Chilton County Marriage and Divorce Split
Marriage certificates are handled by the Chilton County Probate Office, not the Circuit Clerk. The Probate Office page names Jason L. Calhoun as Probate Judge and Shannon Brown as Chief Clerk. The office is at 53 Robert Threlkeld Parkway, Clanton, AL 35045, with mailing address PO Box 270, Clanton, AL 35046, phone 205-755-1555, fax 205-280-7219, and probate@chiltoncounty.org.
Divorce records are different. Divorce and domestic-relations cases are Circuit Court records handled through the Circuit Clerk and Domestic Relations or Divorce Division contacts. That split matters because the Probate Office can help with marriage certificates, but it is not the custodian of a divorce decree or domestic-relations case file.
The Probate Office page is also one of the official sources for the marriage fee and recording duties.
That county source confirms why marriage certificate requests and divorce record requests should not be sent to the same office by default.
Apply for Chilton County Marriage Records
Alabama changed its marriage process in 2019. County probate courts record completed marriage certificates instead of issuing a traditional license in the older sense. Chilton County's fee list still labels the charge as "Marriage License," so requesters should use the county's wording when asking the office but understand that the state process is certificate recording.
- Review the Alabama marriage certificate process linked from the Probate Office or contact the office before signing.
- Complete the required marriage certificate before recording, following current state instructions.
- Have the certificate notarized as required by the state process.
- Submit the completed certificate to the Chilton County Probate Office for recording.
- Pay the published Chilton County marriage fee and request certified copies if needed.
Chilton County Marriage Request Fields
The direct Alabama marriage certificate form fields were not inspected in the research. The verified local request inventory is therefore limited to the information and routing facts confirmed by official Chilton County sources. Use the Probate Office or Alabama Public Health marriage instructions for current form wording before completing a certificate.
| Field or Item | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Completed marriage certificate | Yes | Alabama uses certificate recording rather than a traditional license issuance process. |
| Notarization | Yes under state process | Confirm current state instructions before filing. |
| Party names | Needed for searches and copies | Use full names as they appear on the certificate. |
| Approximate recording date | Helpful | Helps Probate Office staff locate older records. |
| Certified copy request | Only if needed | Ask the Probate Office to confirm copy fees and method. |
Chilton County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Chilton County publishes the marriage charge on the Probate Office page and domestic-relations fees on the local court pages. Copy fees for divorce records follow the court-copy schedule found in the local domestic and court-cost material. Probate copy fees for marriage certificates should be confirmed directly with the Probate Office if the official page does not list the exact certified-copy amount needed.
| Item | Amount or Rule |
|---|---|
| Marriage License / marriage certificate recording label | $78.25 |
| Divorce filing | $224.00 |
| Domestic modify or contempt | $327.00 |
| Dispositive, default, or summary judgment motion | $50.00 |
| Subpoena | $12.00 each |
| Garnishment, execution, or attachment | $30.00 |
| Income withholding order | $30.00 |
| Plain divorce copies up to 20 pages | $5.00, then $0.50 per page after 20 |
| Certified divorce copies up to 20 pages | $7.00, then $0.50 per page after 20 |
Look Up Chilton County Marriage Records
Marriage access channels are narrower than court access channels. The verified local route is the Probate Office by in-person, mail, phone, or email contact. No county marriage search field table was found in official sources. Historical marriage records may exist through probate archives or courthouse records, but third-party genealogy sites should not be treated as official custodians.
The Chilton County Probate online services portal is assigned to this record topic because it is the county's official online probate and land-record service, with record account login, search instructions, land records, and probate case records.
Use that portal for the probate records it supports, but contact the Probate Office directly when a certified marriage certificate copy or marriage recording question is the goal.
Find Chilton County Divorce Records
Divorce records are Circuit Court domestic-relations records. The local research identifies Jessie Boggs as the domestic or divorce division clerk contact, with a conflict between option 4 and option 5 in official sources, so callers should verify the correct option through the Circuit Clerk main line at 205-755-4275. Domestic Relations Court is also listed in the county directory at 205-280-0557.
Online divorce docket access may be available through Alacourt Access for Chilton County, which is Alabama's statewide trial-court access system. It is not a county-run free portal, and account or on-demand access may apply. Certified divorce decree copies should be ordered through the Circuit Clerk rather than relying on a screen print.
Request Chilton County Divorce Copies
Divorce copy requests work best when the requester can identify the parties, approximate filing year, and case number if known. The clerk can also explain whether a file is public, partially redacted, sealed, or subject to an ID or court-order requirement. Cases involving minors, custody, support, protection orders, or sealed filings may not be fully open.
- Gather both party names, approximate filing year, and case number if available.
- Search Alacourt Access if online docket access is available to you.
- Contact the Divorce or Domestic Relations clerk through the Circuit Clerk main line.
- Ask whether the file is public, redacted, sealed, or requires ID or a court order.
- Confirm page count and certified-copy cost before arriving or mailing payment.
Marriage Records vs Divorce Records
The main mistake is sending both record types to the same office. Chilton County marriage certificates belong with the Probate Office. Divorce decrees and domestic filings belong with the Circuit Clerk because they are Circuit Court records.
| Record Type | Custodian | Access Path | Common Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage certificate | Probate Office | Probate Office in person, mail, phone, or email | Certified-copy fee and form details should be confirmed with Probate. |
| Divorce decree | Circuit Clerk / Circuit Court | Domestic Relations or Divorce Division, with Alacourt docket access where available | Custody, minor, support, protection, sealed, or redacted filings may be restricted. |
Chilton County Certificate Contacts
Use the Probate Office for marriage certificates, probate records, land-record services, and related recording questions. Use the Circuit Clerk for divorce and domestic-relations case files. The county's general public-records request process is a fallback for Commission-held administrative records, but marriage and divorce records should start with the record custodian.
Chilton County Probate Office
53 Robert Threlkeld Parkway
Clanton, AL 35045
205-755-1555
probate@chiltoncounty.org
Chilton County Circuit Clerk
500 2nd Avenue North
Clanton, AL 35046
205-755-4275
Divorce and Domestic Relations records
Note: The research found a conflict in the listed Divorce Division phone option, so verify the correct division option through the main clerk number.