A courthouse wedding in California can be done in a single visit to any county clerk-recorder’s office, usually for $125 to $160 all in. The state has no waiting period and no residency requirement, so an out-of-state couple can get the license and say their vows the same day, as long as an appointment is available.1San Diego County Assessor | Recorder | County Clerk. Marriage License and Civil Ceremony
Who Can Marry
Both people must be at least 18 and currently unmarried.2California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 301 – Capacity to Consent to Marriage If either of you was married before, that marriage must have ended through divorce, annulment, or the death of the former spouse, and you’ll need the exact date it ended.3County of Santa Clara. Apply for a Marriage License Some counties ask for a copy of the divorce judgment if it was finalized in the last 90 days.
You do not have to live in California or be a U.S. citizen. There are no blood tests or medical exams.
Minors under 18 face a separate process involving parental consent, a family services interview, and a court order, which is beyond the scope of a same-day courthouse ceremony.4Sacramento Superior Court. Underage Marriage or Domestic Partnership Permission
Booking the Appointment
Most county clerk-recorder offices require appointments for both the license application and the ceremony, booked through the county’s online scheduling system. Many counties let you schedule the two back-to-back on the same day.1San Diego County Assessor | Recorder | County Clerk. Marriage License and Civil Ceremony
Availability differs widely. Large metro counties like Los Angeles and San Francisco can be booked weeks out. Smaller counties often have openings the same week. Since you can marry in any California county regardless of where you live, checking a neighboring county is a reasonable move if your first choice is full.
Once issued, the license is valid for 90 days.5California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 356 – License Expiration If the ceremony doesn’t happen in that window, the license expires and you’ll have to apply and pay again. No extensions.
Public or Confidential License
California issues two types of marriage licenses, and you have to pick one before your appointment. Both create the same legal marriage.
A public license is the standard option. The officiant needs at least one witness, and up to two, to sign at the ceremony.6California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 359 – Marriage License Once filed, the marriage record is available to anyone who requests a copy.
A confidential license is available only to couples already living together as spouses.7California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 500 – Confidential Marriage No witness is required at the ceremony. The record is sealed and cannot be accessed by the public unless a court orders it opened for good cause.8California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 511 – Confidential Marriage Certificates
If you’re eloping alone, the confidential license is practical. If you’re bringing someone who can sign, the public license works fine. Fees are usually within a few dollars of each other.
What to Bring
Both people must appear in person with a valid government-issued photo ID: a driver’s license, passport, or permanent resident card. Digital images and photocopies are not accepted.3County of Santa Clara. Apply for a Marriage License
You’ll also need to know, for each of you:
- Full legal names and birthplaces of both parents, including birth names. Some counties want middle names too.9Solano County. Marriage License
- The date and method any prior marriage ended.
- Social Security number, which the state form requests but not all counties require.
Most counties offer an online pre-application so you can enter this before your visit. Match the spelling on your ID exactly.
What It Costs
A courthouse wedding has three cost components: the license, the ceremony, and certified copies of the marriage certificate.
- Marriage license: roughly $85 to $100. In Los Angeles County, a public license is $91 and a confidential license is $85.10LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Marriage License and Ceremony Fees
- Civil ceremony: about $35 to $65. Los Angeles charges $35, San Mateo $65.11San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Elections. Marriage Fees
- Certified marriage certificate copies: around $19 to $21 each, ordered separately after the marriage is registered.12LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Online Request – Marriage Records
Plan for $125 to $160 total including at least one certified copy. Some counties tack on small technology or processing surcharges, so check your county’s fee schedule ahead of time.
What Happens at the Ceremony
Courthouse ceremonies are short, usually about 10 minutes. You check in at the clerk’s window, present ID, and review the license one more time for accuracy. A deputy commissioner of civil marriages, employed by the county clerk, typically performs the ceremony.13California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 400 – Solemnization of Marriage Some courthouses use a small dedicated room; others hold the ceremony at the counter.
With a public license, bring at least one adult witness who will sign after the vows.6California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 359 – Marriage License Most counties allow a second. With a confidential license, no witness is needed.
Guest policies vary. Some offices allow a small group in the ceremony room, others limit attendance to the couple and required witnesses because of space. Call ahead or check the county website if you want to bring family or a photographer.
Changing Your Name at the Same Time
Under the Name Equality Act, either or both spouses can change a middle or last name directly on the marriage license application. A certified copy of the marriage certificate is then legal proof of the change, with no separate court petition needed.14California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 306.5 – Name Equality
New last name options:
- Your spouse’s current last name
- Either spouse’s last name at birth
- A hyphenated or combined version of both last names
- A new single last name combining segments of either spouse’s current or birth last name
Middle name choices are similarly flexible, including using a spouse’s current or birth last name as your new middle name.
Two limits worth knowing. You cannot change your first name through the license, and you must declare any change at the time of application. Once the license is issued, those name fields cannot be amended except to correct a clerical error.14California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 306.5 – Name Equality Decide before you go.
After You’re Married
A signed license does not become an official marriage certificate until it’s returned to the county recorder and registered.15California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 300 – Marriage When the ceremony happens at the courthouse, the clerk handles this internally.
The county does not automatically send you a certified copy. You have to request and pay for copies separately, typically $19 to $21 each.12LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Online Request – Marriage Records Copies are usually available 10 business days to two weeks after the license is filed.16County of Santa Clara. Purchase a Marriage Certificate Order at least two: you’ll need certified copies to update your name with the Social Security Administration, the DMV, banks, and other institutions. Photocopies aren’t accepted for those changes.
If You Need an Interpreter
Both applicants must be able to read and understand English at the application and the ceremony. If either of you doesn’t speak English, you have to bring your own interpreter; county clerk offices don’t provide translation.17OC Clerk Recorder Department. Marriage Services The interpreter also serves as a witness, which matters if you’re choosing a public license.
Proxy Marriage for Deployed Military
California allows a proxy marriage in one narrow situation: when one person is an active member of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed overseas in a conflict zone and cannot appear in person. The service member must sign a power of attorney authorizing someone specific to obtain the license and stand in at the ceremony.18California Legislative Information. California Code FAM 420 – Proxy Marriage The document must be the original, notarized or witnessed by two U.S. military officers. Faxes, photocopies, and digital copies are not accepted, and the original becomes part of the permanent marriage record.