Clerk’s office to discontinue Saturday marriage licenses

Being able to get a marriage license on Saturdays in Eureka Springs is coming to an end.

Carroll County Clerk Connie Doss has announced that Nov. 22 will be the final Saturday that the clerk’s office in the Western District Courthouse in downtown Eureka Springs will be open, deciding to transition to a “traditional” Monday through Friday schedule.

“This has been a difficult decision to make and not one I take lightly,” Doss said in a news release issued Wednesday, Oct. 29. “The decision was made in consultation with the County Judge’s office, who, after seeing the numbers agreed.”

Doss’ release reports that the number of licenses issued in the Western District office “has steadily declined from its high in 2001 of 5,124 licenses issued to what is projected to be well under 1,000 by the end of the year.”

“The Clerk estimates the 2025 issued marriage licenses in Eureka Springs at 840, which is equivalent to the 1989 numbers,” the release states. “During the pandemic, while still decreasing, held their own against the pre-pandemic numbers of 2019. The office will experience a drop of 500 plus licenses issued this year against those of 2019, if the projections hold.”

Those numbers are the major factor in the decision, Doss said.

“The county can no longer justify the continued expenses of keeping the doors open on Saturdays against the convenience,” Doss said in the release. “I must be a good steward of ALL taxpayer money while balancing the needs of the tourism industry in Eureka Springs and I believe that I’ve done this …” Giving businesses adequate time to adjust their marketing strategies, the off-season period in Eureka Springs, and Friday versus Saturday foot traffic were all considered in making the decision, Doss said.