To get married in San Diego, you and your partner apply online with the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk, book an in-person appointment, appear together with government-issued photo ID to receive your marriage license, and then hold a ceremony within 90 days anywhere in California. The county can also perform the civil ceremony during the same appointment if you’d rather handle everything in one visit. Neither of you needs to be a California resident.
Who Can Marry
Both people must be at least 18, currently unmarried, and legally capable of consenting.1California Legislative Information. California Family Code – FAM – Division 3 – Part 1 – Validity of Marriage Bring valid government photo ID: passport, driver’s license, or state ID. California requires no blood test and imposes no waiting period between the license and the ceremony.
If either of you was married before, you’ll need the exact date the prior marriage ended, since the clerk asks for it on the application. Carrying a copy of the divorce decree or annulment prevents delays even when the clerk doesn’t ask to see it.
Marriage under 18 is possible only with a court order and written parental or guardian consent, and the certified court order must be presented when the license is issued.1California Legislative Information. California Family Code – FAM – Division 3 – Part 1 – Validity of Marriage
Public License or Confidential License
California offers two license types, and you pick one before you apply.
A public marriage license becomes part of the public record, and anyone can request a copy. The ceremony requires at least one witness (and no more than two) to watch the vows and sign the license.2Justia. California Code Family Code 350-360 – Marriage License It is the cheaper of the two options.
A confidential marriage license restricts the record to the couple or a court, and no witnesses are needed at the ceremony. Both applicants must be at least 18, and you both must declare under penalty of perjury that you are already living together as spouses.3California Legislative Information. California Code Family Code 500 – General Provisions The county doesn’t ask for proof of cohabitation, but signing the application is a legal statement.
Applying and Booking Your Appointment
Fill out the application on the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk website before your visit.4County of San Diego. Marriage License and Civil Ceremony You’ll enter each person’s full legal name, date and place of birth, and the full birth names and birthplaces of both parents (including maiden names). Everything must match your ID exactly. Corrections after the license is issued cost an amendment fee, so read it over before you submit.
If any ID or birth certificate is in a language other than English, bring a certified translation. The translator must sign a statement of competence in both languages and accuracy, with their name, address, and date.
Appointments are required for every marriage service, and the calendar opens seven weeks in advance with a new day released daily.4County of San Diego. Marriage License and Civil Ceremony Book only one slot per couple. The county cancels all bookings from couples who reserve more than one.
Both of you must appear together at the counter. You’ll show ID, take an oath that the application is true, and sign the license. The clerk issues the license during the same visit.
Office locations include the County Administration Center in downtown San Diego and branches in Chula Vista, San Marcos, and Santee. Saturday appointments are available once a month, at the Santee location only.5County of San Diego. Saturday Schedule
Current Fees
On the most recent published schedule, San Diego County charges $129 for a public marriage license and $144 for a confidential marriage license. Confirm the current amounts on the county clerk’s website before your appointment, since fees change with new fiscal years and legislative action.
The Ceremony
Your license is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued.6California Department of Public Health. California Marriage License General Information Miss the window and you have to buy a new one. The ceremony has to take place somewhere in California.
California authorizes a wide range of officiants. Clergy, active or retired judges, and court commissioners can all solemnize marriages, as can federal judges and magistrates, including bankruptcy and tax court judges.7California Legislative Information. California Code FAM – Persons Authorized to Solemnize Marriage No particular form of ceremony is required, but both of you must declare in the officiant’s physical presence (and in front of the required witness, if applicable) that you take each other as spouses.
A public license needs at least one witness present at the ceremony to sign the license afterward, up to a maximum of two.2Justia. California Code Family Code 350-360 – Marriage License Confidential licenses have no witness requirement.
Civil Ceremonies at the County Clerk
If you’d rather not arrange your own venue and officiant, the county performs civil ceremonies at its offices. Book a combined “License and Ceremony” appointment and take care of everything in one visit.4County of San Diego. Marriage License and Civil Ceremony
The civil ceremony fee is $107 on top of the license. If you need a witness supplied by the county, add $58. Both spouses must be able to read, speak, and understand English or Spanish; clerk staff will not perform a ceremony in any other language, because they need to confirm the vows are properly communicated. For American Sign Language interpretation, contact the office at least two weeks before your appointment.
Guest limits vary by location. Outdoor ceremonies have no cap. Indoor ceremonies allow between 15 and 30 guests: the downtown County Administration Center holds up to 30, while Chula Vista and San Marcos cap at 15. Decorations, confetti, arches, and champagne are not allowed. Nothing that requires setup or cleanup is permitted at ceremony locations.4County of San Diego. Marriage License and Civil Ceremony
Having a Friend or Family Member Officiate
Through the Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day program, San Diego County will temporarily deputize a friend or relative to officiate at your venue.8County of San Diego. Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a Day The fee is $80, paid by check or money order. Your person needs no prior credentials or training; the deputization is good for that one ceremony. You still need a valid marriage license before the wedding.
After the Ceremony
The officiant is responsible for filling in the solemnization sections and returning the completed license to the San Diego County Recorder within 10 days of the ceremony. That deadline runs against the officiant, not the couple, but follow up to make sure it happens. A license that never gets returned leaves your marriage legally valid but without an official record, which creates problems with insurance enrollment, name changes, and anything else that asks for a certificate.
Once the county receives the completed license, registration takes up to 10 business days.4County of San Diego. Marriage License and Civil Ceremony After that, you can order certified copies of the marriage certificate. The fee is currently $19 per copy, and vital records fees increased effective January 1, 2026 under Assembly Bill 64.9County of San Diego. Marriage Certificate Request Check the county’s website for the current amount and order several copies at once; you’ll use them for name changes, insurance, and other administrative updates.
Changing your name after the wedding is a separate process handled by the Social Security Administration, the DMV, and (if applicable) the State Department, in that order. Your certified marriage certificate is what each of those agencies asks for.