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Marriage Laws United States California CA Wedding officiants

Registration & Ceremony Information:

The registration of public and confidential marriages in California is a local and state function. The California Family Code provides for a continuous and permanent marriage registration system. The system depends upon the conscientious efforts of local officials, clergymen, and other officiants in preparing the original records and in certifying the information on these records.

County Clerk:

The County Clerk issues public and confidential marriage licenses. The County Clerk is the local registrar of confidential marriages (Family Code, Section 511). The County Clerk maintains a permanent index of all confidential marriages registered.

Marriage Officiant:

The marriage officiant, e.g., clergyperson or authorized individual, who performs the marriage ceremony is required by law to complete the marriage license and return it to the County Recorder’s Office within 10 days of the event for registration. For confidential marriages, the marriage license is returned to the County Clerk’s Office for registration.

County Recorder:

The County Recorder is the local registrar of public marriages (which includes declared and non-clergy marriages) under the direction of the State Registrar (Health and Safety Code, Sections 102285 and 102295).

The local official is required to see that a complete and acceptable certificate is filed for each marriage, and that each entry on the certificate is clear and unambiguous. Once reviewed for proper completion, the local official collects the certificates of marriage filed and transmits them to the state office on a monthly basis (Health and Safety Code, Section 102355).

An important function of the local registrar of marriages is to produce an index of marriages registered in his/her jurisdiction (Government Code, Section 27252).

It is important that you verify all information with your local marriage license office or county clerk before making any wedding or travel plans.

Please Note: State and county marriage license requirements often change. The above information is for guidance only and should not be regarded as legal advice.

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To notify us of corrections or additions send an email to update@usmarriagelaws.com.  Please include the state and county information.

California County Clerk's Office

Alameda County Recorder Oakland, CA 510.272.6363	Alpine County Recorder Markleeville, CA 530.694.2281	Amador County Recorder Jackson, CA 209.223.6469
Butte County Recorder Oroville, CA 530.538.7691	Calaveras County Recorder San Andreas, CA 209.754.6375	Colusa County Recorder Colusa, CA 530.458.0500
Contra Costa Recorder Martinez, CA 925.646.2360	County Of Orange Recorder Santa Ana, CA 714.834.2500	Del Norte County Recorder Crescent City, CA 707.464.7216
El Dorado County Recorder Placerville, CA 530.621.5490	Fresno County Recorder Fresno, CA 559.600.2575	Glenn County Clerk Willows, CA 530.934.6407
Humboldt County Recorder Eureka, CA 707.445.7593	Imperial County Recorder El Centro, CA 760.339.4427	Inyo County Records Independence, CA 760.878.0410
Kern County Clerk Bakersfield, CA 805.868.3588	Kings County Clerk Hanford, CA 559.582.3211	Lake County Clerk Lakeport, CA 707.263.2293
Lassen County Recorder Susanville, CA 530.251.8217	Los Angeles County Clerk Norwalk, CA 562.462.2137	Madera County Clerk Madera, CA 209.675.7724
Marin County Recorder San Rafael, CA 415.499.6092	Mariposa County Recorder Mariposa, CA 209.966.2007	Mendocino County Clerk Ukiah, CA 707.463.4370
Merced County Recorder Merced, CA 209.385.7501	Modoc County Clerk Alturas, CA 530.233.2512	Mono County Recorder Bridgeport, CA 760.932.5241
Monterey County Salinas, CA 831.647.7906	Napa County Clerk Napa, CA 707.253.4246	Nevada County Clerk Nevada City, CA 530.265.1221
Placer County Clerk Auborn, CA 530.889.7948	Plumas County Recorder Quincy, CA 530.283.6305	Riverside County Clerk Riverside, CA 909.486.7000
Sacramento County Clerk Sacramento, CA 916.874.5522	San Benito County Clerk Hollister, CA 831.636.4029	San Bernardino Recorder San Bernardino, CA 909.387.8314
San Diego County San Diego, CA 619.237.0502	San Francisco County San Francisco, CA 415.554.4176	Orleans Town Clerk Albion, NY 716.589.5100
San Joaquin Clerk Stockton, CA 209.468.2362	San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo, CA 805.781.5088	San Mateo County Clerk Redwood City, CA 650.363.4711
Santa Barbara County Clerk Santa Barbara, CA 805.568.2250	Santa Clara County Recorder San Jose, CA 408.299.2481	Santa Cruz County Recorder Santa Cruz, CA 831.454.2800
Shasta County Clerk Redding, CA 530.225.5378	Sierra County Recorder Downieville, CA 530.289.3295	Siskiyou County Clerk Ureka, CA 916.842.8084
Solano County Recorder Fairfield, CA 707.421.6319	Sonoma County Clerk Santa Rosa, CA 707.527.3800	Stanislaus County Clerk Modesto, CA 209.525.5265
Sutter County Recorder Yuba City, CA 530.822.7120	Tehama County Recorder Red Bluff, CA 916.527.3350	Trinity County Recorder Weaverville, CA 916.623.1222
Tulare County Clerk Visalia, CA 559.733.6518	Tuolumne County Clerk Sonora, CA 209.533.5573	Ventura County Recorder Ventura, CA 805.654.2263
Yolo County Clerk Woodland, CA 530.666.8130	Yuba County Clerk Marysville, CA 530.741.6341

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