Marriage Licenses from the Register of Deeds
Marriage licenses in Gaston County come from the Register of Deeds, not the Clerk of Superior Court. The Register issues the license and then records and indexes it after the ceremony. The office sits on the first floor of the courthouse. Marriage license service runs from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, with appointments preferred.
The Register, Jonathan Fletcher, leads an office that handles deeds, plats, birth and death certificates, notary records, passports, and military discharges along with marriage licenses. The Register FAQ notes that all office information is public record except some military records.
The Register of Deeds landing page lists services, hours, and contacts.
For records questions, the office answers at 704-862-7680, with a vital records line at 704-862-7687. The mailing address is Gaston County Register of Deeds, P.O. Box 1578, Gastonia, NC 28053.
One practical note for visitors: electronic devices are barred from Gaston County courtrooms by judicial order, but cell phones are allowed on the first floor where the Register office sits. So a person visiting only for a marriage license or a deed copy is treated differently from someone attending a hearing upstairs.
Marriage License Fees and Hours
The Register publishes a uniform fee schedule. The license issuance fee is $60, and a certified copy of a marriage license is $10. Payment options include cash, business checks, money orders, debit, and credit. Business checks and money orders are payable to "Gaston County Register of Deeds." The table below lists the verified Register fees most relevant to marriage records.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Marriage license issuance | $60.00 |
| Certified copy of marriage license | $10.00 |
| Gaston County birth or death certified copy | $10.00 |
| General printing, per page | $0.25 |
| Mailing fee | $3.00 per mailing |
Marriage applications are accepted until 4:30 PM, and recording of instruments ends at 4:45 PM. Plan your visit around those windows, since they are narrower than the building's general hours.
How to Apply for a Gaston County Marriage License
You can complete the application online before visiting, which saves time at the counter. Both applicants still need to appear with valid government ID and any proof required if a prior marriage ended. The steps below outline the process.
- Review Register hours and, if possible, schedule an appointment.
- Complete the online marriage application before your visit.
- Both applicants bring government ID and proof of any prior marriage ending.
- Pay the $60 issuance fee at the office.
- After the ceremony, the officiant returns the license for recording.
- Request a certified copy for $10 once it is recorded.
The online marriage application opens the applicant fields you will fill out.
Completing it ahead of time means you mostly verify details and pay when you arrive.
Online Marriage Application Fields
The application uses separate Applicant 1 and Applicant 2 sections. Several fields are required, and the form validates dates and numbers. The table below lists the main fields you will complete for each applicant.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| First and Last Name | Text | Yes | Middle name optional. |
| Address, City, State, County | Text / Dropdown | Yes | State dropdown lists U.S. states and some foreign places. |
| Birth Place | Text | Yes | County and state, or country. |
| Date of Birth | Date | Yes | mm/dd/yyyy. |
| Education and Education Years | Dropdown / Number | Yes | College, high school, or elementary. |
| Number of This Marriage | Dropdown | Yes | 1 through 10. |
| Parent Names and Birth State | Text | Yes | Two parent sections per applicant. |
If a prior marriage ended, the form asks how and when, with options for annulment, death, dissolution, or divorce. The state dropdown is unusually broad and includes U.S. states, territories, and several foreign places, so applicants born outside North Carolina can still complete it. The form labels the two applicants neutrally as Applicant 1 and Applicant 2.
Filling the application out online does not replace the in-person step. Both applicants still appear at the office to verify their information, present ID, and pay the fee before the license is issued.
Certified Marriage Copies and Vital Records
A certified marriage copy proves the marriage for legal purposes. The Register issues these for $10. The office also handles certified birth and death copies for Gaston County records, also $10 for a certified copy. Certified vital copies are limited to actual relatives, and the applicant must prove the relationship with ID or records the office can verify.
The vital record application asks for the type of record, identifying details, your relationship to the person, and your reason for applying. It is not just a name search. For mail requests, the office asks that you call the vital records line at 704-862-7687 first if you have questions.
The Register does not create birth and death records, but it preserves the ones created for Gaston County residents. For statewide birth records from 1961 to the present, the office can also process a request through the state NCDAVE system at a higher fee. An expedited request can be sent by overnight service with a prepaid return envelope.
Eligibility is the key hurdle for certified vital copies. The instructions warn that a certified copy goes only to an actual relative, not a close friend, and the applicant must prove the relationship with ID or records the office can verify. The application also asks the reason for the request, which helps staff confirm eligibility before issuing the copy.
Gaston County Divorce Judgments
A divorce is a court matter, so the divorce judgment is a court record held by the Clerk of Superior Court. The Judicial Branch says a divorce judgment is obtained from the clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. In Gaston County, that is the Clerk of Superior Court at (704) 852-3100. Copies are made for a fee.
To request a divorce judgment, be ready with the party names, an approximate filing date, and a case number if you have one. A divorce judgment is different from a divorce certificate, which trips up many requesters. Family case information can be searched through the eCourts Portal or a public terminal, but the official judgment copy still comes from the clerk. Some family details may be restricted, so not everything in a domestic file is open.
The Judicial Branch divorce and marriage help topic explains the process.
For the broader court-record process, see Gaston County court records and the Clerk of Superior Court page.
Divorce Certificates from Vital Records
A divorce certificate is not the same as a divorce judgment. The certificate is a vital record available through North Carolina Vital Records, while the judgment is the actual court order from the clerk. People often need only one of the two, so decide which document the requesting agency actually wants before you pay.
If an agency wants proof a divorce happened, a certificate may be enough. If it wants the terms of the divorce, you need the judgment from the clerk. North Carolina divorce also requires statutory grounds and residency, which the Judicial Branch help topics explain.
License, Certificate, or Judgment
The single most useful thing to understand about Gaston County marriage and divorce records is that three documents come from three different offices. People call all of them "marriage and divorce records," but each has its own request path. The comparison below sorts them out.
| Document | Office | What It Is |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license and certified copy | Register of Deeds | The license to marry and the recorded proof. |
| Divorce judgment | Clerk of Superior Court | The court order that ends the marriage. |
| Divorce certificate | NC Vital Records | A vital record showing the divorce occurred. |
Before you call or visit, decide which of the three you need. The agency asking for the document can usually tell you whether it wants a certificate or the full judgment.
Family Law Self-Help
People handling a divorce without a lawyer can use statewide resources. The Judicial Branch publishes family law forms, and Guide & File offers guided filing for supported case types. File & Serve handles eFiling. Legal Aid of North Carolina helps eligible clients with some family matters, with statewide intake at 1-866-219-5262.
Court staff can explain filing procedures and provide public forms, but they cannot give legal advice or tell you what to file. For custody, support, or protective orders, those resources and a qualified attorney are the right starting points. Gaston County also offers custody mediation, reachable at (704) 852-3338, which can help parents resolve a parenting schedule without a full court fight.