Bamberg County Marriage License Office
Bamberg County marriage license records are handled by Bamberg County Probate Court, not by Family Court. Applicants go to 2959 Main Highway, Room 103, Bamberg, SC 29003, during the license application window of 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Monday through Friday, except major holidays. The county requires both applicants to appear together. The local marriage license fee is $45 cash at the time of application, with the probate fee page breaking that into a $25 license fee and a $20 Domestic Violence Fund amount.
The Bamberg marriage license process has two key timing rules. First, South Carolina requires the application to be filed with the probate judge at least 24 hours before the license is issued. Second, one party may return after the waiting period to pick up the license. Bamberg County Probate Court does not perform marriage ceremonies. Once the ceremony is complete, all three pages must be signed or completed by the couple and officiant, and the copies marked Probate Judge and Probate Judge/DHEC must return to Probate Court for recording.
The Bamberg County Family Court page is useful for divorce record access, but it is not the marriage license office. Keeping that split clear prevents the most common search error. A marriage license copy comes from Probate Court, while a divorce decree or divorce case file comes from Family Court through the Clerk of Court.
The county marriage license page is the source for Bamberg County marriage record application rules.
That source is important because Bamberg County lists local cash, ID, age, waiting-period, ceremony, and return rules in one place.
Apply for Bamberg County Marriage Records
Applicants should treat the Probate Court visit as the record-creation step. A later certified copy depends on the license being issued, used, signed, and returned correctly. If either applicant has a pending divorce, Bamberg County states that the divorce must be final before applying for a new marriage license. South Carolina law also limits who may perform the ceremony: ministers of the Gospel, accepted Jewish Rabbis, and officers authorized to administer oaths in the state may administer marriages.
- Confirm both applicants can appear together at the Bamberg County Probate Court marriage license office during the posted application hours.
- Bring the required identity and age documents, including Social Security card and a valid driver's license, state ID, or passport unless a documented substitute applies.
- Pay the $45 cash marriage license fee at application and complete the required probate application materials.
- Wait at least 24 hours after the application is filed before the license is issued. One party may return to pick it up.
- After the ceremony, make sure the couple and officiant complete all three pages and return the Probate Judge and Probate Judge/DHEC copies for recording.
Note: Call Probate Court before visiting if courthouse renovation or modular office operations could affect the current records-room location.
Bamberg County Marriage Record Fields
The Bamberg County marriage license requirements read less like a simple web form and more like an in-person proof checklist. The required field table below reflects the county's own published requirements. Applicants age 18 to 21 inclusive must bring a birth certificate. Applicants age 16 and 17 must bring an original or certified birth certificate, parental consent, and state-issued ID. If the parents are divorced and one parent consents, that parent must bring a certified divorce decree granting custody. Marriage licenses are not issued to minors under age 16.
| Field or Item | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant 1 appearance | Presence | Yes | Both applicants must come together. |
| Applicant 2 appearance | Presence | Yes | The Probate Court process is in person. |
| Social Security card | ID document | Yes unless substitute applies | K-1 visa, green card, or no-card letter rules may require proof of age and identity. |
| Driver's license, state ID, or passport | Photo ID | Yes | Used to prove identity and age. |
| Birth certificate | ID document | Conditional | Required for ages 18-21 and minors age 16-17. |
| Parental consent | Consent | Conditional | Required for applicants age 16 or 17. |
| Custody divorce decree | Certified document | Conditional | Needed when divorced parents have a custody-based consent issue. |
| License fee | Cash | Yes | $45 cash at application. |
Bamberg County Marriage Fees
Bamberg County Probate Court publishes the local marriage license and marriage record charges in its probate fee schedule. The marriage license charge is due in cash. Certified copies and corrections use separate probate fees. Divorce filing fees were not captured in the Bamberg research file, so the divorce side should be confirmed with the Clerk of Court before filing or ordering a certified decree.
| Item | Amount | Where to Request |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license application | $45 cash | Bamberg County Probate Court |
| Certified copy of marriage license | $5 | Bamberg County Probate Court |
| Reissuing lost marriage license | $45 cash only | Bamberg County Probate Court |
| Reform or correct marriage record | $6.75 plus $5 certification | Bamberg County Probate Court |
| Certified divorce record | Confirm with Clerk | Bamberg County Clerk of Court |
The South Carolina marriage statute source supports the 24-hour license timing used by Bamberg Probate Court.
The local office rules and state law work together: the license is applied for first, then issued only after the required waiting period.
Bamberg County Divorce Records
Bamberg County divorce records are Family Court records. They are not Probate Court marriage license records, even though the same couple may have both types of records in the county. Public users are directed to the Family Court Public Portal for South Carolina Family Court records. Attorneys use a separate Family Court attorney portal that requires an Attorney Information System ID and password.
Certified divorce copies or complete divorce case files should be requested from the Bamberg County Clerk of Court and Family Court channels. The Clerk's office phone is (803) 245-3025. Some parts of a divorce file may not be public, especially child-related material, financial account numbers, protected addresses, adoption or juvenile content, and sealed filings. A public portal hit may identify the case, but it may not provide every filed document.
The Bamberg County Family Court page links users to the public and attorney divorce record access portals.
The Family Court route matters because a marriage license copy and a divorce decree are held by different Bamberg County court offices.
Certified Bamberg County Marriage Copies
A certified Bamberg County marriage copy is requested through Probate Court. For most legal uses, a certified copy is safer than a screen print or informal note because the office certifies the record as an official copy. The research file also notes that South Carolina vital records may provide certain vital-record certificates depending on eligibility, but Bamberg County Probate Court is the direct local license office for the marriage license record.
For divorce, the certified-copy path changes. Use the Clerk of Court and Family Court rather than Probate Court. Start with the public portal if the goal is to find case identifiers, then contact the Clerk with the case number, party names, approximate filing year, and copy type. If a case does not appear online, the fallback is phone, mail, in-person contact, or a county FOIA route where the record is administrative and not confidential Family Court content.
The Bamberg County child-support notice also posts a Family Court update on the Clerk's side.
That notice is separate from divorce decree copies, but it shows why Family Court record users should check current Clerk instructions before visiting.