To get a marriage license in Contra Costa County, both partners walk into the Clerk-Recorder’s Office together during regular business hours with government-issued photo ID. No appointment is needed for the license. A public license costs $95 and a confidential license costs $100.1Contra Costa County County Clerk Recorder. Marriage License and Ceremony Fees Both are valid for 90 days and can be used anywhere in California, so the ceremony doesn’t have to happen in Contra Costa County.
What to Bring
Both of you must appear in person. One partner cannot handle the paperwork alone. Each partner needs a valid government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, state ID card, or passport.
You’ll also need to supply, during the application:
- Full legal names of both parents for each of you, including birthplaces and each parent’s name before marriage
- Date and place of birth for both partners
- If either of you was married before, the exact date the divorce or annulment became final and the county or country where it was granted
If a divorce was finalized within the last 90 days, bring the final decree. For older divorces, the date and location are enough.
Both applicants must be at least 18 under California law. There’s no waiting period, so the license is usable the same day it’s issued.
Public or Confidential License
California offers two types, and the choice matters more than most couples realize at the counter.
Public License
The public license is the standard option at $95. The ceremony must include at least one witness, and no more than two, who signs the license along with you and the officiant. Once the officiant returns the completed license, the marriage becomes a public record and anyone can request a copy.
Confidential License
The confidential license costs $100 and carries an eligibility requirement: both of you must already be living together as spouses when you apply. You attest to this on the application. In exchange, no witnesses are required at the ceremony, and only the two of you (or someone with a court order) can obtain a certified copy afterward.
Both licenses expire 90 days from issuance. Miss that window and you’ll pay for a new one.
Changing Your Name on the License
If you want to change your middle or last name after marriage, the license application is where it starts. Under California’s Name Equality Act, you make the election when you pick up the license. First names can’t be changed through this process.
Options for a new last name include:
- Your spouse’s current last name
- Either spouse’s birth name
- A single new surname combining all or part of either spouse’s current or birth last name
- A hyphenated or combined version of both last names
For a new middle name, you can adopt either spouse’s current or birth last name, or combine your existing middle name with a current or birth last name from either spouse.
Neither partner has to change a name, and you don’t have to pick the same one. If you leave the name-change fields blank, the clerk fills them with dashes. Once the marriage certificate is registered, it cannot be amended to add or change a name. Handle the name change at the counter or not through this process at all.
Who Can Officiate
California authorizes a wide range of officiants: priests, ministers, rabbis, and leaders of any religious denomination; active or retired judges, court commissioners, and magistrates at the state and federal level; state legislators, members of Congress representing California districts, and other constitutional officers while in office.
To have a friend or family member officiate, they can apply through a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages program. Some California counties offer a “deputy for a day” designation for a specific ceremony. Fees and lead times vary, so check with the Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder’s Office for local availability and deadlines. Ordained ministers through online churches generally qualify under the clergy provision, though practices vary and confirming with the clerk’s office in advance is worthwhile.
The officiant must be physically present with both of you during the ceremony. California doesn’t allow remote solemnization. The one exception is active-duty military stationed overseas in a conflict zone, who may participate through a power of attorney.
Civil Ceremony at the Clerk-Recorder’s Office
If you’d rather have the office perform a short civil ceremony, the fees are separate from the license:
- With appointment: $50
- Walk-in: $65
- After hours: $75
An appointment is required for ceremonies, even though the license itself is walk-in only. Checks aren’t accepted for ceremony fees; credit and debit cards work with a small service fee, and cash is accepted. If you’re using a public license, you’ll still need at least one witness at the ceremony to sign.
Returning the License After the Ceremony
This is the step couples forget, and it’s what makes the marriage official on paper. Your officiant must complete the license after the ceremony and return it to the Contra Costa County Recorder’s Office within 10 days. If the officiant misses the deadline, the marriage can still be valid, but you won’t have a registered record, which creates problems when you need a certified copy for name changes, insurance, or tax filings.
Follow up with the officiant within a few days of the ceremony to confirm the completed license was mailed or delivered. For a public license, the officiant fills in the solemnization details and has the witness or witnesses sign. For a confidential license, no witness signatures are needed, but the officiant still handles the return.
Once the recorder processes the returned license, it becomes your registered marriage certificate. You can order certified copies from the Clerk-Recorder’s Office in person or by mail, with separate statutory fees.
The fee schedule above took effect January 1, 2025.1Contra Costa County County Clerk Recorder. Marriage License and Ceremony Fees