Obtaining Your Marriage License in California
Regular (Public) Marriage License
You may obtain your license at any County Clerk's office (does not have to be in the county in which you live or the one in which you will be married). It is recommended that you call the County Clerk's office to see if they suggest setting an appointment. You could find yourselves in a long line without an appointment in some locales.
Licenses are only valid for 90 days, so you must go sometime within the 90 days prior to your wedding.
No blood test is required.
No waiting period is needed. The clerk will give you your license immediately.
The two of you must go to the County Clerk's office together and bring photo identification. Picture id such as Drivers License or other valid identification. Some counties recommend bringing certified copies of your birth certificates. Know your parents names, mothers' maiden names and places of their birth.
If you have been married before, you must show proof of divorce, death or annulment.
The cost varies by county. Some counties will only accept cash.
Don't forget to bring your license on your wedding day. Your officiant will file it with the county on your behalf and the county will mail it back to you within a few weeks.
Below is the contact information for some of the County Clerk's Offices in the area we serve.
Santa Clara County Recorder
70 West Hedding Street, East Wing,1st floor
San Jose CA 95110
408-299.2481
Contra Costa County Recorder
555 Escobar St.
Martinez, CA
925-646.2360
San Francisco County Recorder
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, City Hall, Room 190
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-554-4176
Monterey County Recorder
168 West Alisal Street, 1st Floor,
Salinas, CA 93901831-647-7906
Sonoma County Clerk
2300 County Center Drive
Suite B177
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-527-3800
Alameda County Recorder
1106 Madison Street
Oakland, CA 94607
510-272-6363
San Mateo County Clerk
555 County Center, 1st Flr.
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665
650-363-4711
Santa Cruz County Recorder
701 Ocean Street, Room 230
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-454-2800
Marin County Recorder
3501 Civic Center Dr.#232
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-499-7215
California Confidential marriage License Info
The second type of marriage license that can be obtained in the state of California is the Confidential Marriage License
Parties to the marriage must be living together prior to the marriage
Ceremony must take place in the county that issued the marriage license
No witnesses required
Marriage record is only available to the named parties on the document
Fees vary for the Confidential License. In some counties, the price is the same as that of a regular (public) license. In others, it is more expensive.
License valid for 90 days after date of issue
No waiting period
Confidential Marriage Licenses are available at all California County Clerk's offices.
Note the Name Equality Act of 2007 allows one or both applicants for a California marriage license to elect to change the middle and/or last names by which each party wishes to be known after solemnization of the marriage.
You MUST decide if you are taking your spouse's last name, or hyphenating your name AT THE TIME OF YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE APPLICATION.
One or both parties to a marriage may elect to change the middle and/or last names by which that party wishes to be known after solemnization of the marriage. Each party applying for a marriage license may choose to include on their marriage license the new name in the spaces provided on the marriage license application without intent to defraud. Changing one's name through this process can only be done at the time the marriage license is issued by the County Clerk or authorized Notary Public, as applicable.
Marriage licenses must be filed by the officiant within 10 days of the ceremony (although it is a Lyssabeth's policy to mail the license within 24 hours of the ceremony). Couples may obtain a certified copy of their marriage license by submitting application to the County Clerk approximately one week after the ceremony. Instructions and fees for this will be included in the information packet given to the couple from the County Clerk's office.
This information is accurate and current to the best of our knowledge. For further information on California Marriage License, please consult your local County Clerk's office.
Return to Lyssabeth's Client Information Page
Regular (Public) Marriage License
You may obtain your license at any County Clerk's office (does not have to be in the county in which you live or the one in which you will be married). It is recommended that you call the County Clerk's office to see if they suggest setting an appointment. You could find yourselves in a long line without an appointment in some locales.
Licenses are only valid for 90 days, so you must go sometime within the 90 days prior to your wedding.
No blood test is required.
No waiting period is needed. The clerk will give you your license immediately.
The two of you must go to the County Clerk's office together and bring photo identification. Picture id such as Drivers License or other valid identification. Some counties recommend bringing certified copies of your birth certificates. Know your parents names, mothers' maiden names and places of their birth.
If you have been married before, you must show proof of divorce, death or annulment.
The cost varies by county. Some counties will only accept cash.
Don't forget to bring your license on your wedding day. Your officiant will file it with the county on your behalf and the county will mail it back to you within a few weeks.
Below is the contact information for some of the County Clerk's Offices in the area we serve.
Santa Clara County Recorder
70 West Hedding Street, East Wing,1st floor
San Jose CA 95110
408-299.2481
Contra Costa County Recorder
555 Escobar St.
Martinez, CA
925-646.2360
San Francisco County Recorder
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, City Hall, Room 190
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-554-4176
Monterey County Recorder
168 West Alisal Street, 1st Floor,
Salinas, CA 93901831-647-7906
Sonoma County Clerk
2300 County Center Drive
Suite B177
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
707-527-3800
Alameda County Recorder
1106 Madison Street
Oakland, CA 94607
510-272-6363
San Mateo County Clerk
555 County Center, 1st Flr.
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665
650-363-4711
Santa Cruz County Recorder
701 Ocean Street, Room 230
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-454-2800
Marin County Recorder
3501 Civic Center Dr.#232
San Rafael, CA 94903
415-499-7215
California Confidential marriage License Info
The second type of marriage license that can be obtained in the state of California is the Confidential Marriage License
Parties to the marriage must be living together prior to the marriage
Ceremony must take place in the county that issued the marriage license
No witnesses required
Marriage record is only available to the named parties on the document
Fees vary for the Confidential License. In some counties, the price is the same as that of a regular (public) license. In others, it is more expensive.
License valid for 90 days after date of issue
No waiting period
Confidential Marriage Licenses are available at all California County Clerk's offices.
Note the Name Equality Act of 2007 allows one or both applicants for a California marriage license to elect to change the middle and/or last names by which each party wishes to be known after solemnization of the marriage.
You MUST decide if you are taking your spouse's last name, or hyphenating your name AT THE TIME OF YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE APPLICATION.
One or both parties to a marriage may elect to change the middle and/or last names by which that party wishes to be known after solemnization of the marriage. Each party applying for a marriage license may choose to include on their marriage license the new name in the spaces provided on the marriage license application without intent to defraud. Changing one's name through this process can only be done at the time the marriage license is issued by the County Clerk or authorized Notary Public, as applicable.
Marriage licenses must be filed by the officiant within 10 days of the ceremony (although it is a Lyssabeth's policy to mail the license within 24 hours of the ceremony). Couples may obtain a certified copy of their marriage license by submitting application to the County Clerk approximately one week after the ceremony. Instructions and fees for this will be included in the information packet given to the couple from the County Clerk's office.
This information is accurate and current to the best of our knowledge. For further information on California Marriage License, please consult your local County Clerk's office.
Return to Lyssabeth's Client Information Page
