To meet California marriage license requirements, both people must appear together at any County Clerk’s office in the state, be at least 18 and unmarried, present valid government-issued photo ID, and pay a county fee that generally falls between about $60 and $145. The clerk issues the license the same day. There is no waiting period, the license is valid anywhere in California, and it expires 90 days after issuance.1California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code 356 – Marriage License
Who Qualifies for a License
Both people must be at least 18, currently unmarried, and legally capable of consenting to the marriage.2California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 301 – Marriage If either person is still married to someone else, the new marriage can be voided entirely.3California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 300 – Marriage
Anyone under 18 faces two extra steps: at least one parent or guardian must provide written consent, and a superior court judge must issue an order granting permission. The court order and the written consent are filed with the court, and a certified copy of the order goes to the County Clerk when the license is issued.4California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 302 – Family Code
California does not require blood tests, health certificates, or any medical screening.
What to Bring to the Clerk’s Office
Both people appear at the same time with valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, or permanent resident card. Photocopies and digital images are not accepted.5Office of the County Clerk-Recorder, County of Santa Clara. Apply for a Marriage License
Have this information ready before your appointment:
- Your current legal name and, if different, your name at birth.
- Date and place of birth for both of you.
- Full legal names of each person’s parents and their birthplaces (state or country).
- If either person was previously married or in a registered domestic partnership, the exact date the divorce or dissolution became final. Some counties want a copy of the judgment if the divorce closed within the past 90 days.5Office of the County Clerk-Recorder, County of Santa Clara. Apply for a Marriage License
Many counties now require an appointment booked online, so check the county’s website before you go.
Public or Confidential License
California issues two types of marriage licenses. The choice affects who can pull the record later and what happens at the ceremony itself.
A public license becomes part of the county’s open records; anyone can request a certified copy. The ceremony must have at least one witness and no more than two, and the witness signs the license along with the officiant.6California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 359 – Marriage License
A confidential license is available only to couples who are both at least 18 and already living together as spouses.7California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 500 – Confidential Marriage No witnesses sign the license or attend the ceremony in that capacity.8California Department of Public Health. Types of Marriage Licenses The state does not keep a centralized copy, and only the two people named on the certificate can request copies, which come exclusively from the issuing county.9California Department of Public Health. Vital Records – Obtaining Certified Copies of Marriage Records
The “confidential” label refers to record access, not to the marriage itself. The marriage is equally valid and legally binding either way.
Fees and How to Apply
Both people appear together at any County Clerk’s office in California to apply.10California Legislative Information. California Code FAM – Marriage License The clerk places you under oath, you confirm the truthfulness of what’s on the application, and the license is handed over the same day. No waiting period applies, so if your officiant and venue are ready, you can hold the ceremony that afternoon.
Fees vary by county. A public license runs from around $61 in Orange County to $129 in San Diego County. Confidential fees can sit slightly above or below the public price. Sacramento charges $97 for public and $98 for confidential.11Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder. Marriage License and Ceremony Fees Los Angeles charges $91 for public and $85 for confidential.12Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Marriage License and Ceremony Fees Confirm the current amount with your county before showing up.
Changing Your Name on the License
Under California’s Name Equality Act, either or both people can change a middle or last name directly on the marriage license application. It’s the simplest route to a legal name change after marriage because it avoids a separate court petition. Make the choice when the license is issued: once the marriage certificate is recorded, it cannot be amended to add or alter a name.13California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code FAM 306.5 – Name Change Marriage
Options for a new last name include:
- Your spouse’s current last name.
- Either spouse’s last name at birth.
- A combined last name using all or part of either spouse’s current or birth last name.
- A hyphenated or other combination of last names.
Middle name choices follow a similar pattern, allowing combinations of current middle names with either spouse’s current or birth last name. First names cannot be changed through the marriage license, and neither spouse is required to change any name at all.13California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code FAM 306.5 – Name Change Marriage
Who Can Perform the Ceremony
The license alone doesn’t marry you; someone authorized has to solemnize the ceremony. California recognizes religious leaders of any denomination who are at least 18, active and retired California judges and commissioners, federal judges and U.S. magistrates, and current or former state legislators, constitutional officers, members of Congress from California, and elected city or county officials.14California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code 400 – Marriage Solemnization Officials in office cannot accept payment for performing a ceremony.
If you want a friend or family member to officiate, the County Clerk can appoint a private individual as a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages authorized to perform one specific ceremony on a specific date.15California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code 401 – Commissioner of Civil Marriages The appointee must be at least 18 and show valid photo ID. Fees and lead times vary by county, and some counties want the application a month or more in advance.
Deadlines After the Ceremony
Two deadlines matter once you have the license in hand.
First, the license expires 90 days after issuance. If the ceremony doesn’t happen within that window, the license is void and you start over with a new application and a new fee.1California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code 356 – Marriage License The ceremony itself can take place anywhere in California, regardless of which county issued the license.
Second, after the wedding the officiant completes the solemnization section, collects any required witness signatures, and returns the license to the recorder in the issuing county within 10 days of the ceremony.6California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 359 – Marriage License “Returned” means physically delivered or postmarked before the deadline. The task belongs to the officiant, but follow up. If the license isn’t returned in time, the county can’t officially record the marriage, and that creates problems later when you need a certified copy for insurance, taxes, or a name change.
Getting Certified Copies
Once the county records the returned license, it becomes your official marriage certificate. You’ll need certified copies to update your Social Security card, change the name on your driver’s license, add a spouse to insurance, and open joint financial accounts.
For a public marriage, certified copies are available from the issuing county or from the California Department of Public Health. For a confidential marriage, only the two people named on the certificate can request copies, and they come only from the issuing county’s clerk office.9California Department of Public Health. Vital Records – Obtaining Certified Copies of Marriage Records Order two or three at once so you can submit them to different agencies at the same time instead of waiting on each one to come back.