To get legally married in Orange County, CA, you need three things: a marriage license from the Orange County Clerk-Recorder, a ceremony performed by someone legally authorized to officiate, and the signed license returned to the Clerk-Recorder within 10 days of the ceremony. California has no waiting period, so the license and the wedding can happen on the same day. A public license costs $61 and a confidential license costs $66, and you can apply at any of the county’s three Clerk-Recorder offices.1Orange County Clerk-Recorder. Orange County Clerk-Recorder Fee Schedule
Who Can Marry in California
Both people must consent to the marriage and follow through with a license and a ceremony for it to be legally valid.2California Legislative Information. California Family Code 300 Beyond that:
- Both parties must be at least 18. Anyone under 18 needs consent from at least one parent or guardian and a court order, which the court grants entirely at its discretion.
- Both must be unmarried. Any prior marriage must have ended by divorce, annulment, or the death of a spouse before you can get a new license.
- Close family marriages are prohibited: parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren at any generational distance, siblings and half-siblings, and aunts or uncles with nieces or nephews.
California does not require blood tests or any medical screening.
Choose Your License Type Before You Apply
California issues two kinds of marriage licenses, and the choice affects your fee, your privacy, and whether you need a witness at the ceremony. Decide before you fill out the online application.
Public License
A public marriage license becomes part of the public record once filed, and anyone can request a copy. The ceremony requires at least one witness, and no more than two, to sign the license along with the couple and the officiant.3San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections. What Is the Difference Between a Confidential and a Public Marriage License The fee in Orange County is $61.
Confidential License
A confidential license is not part of the public record. Only the married couple can obtain copies unless a court orders otherwise, and no witnesses are allowed to sign.3San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections. What Is the Difference Between a Confidential and a Public Marriage License To qualify, both people must be at least 18 and must declare under penalty of perjury that they have been living together as spouses.4California Legislative Information. California Family Code 500 The county does not demand proof of cohabitation, but the declaration carries legal weight. The Orange County fee is $66.5OC Clerk-Recorder Department. Marriage Services
Once filed, both license types are legally identical. Couples planning a small ceremony who do not want to arrange a witness often choose the confidential route.
How to Apply at the Orange County Clerk-Recorder
Start the marriage license application online at the Clerk-Recorder’s website. This step is not optional. After submitting it, both parties must appear together, in person, at a Clerk-Recorder office to finalize the application, show ID, and pay the fee.5OC Clerk-Recorder Department. Marriage Services Appointments are strongly recommended and get priority over walk-ins, but walk-ins are accepted first-come, first-served.
You can apply at any of the three county offices:6OC Clerk-Recorder Department. Hours and Locations
- Old Orange County Courthouse, 211 West Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, CA 92701
- South County Branch Office, 24031 El Toro Road, Suite 160, Laguna Hills, CA 92653
- North County Branch Office, 222 S. Harbor Blvd., Suite 110A, Anaheim, CA 92805
What to Bring
Each person needs a valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, state ID, or passport. If either person had a previous marriage end within the past 90 days, bring a copy of the divorce decree or, if the former spouse died, a certified death certificate.5OC Clerk-Recorder Department. Marriage Services You will also need basic application information: full legal names, dates and places of birth, and parents’ names. Payment can be made by cash, credit or debit card, check, cashier’s check, or money order.
When the License Is Valid
The license is issued the same day you finalize the application and is valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. If you don’t hold your ceremony within those 90 days, the license expires and you have to apply and pay again.
Decide on a Name Change Before You Submit
If either of you plans to change a middle or last name, handle it on the marriage license application. California lets you list a new middle or last name there, and the resulting marriage certificate then functions as the legal document for updating your records elsewhere.7California Courts. Change Your Name When You Get Married
The new name has to be related to your current name or your spouse’s current or former name. Common options include taking your spouse’s last name, hyphenating both last names, or moving your current last name to your middle name and taking your spouse’s last name. First names cannot be changed through this process.
This is the part that catches people out: you cannot add a name change to your marriage certificate after the wedding. Skip it on the application and you will have to file a formal court petition later, which costs more and takes significantly longer.7California Courts. Change Your Name When You Get Married Talk it through with your partner before you fill out the online form.
Your Ceremony and Officiant
California requires a ceremony performed by an authorized officiant for the marriage to be valid. The list is broader than most couples expect. It includes priests, ministers, rabbis, and authorized persons of any religious denomination, as well as current or retired judges, court commissioners, U.S. magistrates, bankruptcy and tax court judges, California state legislators, constitutional officers, and members of Congress representing a California district. Any officiant must be at least 18.
Online ordination through organizations such as the Universal Life Church is another route couples commonly use, though the legal standing of online ordination has faced occasional court challenges in California.
Civil Ceremonies at the Clerk-Recorder
The Orange County Clerk-Recorder performs short, non-religious civil wedding ceremonies at all three office locations for $28.8OC Clerk-Recorder Department. Civil Marriage Ceremonies You can schedule one when you apply for your license, and in many cases get your license and marry in a single visit. Bring a witness if you chose a public license.
After the Ceremony: Filing and Certified Copies
Once the ceremony ends, the officiant signs the license with their title, the witness or witnesses sign (for a public license), and the officiant is legally responsible for returning the completed license to the Orange County Clerk-Recorder within 10 days.9California Legislative Information. California Family Code 359 and 506 That deadline is the officiant’s obligation, not yours, but confirm they know it. A late or missing filing creates problems later for name changes, insurance updates, and tax filings.
Once the Clerk-Recorder receives and records the license, it officially becomes your marriage certificate. Processing takes 7 to 10 business days from the date the office receives the completed license.10County of Orange – Clerk-Recorder. Why Haven’t I Received My Marriage Certificates Certified copies are available in person, by mail, or online, and each one costs $19.1Orange County Clerk-Recorder. Orange County Clerk-Recorder Fee Schedule Order at least two or three. Different agencies will each want their own, and some keep the copy you submit rather than returning it.