Owen County Marriage and Divorce Offices
Marriage licenses are an Owen County Clerk function. The Owen County Clerk is Laura Gambrell, and the office is at 136 West Bryan Street, Owenton, KY 40359. The phone number is 502-484-2213, fax is 502-484-1002, and hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, closed noon-1 p.m. for lunch. Marriage license users should call the County Clerk before applying because the current fee and accepted payment were not found in the official research.
Divorce case files are not County Clerk records. Divorce is handled by Family Court as a division of Circuit Court, and the local records office is the Owen County Circuit Court Clerk at the Owen County Judicial Center, 401 South Main Street, Owenton, KY 40359. Certified state marriage and divorce certificates from June 1958 to present are available through the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics.
| Record needed | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New marriage license | Owen County Clerk | The County Clerk issues marriage licenses in Kentucky. |
| Recorded Owen marriage license | Owen County Clerk | Local historical and recorded marriage records begin at the issuing county. |
| Divorce decree or case file | Circuit Court Clerk | Divorce is a Circuit/Family Court case record. |
| Marriage or divorce certificate from June 1958 forward | Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics | State vital records hold certified certificates for the modern registration period. |
Apply for Owen County Marriage License
Marriage license applicants should use the County Clerk route, not the court clerk route. Kentucky marriage statutes in KRS Chapter 402 cover marriage licensing, certificates, license validity, and confidentiality of Social Security or government identification numbers. The research did not locate a current Owen County marriage license fee in official sources, so applicants should verify the amount and payment method by phone before going to the office.
- Call the Owen County Clerk at 502-484-2213 to confirm the current license fee, payment method, and office timing.
- Go to the County Clerk's office during business hours and avoid the noon-1 p.m. lunch closure.
- Bring government-issued photo ID and any documents required by Kentucky marriage law.
- Complete the license process through the County Clerk and follow any signature instructions.
- After the ceremony, make sure the officiant returns the completed certificate or license for recording.
- Use the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics for certified certificates from June 1958 forward.
KRS Chapter 402 is a core source for Owen County marriage record access and license requirements.
The statute source supports the licensing framework, while the County Clerk remains the local office for the application and recording step.
Owen County Certificate Request Fields
The Kentucky marriage and divorce certificate application is used when a certified state certificate is needed. It is not the same as a full divorce case file or a local historical marriage-license search. The applicant should know which event occurred, the date, the names on the record, and the county where the marriage license or divorce decree was issued.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate type | Checkbox or radio | Yes | Marriage or divorce certificate. |
| Full names on record | Text | Yes | Names of spouses or parties. |
| Date of marriage or divorce | Date | Yes | Needed for OVS search. |
| County of marriage/license or divorce decree | Text or dropdown | Yes | Use Owen County if the event occurred there. |
| Applicant information | Text | Yes | Applicant name, contact, and mailing information. |
| Relationship or eligibility | Text or dropdown | Conditional | Follow the OVS form instructions. |
| Number of copies | Numeric | Yes | Number of certified copies requested. |
| Signature | Signature | Yes | Application must be signed. |
| Payment | Check, money order, or card depending on channel | Yes | Follow the selected OVS purchase option. |
| In-person location | Office instruction | Optional | 275 East Main Street, Frankfort; 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m. ET Monday-Friday. |
Owen County Marriage and Divorce Fees
The official Owen County research did not locate a current marriage-license amount, divorce-filing amount, or certified local copy fee. Do not assume an old fee. The County Clerk should verify the current marriage license fee and payment method. The Circuit Court Clerk should verify court-copy fees and divorce filing or certified decree copy costs. State certificate ordering follows Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics purchase instructions.
| Item | Amount or rule |
|---|---|
| Owen County marriage license | Fee not located in official sources; call County Clerk. |
| Certified local marriage copy | Fee not located in official sources; call County Clerk. |
| Divorce filing | Fee not located in official Owen County sources; call Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Certified divorce decree copy | Fee not located in official sources; call Circuit Court Clerk. |
| County open-record written copies, if a county-government record applies | $0.10 per page plus certified postage. |
Look Up Owen County Marriage Records
For marriage records before June 1958, the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics says to call the county clerk in the county where the marriage license was issued. For Owen County, that means the County Clerk. For June 1958 to present, a certified state certificate can be ordered through OVS. Local recorded license research and genealogy work may still require the County Clerk when the record is not held in the state certificate system.
The Kentucky marriage and divorce certificate page is the main state source for certificate coverage.
That state page is useful for certified certificates, but local marriage license questions still belong with the Owen County Clerk.
Find Owen County Divorce Records
Divorce records have two main forms: the court case file and the state certificate. The court case file or decree is requested through the Owen County Circuit Court Clerk because Family Court is a division of Circuit Court. The state certificate is requested from Kentucky OVS if the divorce was June 1958 or later. For divorces before June 1958, call the Circuit Court Clerk in the county that granted the divorce.
Filing a divorce is also a Circuit/Family Court matter. Kentucky Court of Justice legal forms or self-help resources may apply, and the clerk can provide forms and procedural information. The clerk cannot give legal advice. Some divorce file materials may be sealed or limited when they include protected personal identifiers, minor child information, domestic violence details, or other sensitive material.
Kentucky Vital Records for Owen County
The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics says central registration of marriages and divorces began in June 1958 and that OVS holds records from June 1958 to the present day. OVS purchase options say certified copies should be ordered only through the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics by mail or through VitalChek Network Inc., the state's only authorized online and telephone ordering partner.
The Kentucky vital records purchase page explains official certificate ordering choices.
Use the official OVS purchase route for certified certificates, and avoid unauthorized online sellers when a legal certificate is needed.
Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY
In-person service: 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m. ET Monday-Friday
Owen County Divorce Certificate Forms
The Kentucky VS-300 divorce and annulment web form is a reporting document, not a searchable public divorce database for Owen County. The official page says the web form is used to generate and print a Certificate of Divorce or Annulment and that a completed VS-300 must include all required fields. People looking for an already filed decree should contact the Circuit Court Clerk or OVS, depending on whether they need the case file or certificate.
The Kentucky VS-300 divorce and annulment page is included in the manifest for divorce-record context.
Use VS-300 for divorce reporting requirements, not as a replacement for the Owen County Circuit Court Clerk's divorce case file.