Find Shoshone County Marriage Records

Getting a Marriage License in Shoshone County

Marriage licenses are issued by the Shoshone County Clerk/Recorder at 700 Bank Street, Suite 120, Wallace, ID 83873, inside the Shoshone County Courthouse. The county clerk page identifies Lori Osterberg as the elected clerk and describes the recorder function as recording property-related documents, acting as custodian of recorded documents, issuing local liquor licenses, and issuing marriage licenses. General clerk and recorder questions use (208) 752-1264, while court records use (208) 752-1266.

Local office routing is important because marriage licenses, divorce decrees, sheriff records, and court case files are not all requested from the same counter. The Shoshone County courts page explains the court floors and court phone, the county directory lists Sheriff Shawn Wehr and the courthouse departments, and the county documents and forms page hosts county public-records forms and fee materials for non-vital county records.

The Shoshone County Clerk page states that both the bride and groom must sign the marriage application. Valid driver's license or picture ID is required upon request. Both applicants must provide Social Security numbers, or if no Social Security number has been assigned, written verification from the Social Security Administration plus a birth certificate or passport from the applicant's country of citizenship. Idaho-issued licenses must be solemnized in Idaho.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare vital records landing page is the state-level source for certified vital certificates.

The state vital-records page is useful after the county license is recorded because certified marriage and divorce certificates are issued through Idaho DHW, not through an ordinary iCourt search.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

Applicants should contact the Clerk/Recorder before visiting if timing, payment, or minor-applicant documents may be an issue. The clerk office hours in the research are Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Passport hours are separately listed as 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., but the marriage-license research points to the clerk and recorder office rather than a separate passport process.

1. Call (208) 752-1264 or visit the Shoshone County Clerk/Recorder at 700 Bank Street, Suite 120, Wallace.
2. Have both applicants present to sign the application.
3. Bring valid driver's license or picture ID in case the clerk requests it.
4. Provide Social Security numbers, or the required SSA verification and citizenship document when no number has been issued.
5. Pay the $28 marriage license fee and do not use an out-of-state check.
6. Have the Idaho license solemnized in Idaho and returned for recording.

The Idaho marriage solemnization statute identifies who may solemnize marriages in Idaho.

This statute connects to Shoshone County license use because the county-issued Idaho license must be solemnized within Idaho, and the person performing the ceremony must have authority under Idaho law.

Marriage License Application Fields

The official county requirements do not publish a complete sample application image in the research, but they do identify the documents and attestations the Clerk/Recorder expects. Minor applicants age 16 or 17 have additional requirements, including a certified birth certificate and written consent that is duly acknowledged and sworn to by a mother, father, or guardian. If a guardian gives consent, the office needs a certified copy of the court order appointing the guardian, and the parent or guardian must provide valid picture ID.

Shoshone County Marriage and Divorce Fees

The county-published marriage license fee is $28. The county also states it does not accept out-of-state checks for marriage-license payment. Idaho DHW lists certified vital-record certificate copies at $16 each. Divorce filing fees and court copy charges were not verified in the research file, so those should be confirmed with Clerk/Courts before filing, ordering a decree, or requesting certification.

The Idaho vital records processing times and fees page lists the certified-copy fee used for state marriage and divorce certificates.

That state fee applies to DHW certificates, while court decree copies and court filing charges are separate and should be confirmed with Shoshone County Clerk/Courts.

How to Look Up Shoshone County Marriage Records

The official Shoshone County Clerk page lists marriage records from 1875 to present. That makes the local Clerk/Recorder the key source for historical county marriage records and current license questions. A county-held marriage record may be requested through the clerk and recorder office, while a state certified marriage certificate for events filed from May 1947 to present is handled by Idaho DHW.

The Idaho DHW marriage and divorce record coverage page explains the May 1947 certificate coverage and 50-year confidentiality rule.

This state coverage matters because an older Shoshone County marriage record may be local, while a modern certified certificate may be ordered from DHW if the requester is eligible.

How to Find Shoshone County Divorce Records

Divorce records are not the same as marriage-license records. Divorce cases are filed in Idaho's District Court system and may be searched in iCourt Smart Search by party name or case number. For Shoshone County, use Shoshone County filters where available and Search Hearings with the Shoshone - Family hearing type when checking for upcoming family hearing dates.

A divorce decree is a court document. Idaho DHW states that if a person needs a copy of a divorce decree, the person should contact the county where the divorce was granted. For Shoshone County divorces, that means the Clerk/Courts office at 700 Bank Street, Suite 120, phone (208) 752-1266. The state can issue divorce certificates from May 1947 to present, but the state certificate is not the full decree and is confidential for 50 years.

The Idaho divorce statute is the state law source captured for Idaho divorce proceedings.

The statute source supports the court-record distinction: divorce is a court proceeding, so decrees and filings route through the court clerk rather than the county recorder's marriage-license counter.

Getting Certified Copies

Certified copies should be requested from the office that holds the record type. For a certified marriage or divorce certificate from May 1947 to present, use Idaho DHW if eligible. For a divorce decree, contact Shoshone County Clerk/Courts because a decree is a case document from the county where the divorce was granted. For local historical marriage records, contact the Shoshone County Clerk/Recorder because the clerk page lists county marriage records dating back to 1875.

The Idaho DHW ordering page for marriage and divorce certificates explains that certified certificate copies are ordered online or by mail and that DHW does not have a public counter.

This ordering page is the correct state certificate route when the requester needs a certificate rather than a Shoshone County court decree or county recorder record.

Idaho Vital Records Office

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics issues certified copies of marriage and divorce certificates filed from May 1947 to present. Marriage and divorce certificates are confidential for 50 years, so eligibility rules apply. DHW warns users to avoid unnecessary third-party fees and states that orders are handled online or by mail rather than at a public counter.

Shoshone Historical Marriage Records

The Shoshone County Clerk page lists marriage records from 1875 to present. That local date range is important for family history, probate research, name changes, property questions, and older Silver Valley records that predate the statewide DHW certificate system. A county marriage record and a state certificate can serve different needs, so the requester should state whether the goal is a historic county search, a certified state certificate, or a current license question.

Older Shoshone County marriage records are tied to the Clerk/Recorder rather than the court case search portal. Include both spouses' names, approximate marriage date, and any known location details when asking the clerk to search older records. If the event is from May 1947 forward and a certified certificate is needed, Idaho DHW is the state certificate channel. If the record is needed for a court case, estate, or title matter, ask whether a county-certified copy or state certificate is required.

Divorce Decree vs Certificate

A divorce decree and a divorce certificate are not the same record. The decree is a court document from the county case. It may include orders about dissolution, property, custody, support, or other case terms, depending on what the court entered. The certificate is a state vital-record document proving that the divorce was filed with the state system. Idaho DHW states that a person who needs a divorce decree should contact the county where the divorce was granted.