Search Kent County Vital Records

About the Kent County County Clerk

The Kent County Clerk and Register of Deeds is the county officer who stores original vital records and makes certified copies available to the public. The office also runs elections and keeps registrations that touch nearly every household at some point. The current County Clerk and Register of Deeds is Lisa Posthumus Lyons, who was sworn in during January 2017.

This office is different from the Circuit Court Clerk. The County Clerk holds birth, death, and marriage records along with business and notary filings, while the court clerk keeps case files, judgments, and other litigation records. Vital records here moved to an imaged system in 2005, which sped up retrieval and copying for the busy front counter.

What the County Clerk and Register of Deeds Handles

The office overview describes a broad set of duties beyond vital records. The clerk office About page explains that the division stores original vital records and issues certified copies, and it lists several other public services handled at the same counter.

• Birth, death, and marriage records, with certified copies for the public
• Marriage license applications and completed marriage certificates
• Concealed weapons license processing
• Notary public commissions and filings
• Business name and assumed name registrations
• Military discharge recordings
• Elections administration for the county

Because so many services share one office, the counter can be busy during peak hours. Callers who name the exact record or service they need are routed faster, and applicants who arrive with complete paperwork avoid a second visit.

County Clerk Vital Records vs Circuit Court Case Files

Kent County splits record keeping between two offices, and that split confuses many first-time requesters. The County Clerk and Register of Deeds keeps vital records: the certificates that document a birth, a death, or a marriage. Those are personal records, not court case files.

The Circuit Court Clerk keeps a different set of documents. That office holds the 17th Circuit Court file room, case records, and certified copies of divorce judgments. So a marriage license and a marriage certificate flow through the County Clerk, but a divorce judgment is a court file ordered through the court clerk instead. Details on that side sit with the Kent County Clerk of Court.

The rule of thumb is simple. If the paper proves a life event such as a wedding, start with the County Clerk. If the paper is the outcome of a lawsuit such as a divorce judgment, start with the court clerk. Older or non-digitized files on either side are still best handled at the counter that keeps them.

Kent County Clerk Fees for Marriage Records

Marriage license and marriage copy fees are set and posted by the office. The license fee depends on where the applicants live and where the wedding takes place, while copy fees follow a flat first-copy plus additional-copy structure.

Search and convenience fees on online orders are not refundable, so it pays to double-check names and dates before paying. Copy request forms are published in both English and Spanish on the marriage records page.

What to Provide for a Marriage License

A marriage license application is only accepted when both applicants bring the right identification and documents. The office asks for proof of identity, proof of a birth record, and a Social Security number, plus the details of a wedding that is already scheduled.

Both applicants and the two witnesses at the ceremony must be 18 or older. Missing any required item at the counter usually means the application cannot be completed that day.

How to Apply for a Kent County Marriage License

Applications are taken in person at the clerk office on the first floor. The process runs on a short waiting period, so couples plan the visit a few days ahead of the wedding.

1. Confirm eligibility. Both applicants and both witnesses must be 18 or older, and a wedding date must already be set with an authorized officiant.
2. Gather documents. Bring photo ID, a government birth certificate, and a Social Security number for each applicant.
3. Apply in person at 300 Monroe Avenue NW, Floor 1, during office hours. In-person applications are not processed after 4:30 p.m.
4. Pay the fee. The cost is $20 when at least one applicant lives in Kent County and the wedding is in Michigan, or $30 when both live out of state and the wedding is in Kent County.
5. Wait the three-day period, then pick up the completed license.
6. Hold the ceremony within 33 days of applying, and return the signed license within 10 days.

Note: In-person marriage license applications are accepted until 4:30 p.m. even though the office stays open to 4:45 p.m., so arrive with time to spare.

Marriage License Rules, Timelines, and Ceremonies

The license is valid for a narrow window. The wedding must take place within 33 days of the application, and the signed license must be returned to the office within 10 days after the ceremony. A three-day wait sits between applying and pickup, which is why last-minute weddings need early planning.

Ceremonies can happen at some Kent County courts as well. The 63rd District Court performs marriage ceremonies on Mondays and Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m., charges a $10 ceremony fee, and limits the ceremony list to people who hold a valid Michigan marriage license and bring two adult witnesses. The county also notes that the 61st, 59th, and 62-B courts offer resident-only wedding options.

Marriage records are public. Anyone may buy a copy of a Kent County marriage record once it is on file, which is different from sealed or restricted court matters.

Couples who want a court ceremony should still get the license from the County Clerk first. The court does not issue the license; it only performs the ceremony for holders of a valid Michigan license. That order matters, because a ceremony cannot be scheduled or completed without the license already in hand.

Requesting Certified Marriage Record Copies

Once a marriage is recorded, a certified copy can be ordered through three channels. Each uses the same base fee schedule, and the office publishes request forms for the paper and mail routes.

• In person: $10 for the first certified copy and $3 for each additional copy of the same record.
• Online: the same fees plus a convenience fee, with search and convenience charges that are not refundable.
• By mail: the same fee schedule, using the request form from the marriage records page.

Divorce records follow a different path even though they touch the same couple. A judgment of divorce is a court file, so it is ordered through the court instead of this office. The requirements, fees, and search-year rules for those judgments sit with the county's marriage and divorce records guidance.

Payment Methods and Office Access

The office keeps regular weekday hours and accepts several payment types at the counter. Applicants who plan around both details avoid the most common delays.

Accepted payment includes cash, checks, and money orders. Starter checks are not accepted, and some fees carry payment restrictions, so calling ahead at 616-632-7640 is wise for a large or unusual request. The counter sits on the first floor at 300 Monroe Avenue NW in downtown Grand Rapids, and the office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

For online ordering, the search and convenience fees are charged whether or not the record is found, so confirm spelling and dates first. A phone call before a mailed or in-person visit confirms which documents to bring and which payment types apply to the specific service.