A California marriage record search starts in one of two places: the county clerk-recorder’s office in the county where the marriage license was issued, or the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) in Sacramento, which keeps a statewide index. A certified copy costs $19 at either office. The county route is faster when you know where the couple married; CDPH is the fallback when you don’t.
Where to Send Your Request
If you know which California county issued the marriage license, go directly to that county’s clerk-recorder. County offices turn requests around much more quickly than the state, often within a few business days for in-person requests and two to three weeks by mail. You can submit in person, by mail, or in many counties through a third-party online vendor.
If you don’t know the county, request through CDPH. The department maintains a statewide index and can search across all counties, but its average processing time is five to seven weeks. You download Form VS 113-A, “Application for Certified Copy of Marriage Record,” from the CDPH website and mail the completed package to the Sacramento address.1California Department of Public Health. How to Obtain a Certified Copy of a Marriage Record2California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Processing Times
CDPH also accepts electronic submissions through a third-party vendor. The platform walks you through the same application fields but adds convenience fees to the base state charge.3California Department of Public Health. Vital Records Obtaining Certified Copies of Marriage Records
If CDPH can’t locate a record matching the details you provided, it issues a Certificate of No Public Record (CNPR) instead of a copy. The $19 fee is kept either way, because the charge covers the staff search. A CNPR doesn’t necessarily mean the marriage never happened. It can mean the details were slightly off, the record hasn’t been indexed yet, or the marriage was filed as confidential and wouldn’t appear in a standard search.1California Department of Public Health. How to Obtain a Certified Copy of a Marriage Record
Cost and Payment
The fee is $19 per certified copy at both county offices and CDPH. County offices generally accept check, money order, cash (in person), or credit/debit card, though cards sometimes carry a small surcharge. Mailed county requests should include a check or money order made payable to the county clerk-recorder. Some offices also require a self-addressed stamped envelope for return delivery, so check with the specific county before mailing.
CDPH accepts check or money order made out to “CDPH-Vital Records.” Cash is not accepted for mailed requests.
Online ordering through third-party vendors like VitalChek is available for many counties and for CDPH. These services add their own processing and convenience fees on top of the $19, which can push the total noticeably higher. Some vendors offer expedited shipping that government offices don’t provide, which can be worth the premium if you need the copy quickly.
Authorized vs. Informational Copy
California issues two kinds of certified copies, and picking the wrong one can leave you with a document that won’t do the job. An authorized certified copy works as a legal identity document. An informational copy looks similar but carries a printed legend reading “INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY.” You can’t use the informational version to update a driver’s license, apply for benefits, or prove legal status.4California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 103526 – Certified Copy and Verification of Records
To get an authorized certified copy of a public marriage record, you have to fall into one of these categories:
- A spouse named on the record
- A parent or legal guardian of someone named on the record
- A child, grandchild, grandparent, sibling, or domestic partner of someone named on the record
- An attorney representing someone named on the record or their estate
- A law enforcement officer or government agency representative conducting official business
- A person with a court order entitling them to the record
Anyone outside those categories can still request an informational copy. It’s useful for genealogy and general research but won’t satisfy legal or identity requirements.4California Legislative Information. California Health and Safety Code 103526 – Certified Copy and Verification of Records
If you’re requesting an authorized copy, you must also complete a Sworn Statement proving your identity and eligibility. That statement has to be signed before a notary public. California caps the notary fee at $15 per signature.5California Legislative Information. California Government Code 8211 County staff will verify your notarized statement against the application before releasing any authorized copy. If anything doesn’t match, expect the request to be returned rather than approved.
Information You’ll Need to Supply
The application asks for the same core details whether you file with a county or with CDPH:
- Full names of both spouses: first, middle, current last name, and last name at birth
- Date of marriage, exact or approximate
- County where the marriage license was issued
- Your contact information: name, mailing address, phone number, and email
- Reason for the request
The biggest cause of delays is getting names or dates wrong. Maiden names trip people up most often. If a spouse changed their last name at marriage, you need to provide the name they used at the time the license was filed, which is typically the birth surname. An approximate date still works when you don’t know the exact one, though it may slow the search.
Confidential Marriage Records Have Stricter Rules
California allows confidential marriages for unmarried couples 18 or older who have been living together as spouses. These records are filed separately, and under Family Code Section 511 they are permanent records not open to public inspection.6California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 511 – Confidential Marriage
Only a party to the confidential marriage counts as an authorized person for the record. Everyone else, including parents, children, and siblings, needs a court order showing good cause before the county clerk will release a copy. If you’re researching a relative’s confidential marriage and they’ve passed away, expect to file a petition with the court before you can access anything. CDPH’s standard index search doesn’t reach confidential records, so these requests go through the issuing county.
After You Receive the Certificate
A certified marriage certificate is the starting document for a chain of post-marriage identity updates. The Social Security Administration should generally be the first stop, because other agencies will later check your name against SSA records. SSA requires an original or certified document and does not accept photocopies.7Social Security Administration. How Do I Change or Correct My Name on My Social Security Number Card The California DMV accepts a certified marriage certificate as proof of a legal name change when applying for a REAL ID. The informational copy, with its printed disqualifying legend, won’t work for REAL ID.8California Department of Motor Vehicles. List of Documents for REAL ID
If you need the certificate recognized in another country, you’ll likely need an apostille from the California Secretary of State. The Secretary of State charges $20 per apostille. Requests go by mail to the Sacramento office or in person at Sacramento or Los Angeles, with an added $6 special handling fee per signature for in-person requests. You submit the certified copy itself, not a photocopy of it, so plan ahead and consider ordering an extra copy you can part with while it’s in transit.9California Secretary of State. Request an Apostille