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California marriage records

Who holds it: Public marriages: County Recorder of the county where the license was issued; confidential marriages: County Clerk only1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. How to search and order
  2. Who may order and what is restricted
  3. Related records in California
  4. Marriage records in California counties with a full guide
  5. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  6. Sources

State fee

$19 per copy (CDPH-VR, VS 113A)2

Who may order

Public marriage: anyone (informational copy); authorized copy limited to registrant/relatives/etc. with notarized sworn statement. Confidential marriage: only the couple, or by court order3

How to search and order

Copies from the state
CDPH-VR issues certified copies of public marriages only for 1905-1999, 2001, 2008-2025; not 2000 or 2002-20074

Who may order and what is restricted

Confidential
Confidential marriage certificates are not open to public inspection except on court order5
Divorce records: who holds it
Superior Court (clerk) of the county where the divorce was granted6
Older records: vital history
State birth and death files begin July 1905; county recorders hold birth and death records for all years of events in their county7

Marriage records in California counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Alameda CountyClerk-Recorder's Office8—$21.00 per certified copy9
Butte CountyButte County Clerk-Recorder10—Certified copy fee: $19 certified copy of marriage certificate11
Contra Costa CountyContra Costa County Clerk-Recorder - County Clerk Division12——
El Dorado CountyEl Dorado County Recorder-Clerk13——
Fresno CountyFresno County Recorder14—$19.00 certified copy (public); $14.00 government15
Humboldt CountyHumboldt County Clerk-Recorder16——
Imperial CountyImperial County Clerk-Recorder17—Certified copy of a Marriage Certificate $19.0018
Kern CountyAssessor-Recorder19——
Kings CountyAssessor/Clerk/Recorder20——
Lake CountyCounty Recorder21——
Los Angeles CountyRegistrar-Recorder/County Clerk - Birth, Death and Marriage Records Section22—Certified copy of public or confidential marriage record $1923
Madera CountyMadera County Clerk-Recorder, County Recorder division24——
Marin CountyAssessor-Recorder-County Clerk: Recorder25—$19.00 per certified copy of a public marriage certificate (as of January 1, 2026)26
Mendocino CountyMendocino County Clerk27—$19.00 (certified copy of marriage record)28
Merced CountyMerced County Recorder's Office – Vital Records29—$17 certified copy (government use $12)30
Monterey CountyMonterey County Recorder31—$19 marriage record (from January 1, 2026)32
Napa CountyNapa County Recorder-County Clerk – County Clerk33—Certified copy fee: $17 per certified marriage certificate ()34
Nevada CountyNevada County Clerk-Recorder35——
Orange CountyOrange County Clerk-Recorder Department36—Certified copy fee: $19.00 certified copy of marriage certificate37
Placer CountyPlacer County Clerk-Recorder - County Clerk38—Certified copies at the Recorder's Office: $17 public, $22 confidential39
Riverside CountyAssessor-County Clerk-Recorder40——
Sacramento CountyCounty Clerk/Recorder41—$19.00 per copy (public or confidential)42
San Bernardino CountyAssessor-Recorder-County Clerk43——
San Diego CountyARCC - Recorder/County Clerk44—$19 (general public)45
San Francisco CountyOffice of the Assessor-Recorder46—$19 per copy (public marriage certificate)47
San Joaquin CountyOffice of the Recorder-County Clerk48—$19 per certified copy49
San Luis Obispo CountyClerk-Recorder issues public and confidential marriage licenses (license valid 90 days; ceremony must be in California)50——
San Mateo CountyACRE: County Clerk-Recorder Division51—$19.00 general public; $14.00 government agency52
Santa Barbara CountySanta Barbara County Clerk-Recorder53——
Santa Clara CountyOffice of the County Clerk-Recorder54—Certified copy fee: $19 (from $17, effective January 1, 2026)55
Santa Cruz CountyAssessor-Recorder, Recorder's Office56—Certified copy fee: $19.00 per certified marriage certificate (Fee Schedule 2026)57
Shasta CountyShasta County Assessor-Recorder58—County certified fee: $19 certified copy at the Recorder (effective January 1, 2026)59
Solano CountySolano County Assessor/Recorder - Vital Records60——
Sonoma CountyClerk-Recorder-Assessor Department: County Clerk Division61—Certified copy fee: $19.00 per copy62
Stanislaus CountyStanislaus County Clerk-Recorder63—$19 per copy64
Sutter CountySutter County Clerk-Recorder65——
Tulare CountyAssessor/Clerk-Recorder: County Clerk's Office66——
Ventura CountyCounty Clerk-Recorder-Registrar of Voters67—$19 certified copy (orders received on or after January 1, 2026)68
Yolo CountyYolo County Clerk-Recorder69—Certified copy of marriage certificate (public or confidential) $19.0070
Yuba CountyYuba County Clerk-Recorder71—Certified copy fee: Marriage certificate (authorized & informational) $19.0072

For any other county, see the county list on the California guide.

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any California office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: marriage records in every state. Everything else in California: California public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. County Registrar and Recorder DirectoryCalifornia Department of Public Health - Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  2. Vital Records FeesCalifornia Department of Public Health - Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  3. Types of Marriage LicensesCalifornia Department of Public Health - Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  4. Obtaining Certified Copies of Marriage CertificatesCalifornia Department of Public Health - Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  5. Family Code § 511 (confidential marriage records)California Legislature (Legislative Counsel)checked November 4, 2026
  6. Obtaining Copies of Divorce RecordsCalifornia Department of Public Health - Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  7. Obtaining Certified Copies of Birth CertificatesCalifornia Department of Public Health - Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  8. Clerk-Recorder | Alameda County | Alameda County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-RecorderAlameda County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  9. Fees | Clerk-Recorder | Alameda County | Alameda County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-RecorderAlameda County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  10. Butte County Clerk Recorder official website homeButte County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  11. Marriage CertificatesButte County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  12. Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections (home)Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  13. Recorder-ClerkEl Dorado County Recorder-Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  14. County Registrar and Recorder DirectoryCalifornia Department of Public Health - Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  15. Fee ScheduleCounty of Fresno - Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  16. County Registrars and RecordersCalifornia Department of Public Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  17. County Clerk-Recorder Department homeImperial County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  18. Recorder Services fee schedule tabsImperial County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  19. Listing of County Assessors, Auditors and Auditor-Controllers, Clerks of the Board, and Tax CollectorsCalifornia State Board of Equalizationchecked November 4, 2026
  20. Clerk/RecorderCounty of Kings, Californiaarchived copychecked November 7, 2026
  21. Listing of County Assessors, Auditors and Auditor-Controllers, Clerks of the Board, and Tax CollectorsCalifornia State Board of Equalizationchecked November 8, 2026
  22. Who Can Obtain a Copy of a Birth RecordLA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  23. Marriage Records Mail RequestLA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  24. County Registrar and Recorder DirectoryCalifornia Department of Public Health - Vital Recordschecked November 7, 2026
  25. Search Recorder's Official RecordsCounty of Marinchecked November 4, 2026
  26. Getting a Copy of a Public Marriage CertificateCounty of Marinchecked November 4, 2026
  27. County ClerkCounty of Mendocinochecked November 7, 2026
  28. Birth, Death, or Marriage RecordsCounty of Mendocinochecked November 7, 2026
  29. Clerk-RecorderCounty of Mercedarchived copychecked November 4, 2026
  30. Copy FeesCounty of Mercedarchived copychecked November 4, 2026
  31. RecorderCounty of Montereychecked November 4, 2026
  32. Vital RecordsCounty of Montereychecked November 4, 2026
  33. Recorder - County ClerkCounty of Napaarchived copychecked November 4, 2026
  34. Birth, Death, & Marriage CertificatesCounty of Napaarchived copychecked November 4, 2026
  35. Nevada County home pageCounty of Nevada, Californiachecked November 7, 2026
  36. Marriage Services | OC Clerk Recorder DepartmentOC Clerk-Recorder Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  37. PDFOC Clerk-Recorder Departmentchecked November 4, 2026
  38. Clerk-RecorderPlacer County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  39. Marriage LicensesPlacer County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  40. Public and Official RecordsCounty of Riversidechecked November 4, 2026
  41. County Clerk/RecorderSacramento County Clerk/Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  42. Marriage CertificatesSacramento County Clerk/Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  43. Fictitious Business NamesSan Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  44. Birth/Death/Marriage CertificateSan Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  45. Recorder/County Clerk Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026)San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  46. Listing of County Assessors, Auditors and Auditor-Controllers, Clerks of the Board, and Tax CollectorsCalifornia State Board of Equalizationchecked November 4, 2026
  47. Get a copy of your marriage certificateCity and County of San Franciscochecked November 4, 2026
  48. County Clerk | San Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder County Clerk | sjgov.orgCounty of San Joaquinchecked November 4, 2026
  49. San Joaquin County Recorder Fee ScheduleSan Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  50. Marriage LicensesCounty of San Luis Obispo Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  51. San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections - ACRESan Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections (ACRE)checked November 4, 2026
  52. Vital Records Fees | San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections - ACRESan Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections (ACRE)checked November 4, 2026
  53. Clerk-RecorderCounty of Santa Barbarachecked November 4, 2026
  54. County Registrar and Recorder DirectoryCalifornia Department of Public Health - Vital Recordschecked November 4, 2026
  55. Records searchCounty of Santa Clara, Office of the County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  56. Santa Cruz County Recorder's OfficeCounty of Santa Cruz, Californiachecked November 4, 2026
  57. Recorder Fee Schedule 2026 (PDF)County of Santa Cruz, Californiachecked November 4, 2026
  58. RecorderCounty of Shastachecked November 4, 2026
  59. Recorder FeesCounty of Shastachecked November 4, 2026
  60. Recorder DivisionSolano County Assessor/Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  61. Clerk-RecorderCounty of Sonomachecked November 4, 2026
  62. Marriage CertificatesCounty of Sonomachecked November 4, 2026
  63. Clerk Recorder - Stanislaus CountyStanislaus County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  64. Marriage CertificateStanislaus County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  65. Clerk-RecorderSutter County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 7, 2026
  66. Clerk-RecorderCounty of Tularechecked November 4, 2026
  67. County Clerk | Ventura County Clerk and Recorder / Registrar of VotersVentura County Clerk-Recorder & Registrar of Voterschecked November 4, 2026
  68. County Recorder | Ventura County Clerk and Recorder / Registrar of VotersVentura County Clerk-Recorder & Registrar of Voterschecked November 4, 2026
  69. Clerk-RecorderYolo County ACEchecked November 4, 2026
  70. Vital Certificate FeesYolo County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 4, 2026
  71. County Clerk-RecorderYuba County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 7, 2026
  72. Clerk-Recorder FeesYuba County Clerk-Recorderchecked November 7, 2026