Marriage License Information
What is the difference between a Public and a Confidential
marriage license?
If public:
You can get married anywhere in the State of California, you need
at least one witness during your ceremony, and the marriage
record is made available to the public.
To obtain a public marriage license, the couple must appear together at the County
Clerk's office with picture identification such as a state driver's license, state ID
card, or passport. If either partner does not speak English, someone who can
translate must accompany the couple.
It usually takes 20 to 30 minutes to issue a marriage license, but you may have to
wait longer if there are other couples ahead of you. Arrive at the office in plenty of
time to complete the paperwork prior to the office closing at 4:00 p.m. You can
print the application, and bring it in with you.
If either party was married before, the couple will need to know the date the
previous marriage ended. If either party was divorced within the last six months, we
ask that a copy of the final judgment be brought.
The public (regular) marriage license is effective the day it is issued and may be used
anywhere in the State of California within 90 days of the issue date.
After the public license is issued you may be married by a priest, rabbi, minister or
other authorized person of your choice. The person who performs the ceremony
will return the certificate to the Marin County Recorder's Office, Room 232. You
may obtain a certified copy from that office.
If Confidential:
You must be living together, getting married in the County where
you purchased your license, no witnesses are required, and the
marriage record is only available to the husband and wife.
Couples who are living together may obtain a confidential marriage license. A
confidential license is purchased in a County, the marriage ceremony must be
performed in the same County. Confidential marriage licenses are available in all
counties statewide and must be used in the county in which they are issued.
Confidential marriage licenses cannot be issued to minors.
In order to obtain a confidential license, the couple must appear together with
picture identification at the County Clerk's Office. The couple will be required to
swear or affirm that they are living together as husband and wife. You can print the
application now, and bring it in with you.
The confidential marriage license is effective the day it is issued and must be used
within the same County within 90 days of the date issued. You may be married by a
priest, rabbi, minister or other authorized person of your choice.
After the confidential marriage ceremony is performed, the license will be returned
and filed with the County Clerk in the same county where it was issued. The license
cannot be viewed by anyone except the couple without a court order. Certified
copies may be purchased after filing and the couple may show them to anyone
requiring proof of the marriage.
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Marriage in the State of California
You do not need to be a California resident to marry in California.
The same requirements apply whether you are a U.S. Citizen or a Tourist.
Only an unmarried male and an unmarried female may marry in the State of
California.
Marriage by proxy is not allowed in California.
OBTAINING A MARRIAGE LICENSE IN CALIFORNIA
An unmarried man and an unmarried woman over the age of 18 years of age may apply for a marriage license in
California. Anyone under 18 must obtain a court order through the Juvenile Court system.
If either applicant was previously married, he/she will need to know the exact date of the
dissolution of the last marriage by divorce/annulment/or death. If the last marriage ended less than 90 days from the date of
the appointment, you must bring a CERTIFIED copy of the divorce decree issued by the court or death record issued by the
Department of Public Health. Non-certified copies, i.e. filed copies or endorsed copies, usually given to you by your attorney,
are not accepted.
Marriage license office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. in half-
hour increments. Thirty minutes average time for process.
A legal picture I.D. card is required from each partner. A valid government agency
issued picture ID(Examples: passport, driver's license, naturalization form,
resident alien cards, military I.D.) which must contain full legal name. If the
legal picture I.D. card does not contain your full legal name you must also present a certified copy of birth certificate or a
social security card, showing your full legal name.
Once the license is issued, you would present the license to the person you have chosen to solemnize your
marriage, i.e. priest, minister, rabbi, who may solemnize your marriage within 90 days of the issuance of the license. The
ceremony MUST be performed in San Francisco for couples opting to obtain a confidential marriage license through our office.
Questions:
Q. Do I still need blood tests in order to get a marriage license?
A. No. The blood test requirement was eliminated in January 1995.
Q. How do I get my personal name changed?
A. If the change is on the last name due to a marriage, you will need to
present a certified copy of your marriage license to DMV and the Social
Security office. Any other type of name change is handled through the
Superior Court.
Q. How do I get a copy of my divorce papers?
A. Everything related to divorce is handled by the Superior Court. Your
divorce records are kept in the county in which you filed the divorce.
Q. How do I get a copy of my birth certificate?
A. Copies of birth certificates for births are issued by the Dept. of Public
Health. You may also contact the Secretary of State's, Vital Statistic's
Division.
Q. What is the fee for a marriage license?
A. The fee for a marriage license is $85.
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