Applicants seeking a marriage license must appear together in one the offices of Gregory J. Smith Recorder/County Clerk, County of San Diego, complete an application and pay the appropriate license fee.

Five locations of the Recorder/County Clerk’s office that process marriage licenses are open from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.

CHULA VISTA BRANCH OFFICE
590 Third Ave
Chula Vista, 91910
(619) 498-2277

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER
1600 Pacific Highway, Room 273
San Diego, 92101
(619) 237-0502, ext 30

KEARNY MESA BRANCH OFFICE
9225 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, 92123
(858) 505-6226

SAN MARCOS BRANCH OFFICE
141 East Carmel St
San Marcos, 92078
(760) 940-6858

Requirements

Each person must present one form of valid photo identification with proof of age. To expedite the identification process, it is recommended that both parties bring a certified copy of their birth certificate.

If either party has been granted a divorce or filed a "Termination of Domestic Partnership" within 90 days of applying for a new marriage license, a copy of the final divorce decree or termination documents must be presented at the time of issue.

The Name Equality Act of 2007 (AB102, Chapter 567, Statutes of 2007) gives specific rights to parties at the time they are applying for a California marriage license to choose and list on the marriage license the new name that each party will go by after marriage. Please refer to the Name Equality Act.

A blood test is not required.

There is no residency requirement in California.

Your marriage license is effective immediately and valid for 90 days anywhere within the state of California.

Once you have your marriage license the ceremony can be performed at the church of your choice, a wedding chapel, or a civil ceremony may be performed by this office.

After the ceremony, the license must be returned to our office for recording. Certified copies may be purchased one week after the license is returned to our office.

Fees

The fee for a public marriage license is $50.00. CLICK HERE FOR AN APPLICATION.

The fee for a confidential marriage license is $55.00. CLICK HERE FOR AN APPLICATION.

We also offer a framed digital photograph for $10 to commemorate this special occasion. A portion of the proceeds are given to the Polinsky Children's Center.

For information on a Civil Marriage Ceremony, click CIVIL MARRIAGE CEREMONY.

For information on a Confidential Marriage License, click CONFIDENTIAL MARRIAGES.

If you need to speak with a Marriage Section staff member, call (619) 531-6248.

Se habla Espanol.

A new service also enables you to process your license on Saturday, The County Clerk’s office is now available each Saturday at the Kearny Mesa Branch Office from 9:00am to 3:00pm. And, in addition to obtaining your marriage license, you may also have a Deputy Marriage Commissioner perform a civil ceremony for you for the nominal fee of $50. (This is in addition to your marriage license fee).

In addition to completing the application, you must also show a valid photo identification card or passport. The document must show your date of birth and your full legal name (no abbreviations or initials). A copy of your birth certificate is also handy to take along, but is not required. Marriage license fees for San Diego County are currently $50.

Public – You may be married anywhere in the State of California. A witness is required and the marriage becomes public record
Confidential – You must marry in the county where the license is issued. No witness is required. Only the bride and groom may obtain a certified copy of the license.

The license is valid immediately upon issuance and remains valid within the State of California for a period of 90 days. You may apply for your license at any time. However, you may want to avoid waiting until the last minute and obtain the license about a month in advance.

WHAT ABOUT PRIOR MARRIAGES?
You must provide proof of a prior divorce, death or annulment if that event happened within the last 90 days prior to you applying for a new license. For divorced persons, the divorce decree must be final prior to application for a marriage license.

AGE REQUIREMENTS
Both male and female applicants must be 18 years of age in order to apply for a marriage license. For anyone under 18, there are additional requirements that must be met, and you should contact your nearest County Clerk’s office for additional information.

FILING FOR YOUR LICENSE
The officiant or minister performing the ceremony is responsible for filing the document with the Recorder/County Clerk’s office within 10 days of the ceremony. Certified copies of the license are available approximately 2 weeks after the filing, and may be obtained at the Recorder/County Clerk’s office for a nominal fee. Brides may need to obtain a few copies of the license in order to facilitate name changes with government agencies, banks etc.

DO YOU HAVE FAMILY WHO CAN’T ATTEND YOUR WEDDING?
Why not webcast your wedding ceremony. A great service now available in San Diego and Kearny Mesa locations only, is the ability to broad cast your wedding on the website for guests unable to attend to still share your special day. There is a nominal fee of $25.00. For more details check the website.

QUESTIONS
Should you have question prior to applying for a marriage license, please contact the Recorder/County Clerk’s office at (619) 531-6248 or check out www.sdarcc.com and click on Weddings on the web.