How to Get a City of Los Angeles Marriage License

To get a Los Angeles marriage license, both applicants complete an online application through the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, book an in-person appointment together at one of seven branch offices, present valid photo ID, and pay $91 for a public license or $85 for a confidential license.{¹ The license is valid for 90 days and can be used anywhere in California. There’s no waiting period and no blood test, so the ceremony can happen the same week.

Who Can Apply

Both people need the legal capacity to marry, and each must present photo ID that the county clerk accepts as to name and date of birth. A credible witness affidavit can substitute if someone lacks standard ID.{² If either of you was previously married or in a registered domestic partnership, the exact date that union ended has to go on the application, whether it ended by divorce, annulment, or death.

Neither applicant has to be a California resident or a U.S. citizen. Out-of-state and international couples apply the same way locals do. The only geographic requirement is that the ceremony itself take place inside California while the license is active.

The standard age is 18. Minors can marry in California, but only with written consent from a custodial parent and a court order from the Superior Court approving the marriage, and they must apply in their county of residence. Confidential licenses aren’t available to anyone under 18.{³

Public License or Confidential License

You’ll choose between two types on the application, and the difference comes down to privacy and witness rules.

A public license costs $91. It requires at least one witness, and no more than two, at the ceremony to sign the license.{⁴ Once recorded, the marriage certificate is a public record, and authorized individuals can request certified copies.{⁵

A confidential license costs $85 and is only available to two unmarried non-minors who have been living together as spouses.{³ No witness is required at the ceremony. After recording, only the two spouses or someone with a court order can obtain a copy of the certificate.{⁵

What You Need to Bring

Start online through the county’s marriage license portal. Both applicants enter their full legal names, current addresses, parents’ full birth names and birthplaces, and details of any previous marriages.{⁶ Take your time. Errors or inconsistencies will slow things down at the counter.

To the appointment, each of you brings valid photo ID. A driver’s license, passport, or state-issued ID card are the most commonly accepted documents.{²

If your ID is in a language other than English, the county requires a certified English translation. The translator must be a California Court Interpreter or registered with the American Translators Association, and the declaration form needs a notarized signature. The county charges $10 per certification.{⁷

The Appointment

After you submit the online application, schedule an in-person appointment at any of the seven branch offices. Both applicants must attend together.{⁸ The locations are:

Norwalk (Main Office), 12400 Imperial Hwy., Norwalk
Beverly Hills, 9355 Burton Way, 4th Floor
East Los Angeles, 4716 E. Cesar Chavez Blvd., Building B
Lancaster, 44509 16th St. West, Suite 101
LAX/Courthouse, 11701 S. La Cienega Blvd., 6th Floor
Van Nuys, 14340 W. Sylvan St.
Florence/Firestone, 7807 Compton Ave., Room 102{⁹

At the window, a deputy clerk verifies your application, administers an oath in which both of you swear the information is accurate, and hands you the physical license after you sign and pay. The appointment is scheduled for 45 minutes.{⁸ You leave with the license in hand.

The 90-Day Clock

The license is valid for 90 days from the date of issue, with the expiration date printed on it.{² The ceremony can happen anywhere in California during that window; it doesn’t have to be in Los Angeles County.

If the 90 days pass without a ceremony, the license is void. There’s no extension. You’d start over with a fresh application and pay the full fee again. This catches out-of-state couples planning California destination weddings more than anyone else, so don’t apply too early.

Getting Married at a County Office

If you want the simplest civil ceremony, the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk performs them at all seven branches for a $35 fee, by appointment only, and you must already have your license before booking.{¹⁰

There are two ways to do it. A standard civil ceremony is a separate 15-minute appointment after license pickup. An express ceremony bundles the license and the ceremony into a single 45-minute appointment, which you select while completing the online application. Express ceremonies with a public license require one witness at the window; if you don’t have one, the office provides a witness for $20. Confidential licenses require no witness. Guests wait outside during express ceremonies.{¹⁰

Who Can Officiate Your Ceremony

If you’re marrying outside a county office, your officiant must be authorized under California law. The list includes priests, ministers, rabbis, and authorized persons of any religious denomination who are at least 18, along with active and retired judges, court commissioners, and certain federal judges.{¹¹ Current and former state legislators, members of Congress representing California, and elected city or county officials can also perform ceremonies, but they can’t accept payment for it while in office.

Deputy Commissioner for a Day

If you want a friend or family member to officiate, Los Angeles County’s Deputy Commissioner for a Day program temporarily authorizes a specific person to perform your ceremony. The base fee is $75, paid by check or money order. Applications should be mailed at least two months before the wedding date; those submitted less than one month out require a $13 expediting fee.{¹²

The designated person attends a virtual class held Thursdays at 10 a.m., presents photo ID, takes an oath, and signs the required paperwork. The session runs about an hour. Once deputized, the authorization is good for ceremonies anywhere in California, not just Los Angeles County. Fees are nonrefundable, but if the deputization doesn’t go through, payment can be applied to another appointment within the same calendar year.{¹²

After the Ceremony: Recording the License

Getting married and being legally recorded as married are two different steps. After the ceremony, your officiant is legally required to complete the license, have the witness or witnesses sign, and return the document to the county recorder within 10 days.{⁴ Under California law, “returned” means either delivered in person or postmarked before the 10-day deadline.

Follow up with your officiant. A polite reminder the day after the ceremony is normal. If the license never gets recorded, proving the marriage is valid can get complicated when you need to apply for spousal benefits or make medical decisions.

Ordering Certified Copies

Once the marriage is recorded, order certified copies through VitalChek, which handles online requests for Los Angeles County. Each certified copy is $19, processed within 20 working days.{⁵ You’ll need certified copies for name changes, insurance enrollment, and immigration paperwork, so ordering two or three at once saves time later.

To get an authorized certified copy, a notarized Certificate of Identity form may be required. Without it, you can still request an informational copy, but it will be stamped “INFORMATIONAL, NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY.”{⁵ For confidential marriages, only the spouses themselves or someone with a court order can obtain copies.

Fixing Errors on the License

If you spot a typo after the ceremony and recording, you can file an amendment to correct factual errors. For a public license, amendments can be filed at the county recorder’s office or with the California Department of Public Health. For a confidential license, amendments go through the county recorder only and may carry an additional fee. If you catch the error before the ceremony, you can’t amend the existing license; you’d need to purchase a new one.

1
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Marriage Licenses and Ceremonies Fees
2
Justia. California Code Family Code 350-360 – Marriage License
3
California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code 500 – General Provisions
4
California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code FAM 359
5
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Marriage Records Online Request Information
6
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Online Marriage License System
7
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Certification Services
8
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Apply for a Marriage License
9
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Branch Office Locations
10
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. General Info
11
California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code 400
12
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Deputy Commissioner for a Day Program