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Marriage Licenses
Attention:
- On a limited basis, ceremonies are performed through the Clerk-Recorder’s Office, Monday through Friday. Appointments are preferable, please call at least 24 hours in advance for scheduling the appointment. Those without an appointment will be served in accordance to available staff.
Our Auburn office processes marriage license applications between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. No appointment is necessary if you are applying for a license in our Auburn office.
Marriage license applications are also accepted in our Carnelian Bay office, however, it is by appointment only. Schedule your appointment online anytime.
Name Equality Act
The Name Equality Act of 2007 (AB 102, Chapter 567, Statutes of 2007) gives specific rights to parties who are applying for their California marriage license, to choose and list on the marriage license, the new name(s) that each party will go by after marriage (Family Code 306.5 (PDF)) This law only pertains to marriage licenses issued on or after January 1, 2009 and does not apply to marriage licenses issued prior to that date.
Please note that parties are not required to have the same name, nor are they required to change their name. If one or both of the parties want to have their new name(s) shown on their marriage license, the new name must be entered on the marriage license application at the time they are applying for their marriage license. The name you indicate on your marriage license application will be your name on the marriage license certificate and cannot be changed by the County Clerk. If you do not indicate a new name on your marriage license, a court order will be required to do a name change.
For more information please visit the Office of Vital Records website.
Wedding Keepsakes are available.
Public & Confidential Marriage Licenses
There are two types of marriage licenses a couple may apply for: Public and Confidential. Both types of marriage licenses are valid for 90 days from the date they are issued and may be used anywhere in the state of California. You must present the license to the person who is to perform the marriage ceremony. After the ceremony is performed, it is their responsibility to complete the license and to return it to the County Clerk for filing within 10 days after the ceremony. Below are links to worksheets you may use prior to arriving in our office. Please note: You will need to complete your application at a public kiosk in our lobby when you arrive to obtain your marriage license.
Applying for a Public Marriage License
- License Information for the Prospective Couple (PDF)
- License Information for the Person Solemnizing the Marriage (PDF)
Parties to be married must do the following to apply for a marriage license:
- Apply together and apply in person.
- Present a government issued picture identification, such as a driver's license, passport or military ID.
- Provide full names, including mother's maiden names, and state or country of birth for parents.
- If previously married or in a State Registered Domestic Partnership, provide the date of dissolution, death or termination.
Who May perform Marriage Ceremonies Per Family Code Section 401
Marriage ceremonies may be performed by:
- Any priest, minister, or rabbi of any religious denomination
- Assistant commissioner of a court of record
- Commissioner or retired commissioner
- Judge or magistrate who has resigned from office, mayor, city clerk, county supervisor
- Judge or retired judge
- Person authorized to do so under Family Code Section 401
Family Code Section 401
For each county, the county clerk is designated as a commissioner of civil marriages. The commissioner of civil marriages may appoint deputy commissioners of civil marriages who may perform marriage ceremonies under the direction of the commissioner. For more information, visit the Deputy Marriage Commission for a Day page.
Civil Marriage Ceremonies
On a limited basis, ceremonies are performed through the Clerk-Recorder's Office, Monday through Friday. Appointments are preferable, please call at least 24 hours in advance for scheduling the appointment. Those without an appointment will be served in accordance to available staff.
Applying for a Confidential Marriage License
Parties to be married must do the following to apply for a marriage license:
- Both applicants must be over 18 years of age.
- Currently living together.
- Apply together and apply in person.
- Present a government issued picture identification, such as a driver's license, passport or military ID.
- Provide full names, including mother's maiden names, and state or country of birth for parents.
- If previously married or in a State Registered Domestic Partnership, provide the date of dissolution, death or termination.
Who May perform Marriage Ceremonies Per Family Code Section 401
Marriage ceremonies may be performed by:
- Any priest, minister, or rabbi of any religious denomination
- Assistant commissioner of a court of record
- Commissioner or retired commissioner
- Judge or magistrate who has resigned from office, mayor, city clerk, county supervisor
- Judge or retired judge
- Person authorized to do so under Family Code Section 401
Family Code Section 401
For each county, the county clerk is designated as a commissioner of civil marriages. The commissioner of civil marriages may appoint deputy commissioners of civil marriages who may perform marriage ceremonies under the direction of the commissioner. For more information, visit the Deputy Marriage Commission for a Day page.
Civil Marriage Ceremonies
In light of the current COVID-19 restrictions, we will allow only the couple and one witness to be present during a scheduled marriage ceremony.
On a limited basis, ceremonies are performed through the Clerk-Recorders Office, Monday through Friday. Appointments are preferable, please call at least 24 hours in advance for scheduling the appointment. Those without an appointment will be served in accordance to available staff.
Miscellaneous Information
- Minors, emancipated minors included, cannot be licensed to marry in California without a parent's written consent and a Superior Court Order, and cannot purchase a Confidential Marriage license. Please call for more information.
- There are no residency requirements for the parties to be married, or witnesses to the ceremony.
- Both Confidential and Public marriage license can be used anywhere in the state of California.
- One witness is required on the Public marriage license. Two are also acceptable. No witnesses are necessary for the Confidential marriage license.
- The Public license is a public record and available for anyone's inspection. It may be published in a local newspaper. The Confidential marriage license is not a public record, and a certified copy can only be purchased by the parties of the marriage without a court order.
- Certified copies are available at the Recorder's Office for a fee of $17 for Public and $22 for Confidential.