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Marriage License in California

Are you ready to get married?

To get married, you will need to apply for and obtain a marriage license. You can get your marriage license in any County in California. You do not need to get your marriage license from the County you are getting married in.

Here are the requirements for getting a marriage license in California.

  • Both of you must be 18 years of age or older and never married. If you were married, you must have the final judgment of divorce paperwork.
  • You must complete the proper paperwork issued by the County Clerk.
  • Visit the County Clerk nearest you to file the marriage license.  The marriage license needs to be signed by a minister or justice of the peace to be valid.
  • Have a valid form of ID when filing the license.  This form of ID can be a passport, driver’s license, or military ID.

Once you have your license from the County Clerk, we can marry you! Within minutes of receiving your paperwork or within a few months, you can be pronounced husband and wife!  Please check the County requirements for getting your license or contact us to help with license information.

Below are some frequently asked questions.
Where do I apply for a marriage license?

Licenses are issued by the County Clerk’s office. For the County Clerk near you Google “County Clerk” and then type in the county in California you live in.  If you don’t live in California, contact us and we can provide you with the information needed.

If I live in San Diego County but want to get married in San Luis Obispo County, do I need to get my license from San Diego County?

No, you can get your license from any city or county in California.

What are the requirements to apply for a marriage license?

Must be at least 18 years old.
Must apply for your license and paperwork at the County Clerk’s office.
Must provide identification – driver’s license, military ID, passport, state identification card
Must be unmarried – if previously married, you must have the final dissolution papers or divorce decree to apply for a new marriage license

Your marriage license from the county is valid for 90 days

Do I need a witness at the wedding ceremony?

If you have a friend or family member attending the ceremony, they can act as your witness. If you do not have anyone joining you, you can have our photographer act as the witness to the marriage.

How soon can I get married after I get the license from the state? You can get married within minutes! But , you have up to 90 days to get married once you get your license.

Do I need a blood test to get married?

No, it is not required.

Do I have to be a resident of California to get married in the state?

No, you can be from anywhere in the world, just as long as you have a marriage license.

Can I be from another state or even out of the country to be married in California?

As long as you have a marriage license issued in the state of California and are in the country legally, we can perform your ceremony.

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