To get married in Los Angeles, you need a marriage license from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, a ceremony performed by an authorized officiant, and the signed license returned to the county within 10 days. The license costs $91 for a public one or $85 for a confidential one, and if you want everything handled in a single visit, a civil ceremony at a county office can be scheduled the same day you pick up the license.
Who Can Get Married in LA County
Both people must be at least 18 and unmarried.1California Legislative Information. California Family Code 301 You can’t be closely related by blood, and both of you must freely consent.2CDPH – CA.gov. California Marriage License General Information
California has no residency requirement. You don’t need to live in Los Angeles, in California, or even in the United States to get a license here.2CDPH – CA.gov. California Marriage License General Information
Pick Your License Type First
California issues two kinds of marriage licenses, and the choice shapes your ceremony. A public license is $91 in LA County; a confidential license is $85.3Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Fees
A public license requires at least one witness (up to two) at the ceremony to sign the license. The recorded marriage is a public record, so anyone can request a copy.4CDPH – CA.gov. Types of Marriage Licenses
A confidential license needs no witnesses at the ceremony and no witness signature on the license. Only the two of you can order copies; anyone else needs a court order. The catch: you must already be living together as spouses when you apply, and you’ll sign a sworn statement saying so.5California Legislative Information. California Family Code 500 If privacy matters or you don’t want to arrange a witness, the confidential license is often the better fit.
Applying for the License
Both of you must appear together in person at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.6Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. About You can fill out the application online beforehand to shorten your time at the counter.7Los Angeles County RR/CC. Apply
Bring valid government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, or permanent resident card). You’ll be asked for your parents’ birthplaces and details about any prior marriages. If a previous marriage ended within the last two years, bring the divorce or annulment papers.8Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Marriage License Application
The license is valid for 90 days, and the ceremony must take place somewhere in California during that window. Miss the window and you’ll apply and pay again.
Choosing an Officiant
California recognizes both religious and civil ceremonies, and the list of people who can legally marry you is wider than most couples expect.
Clergy
Any ordained priest, minister, rabbi, or other authorized person of a religious denomination who is at least 18 can officiate. Out-of-state and foreign clergy count, as do many nondenominational and online-ordained ministers.9California Department of Public Health. California Marriage License Registration and Ceremony Information That’s why friends and family members sometimes get ordained specifically to perform a wedding.
Judges and Public Officials
Active and retired judges, court commissioners, and assistant commissioners of any California court of record can perform ceremonies. So can state legislators, California constitutional officers, and Members of Congress representing California districts, while in office.10California Legislative Information. California Family Code 401 Each California county clerk is also a commissioner of civil marriages, and the office appoints deputy commissioners to perform civil ceremonies.
Deputy Commissioner for a Day
LA County lets you deputize a friend or family member to legally officiate your wedding through the Deputy Commissioner for a Day program. The person doesn’t need to live in the county or hold any special credential beyond a valid government-issued photo ID.11Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Deputy Commissioner for a Day Program
Mail in the application with a $75 check or money order at least two months before the ceremony. Applications submitted less than a month out require an added $13 expediting fee. Once approved, your officiant attends a one-hour virtual class on a Thursday at 10 a.m., takes an oath, and signs a form. They’ll need a device with a camera.
The $75 fee is non-refundable, but if the officiant can’t attend, you can apply the payment to a different appointment within the same calendar year. The deputization is only valid for ceremonies performed in California.11Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Deputy Commissioner for a Day Program
Where the Ceremony Can Happen
Civil Ceremonies at a County Office
The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk performs civil ceremonies by appointment at its Norwalk headquarters and six branch offices:12Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Branch Office Locations
- Norwalk (main office), 12400 Imperial Hwy. — by appointment
- Beverly Hills, 9355 Burton Way, 4th Floor — Wednesdays and Fridays
- East Los Angeles, 4716 E. Cesar Chavez Blvd., Building B — Fridays
- Florence/Firestone, 7807 Compton Ave., Room 102 — Fridays
- LAX Courthouse, 11701 S. La Cienega Blvd., 6th Floor — Wednesdays and Fridays
- Van Nuys, 14340 W. Sylvan St. — Wednesdays and Fridays
- Lancaster, 44509 16th St. West, Suite 101 — Fridays
A civil ceremony costs $35. If you need the county to supply a witness, add $20.3Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Fees
Private Ceremonies Anywhere You Choose
For a religious ceremony or any private venue, you can get married almost anywhere in the county: a beach, a park, a backyard, a hotel ballroom. The only legal requirements are an authorized officiant and, if you have a public license, at least one witness to sign.4CDPH – CA.gov. Types of Marriage Licenses For public parks and beaches, check whether the location requires a special event permit; rules and fees vary by site.
After the Ceremony
Your officiant must complete the marriage license and return it to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk within 10 days of the ceremony.2CDPH – CA.gov. California Marriage License General Information That’s the step that makes the marriage officially recorded, so a reminder to your officiant the day after the wedding is worth sending.
Once recorded, the completed license becomes your official marriage certificate. Certified copies cost $19 each for either license type.13Los Angeles County RR/CC. In-Person Request Order two or three while you’re at it; you’ll use them for name changes, insurance updates, and other paperwork.
If You’re Changing Your Name
Do the updates in a specific order to avoid rejected applications: Social Security first, then driver’s license, then everything else.
Start with the Social Security Administration. Submit your marriage certificate and proof of identification to update your record.14Social Security Administration. Just Married? Need to Change your Name? The California DMV verifies new license applications against SSA records, so if the names don’t match, the DMV will reject you.
Once SSA is updated, apply for a new California driver’s license or ID. You can begin online but must finish in person at a DMV office. Bring your current license, your marriage certificate, and any additional proof-of-name documents. You’ll get a temporary license valid for 60 days while the new card arrives in about three to four weeks.15California DMV. Update Information on Your Driver’s License or ID Card
For your passport, timing matters. If you married within one year of your passport being issued, update it by mail with Form DS-5504 at no charge (expedited processing is $60). If more than a year has passed, you’ll renew through the standard process using Form DS-82 or DS-11, with fees that vary by age.16Travel.State.Gov. Change or Correct a Passport
Taxes and Health Insurance
Marriage changes your federal filing status immediately. The IRS treats you as married for the whole tax year if you’re married on December 31, even if the wedding was the day before. Couples can file jointly or separately, and joint filing produces a lower tax bill for most.17Internal Revenue Service. Filing Status
Getting married also opens a special enrollment period for health insurance. If you buy coverage through the federal marketplace, you have 60 days from your wedding date to enroll in a new plan, add your spouse, or switch coverage without waiting for open enrollment. Employer-sponsored plans must offer a special enrollment window of at least 30 days.18HealthCare.gov. Special Enrollment Period Miss the window and one of you could sit uninsured until the next open enrollment.
What It Costs
The legal pieces of getting married in LA County:3Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Fees
- Public marriage license: $91
- Confidential marriage license: $85
- Civil ceremony at a county office: $35
- County-provided witness: $20
- Deputy Commissioner for a Day: $75 (plus $13 if submitted less than a month before the ceremony)
- Certified copy of marriage certificate: $19 per copy
A courthouse wedding with a public license and one certified copy runs about $145. A private ceremony with a deputized friend officiating on a confidential license lands closer to $179, before any venue costs.