By Ohio law, both parties must apply for a marriage license in person. The cost is $40, cash only.

Who may apply?

• One party must be a current resident of the county or
• Both parties live out of state.
• If under eighteen, please call 740-652-7488 for specific requirements.

What do I bring along to apply?

• $40.00 cash (checks and credit cards not accepted)
• Proof of identification: driver’s license, state ID card, passport, military ID
• Proof of residency: If your proof of identification does not show your current address, please bring a utility bill or statement with your current address.
• Certified copy of birth certificate if 18 or under; no proof of age if 19 or older.
• If either party has been previously married, a certified or file-stamped copy of the most recent divorce or dissolution decree.
• If you are not a U.S. citizen, a passport or resident alien card is required.
• If you have legally changed your name, a certified copy of the judgment entry.

Where do I apply?

The Probate clerk’s office is located on the third floor of the Hall of Justice, 224 East Main Street, Lancaster, Ohio. Marriage licenses are issued between the hours of 8:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office is closed on weekends and holidays. Please check our holiday schedule for exact closures.

Your license will be issued at the time of application. Please allow 20 minutes for the process.

Where and how long is the license valid?

• License is valid for 60 days from the date issued.
• License is valid anywhere in the state of Ohio, if you are a resident.
• License issued to out-of-state residents are valid only in the county where it was issued.

Answers to questions often asked:

• A blood test is no longer required.
• There is no longer a waiting period before the license is issued.
• Wedding ceremonies are not performed by the judge or at the courthouse.
• A list of local officials that perform wedding ceremonies will be provided upon your request.

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If you wish to receive a certified copy of your marriage, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope and $3.00 per certified copy requested.  Checks should be made payable to the Fairfield County Probate Court.  In addition, we will need the following information:  full names of both husband and wife and the date of marriage.  Copies may be obtained in person during office hours.

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To initiate an adoption procedure, please make sure you have the following at the time of filing with the Court:

• Petition for Adoption
• Consents
• Preliminary Account (not required on step-parent adoptions)
• Certified copy of child’s birth certificate
• Vital Statistics Form, HEA 2757 (for new birth certificate)
• Proof of custody (if child is not in custody of a parent)
• Cash or check/money order payable to “Fairfield County Probate Court”

Please note: If you are working with an agency that will provide the home assessment, please notify the Court at the time of filing.

Paperwork can be filed by mail or in person. The Court’s hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Closed for all legal holidays, as well as the day after Thanksgiving, and at noon on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Good Friday.

10 days prior to final hearing the following should be submitted to the Court:

• Final account (not required for step-parent adoptions)
• Balance of court costs.

For more information, please refer to Adoptions Procedures*
and for foreign adoptions, please see Foreign Adoption Information*.
*pdf format - Requires the free Adobe Reader from Adobe

Any questions should be addressed to:

Cheri Shaw: 740-652-7470
Probate Clerk's Office : 740-652-7464

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1. All documents must be typed, and all signatures must be in blue ink.
   
2. Court costs are $161.00, which must be paid at the time you file the documents in Court. If the other parent has no known address and we have to notify them by publication, the court costs are $271.00.
   
3. Applicant must be a resident of Fairfield County for one year prior to the filing of the Application.
   
4. A certified copy of your birth certificate must accompany the application.

ADULT NAME CHANGE

TWO FORMS NEEDED:

1. APPLICATION: This Application must be filled out with the exact full name as it appears on your birth certificate and must be signed by you. When the Judge sets this down for a hearing, we will mail you a copy to advise you when you should appear.
   
2. JUDGEMENT ENTRY: You should type the names in the proper spaces at the top and complete the information in the middle. This entry will be signed by the Judge at the time of the hearing.

MINOR’S CHANGE OF NAME

Both parents must consent to the change of name or be served a notice of the hearing to have the opportunity to appear in Court.

If you do not have a good address for the other parent, then we must publish in order to get service on them. Type the Affidavit of Service by Publication form and the Notice of Hearing on Change of Name and file these forms with the Application. We will publish it for you in the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette.

If there is no father listed on the child’s birth certificate, then we must publish for unknown father, or if a paternity action has been established then we need a copy of the Entry.

Judge Williams requires you to bring the child to the hearing with you.

If the original birth certificate is from Ohio, we will send a certified copy of the Judge’s Entry to the State Department and you should receive your copy of the corrected birth certificate in about eight weeks. If the original birth certificate is from a different state, you will need to mail the Judge’s Entry to that state office in order for them to change the child’s birth record.

If you have questions, please contact:

Jennifer Nash: 740-652-7490
Probate Office: 740-652-7464

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Probate forms can be found here.
All forms are in pdf format and require the free Adobe Reader from Adobe

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