof, using the alternate W-2 or tax-return proof only when the county allows it.
- Pay the required license fee after confirming the current Beaufort County fee schedule.
- After the ceremony, the completed license is returned and recorded so certified marriage copies can later be requested.
The online application page makes clear that online entry does not complete issuance.
That distinction prevents a common mistake: a submitted online form is not the same as a valid issued license.
Beaufort Marriage Application Fields
The online application collects identity and contact information before the in-person license visit. The research source did not confirm every screen in the form, so the table stays with the official field categories documented from the application context and the county requirements page.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 legal name | Text | Yes | Legal identity information submitted before in-person issuance. |
| Applicant 2 legal name | Text | Yes | Both applicants must still appear in person. |
| Identification details | Text or in-person proof | Required at office | Government-issued photo ID is required in person. |
| Social Security proof | Text or in-person proof | Required if applicable | SS card, W-2, or tax return document with full SSN/name. |
| Contact information | Text, email, or phone | Unspecified | Used by the Register of Deeds for application processing. |
| Submit application | Button | Yes | Submits data only. It does not issue the license. |
Beaufort County Marriage Fees
The reviewed Beaufort County sources did not confirm a current marriage-license dollar amount, and the build should not insert a statewide common fee without a verified county fee schedule. The safer record rule is to verify the current charge with the Register of Deeds before appearing, especially if requesting certified copies or using an online vital-record ordering path.
| Item | Amount / rule | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license | Verify current Beaufort County fee schedule | Register of Deeds |
| Certified marriage copy | Fee applies. Verify current copy charge | Register of Deeds or approved vital-record order path |
| Divorce judgment copy | Clerk copy and certification fees apply | Clerk of Superior Court |
| Divorce certificate | Vital records are not free public records | NC Vital Records |
North Carolina law places marriage-license issuance with registers of deeds under Chapter 51 marriage statutes, and access to certified vital-record copies is governed by vital-record rules rather than ordinary free web access.
Search Beaufort Marriage Records
The Register of Deeds online services portal gives Beaufort County marriage record searchers a local index path. The portal includes tabs for Consolidated Index, Vital Index, Old Index Books, and View Images/Maps. A person searching a marriage record should use the vital index path first, then contact the Register of Deeds for certified copy rules when the index match is found.
| Field Label / Tab | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Index | Tab | Optional | Land and official record index search. |
| Vital Index | Tab | Optional | Marriage and vital index path. |
| Old Index Books | Tab | Optional | Historical index-book browsing. |
| View Images/Maps | Tab | Optional | Image and map access where available. |
| Recent Searches | Panel | Optional | User search history in portal. |
| Saved Searches | Panel | Optional | Requires user function or preferences. |
The Beaufort Register of Deeds online services portal is the official local index access point.
Index results help locate a record, but certified copies still require the official custodian's copy process.
Find Beaufort County Divorce Records
Divorce judgments are court records. For Beaufort County, that means the Clerk of Superior Court is the source for the judgment in the county where the divorce was granted. A filed divorce case may include the complaint, judgment or decree, custody or support orders, equitable distribution filings, motions, and later orders. Search case information first through NC eCourts Portal by party name, case number, and county, then request certified copies from the clerk when a legal copy is needed.
Divorce certificates are different from divorce judgments. NC Vital Records holds divorce certificates from 1958 to present, and certificates may also be obtained from the Clerk of Court according to the state vital-record source. The certificate is a vital-record proof of the divorce event. The court judgment is the legal court order.
The North Carolina divorce and marriage help topic is the state court source for divorce forms and marriage information.
Use the court path for the Beaufort County divorce case file and the vital-record path for certificate-only proof.
Certified Vital Copies
Certified marriage copies come from the vital-record custodian path, while certified divorce judgments come from the Clerk of Superior Court where the case was granted. North Carolina Vital Records also warns that vital records are not free public records. That matters for Beaufort County residents who can view an index or case result online but still need a certified document for a name change, benefit claim, passport matter, school record, insurance file, or later court filing.
The Beaufort County online vital records order page supports online ordering for birth, death, and marriage records.
Online ordering is useful for certificates, but a divorce judgment copy remains a court-clerk request tied to the filed divorce case.
Note: For privacy and identity reasons, certified vital-record copies may require eligibility proof even when an index can be searched.