How to Get Married When Your Partner Is in Obion County Jail

Obion County's default rule is straightforward: both applicants must appear in person to apply for a marriage license. The exception? When one applicant is incarcerated or disabled. In that case, the person who cannot appear must submit a notarized affidavit provided by the County Clerk's office. A generic affidavit won't work.

The standard Obion County marriage license fee is $99.50. If you qualify for the premarital counseling discount (and bring the required completed form), the marriage license fee is $39.50.

If saving on the license fee matters, the premarital counseling discount can cut your cost significantly. But the course has to meet specific requirements. The state-certified premarital counseling must be at least four hours long. It also has to be recent: completed no more than one year before you apply for the license. Make sure you leave the counseling provider's office with the right documentation. In Obion County, the premarital counseling form must be signed by the instructor and notarized. That completed form is what gets you the reduced $39.50 license fee.

• ✓ Proof your premarital counseling course was at least 4 hours long
• ✓ Proof the course was completed within 1 year of the date you apply for the license
• ✓ A premarital counseling form signed by the instructor and notarized

Practical Steps

• ✓ Payment for the correct license fee: $99.50 standard, or $39.50 if you qualify through premarital counseling
• ✓ The clerk-provided affidavit for an incarcerated applicant, completed and notarized
• ✓ If you are using the discount, the premarital counseling form completed by the counselor, signed by the instructor, and notarized

For forms and questions, start with the Obion County Clerk. The office is on the first floor of the Obion County Courthouse, and this is where marriage licenses are issued. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plan around that window if you need to pick up the affidavit form or confirm requirements.

The Clerk's guidance is clear that an incarcerated applicant must use a notarized affidavit from the clerk's office. What it doesn't spell out is how notarization and signature logistics work inside the jail. Before you make a trip to the courthouse, call the County Clerk to confirm what they need on the affidavit. Then check with the jail about how your partner can get the form notarized and returned.

Still figuring out where the ceremony will happen? Ask about options when you speak with the County Clerk. The County Clerk can solemnize marriages, so it's worth confirming whether they can do it in your situation and what scheduling looks like.