What You Need to Know About Looking Up a California Marriage License
One might need to look up a California marriage license for a number of reasons, including financial or legal reasons. Here’s how to lookup a California marriage license.
The process of looking up a marriage license in California requires contacting the County Clerk’s office or the Vital Records department of the California Department of Public Health.
The Difference Between Public and Confidential Marriage Licenses
Before looking up a marriage license, it is important to know the difference between public and confidential marriage licenses in California, as the way to look these licenses up differs.
Related: Public vs. Confidential Marriage License in California
Public marriage licenses are public records, and therefore, can be found by anyone. However, while anyone can obtain an informational copy of a public marriage license, there are restrictions to who can obtain an authorized copy under California law.
Confidential marriage licenses are not public records, and therefore, cannot be accessed by anyone except for the spouses involved in the marriage. In other words, no informational copies are available of confidential marriage licenses.
Related: Confidential Marriage License in California: The Basics
How to Lookup a California Public Marriage License
To look up a California public marriage license, couples should contact either the Vital Records department of the California Department of Public Health or the County Recorder.
The Vital Records department of the California Department of Public Health can provide certified copies of public marriage licenses for marriages between the years 1905 and 2000, and 2008 to the present day. They cannot provide information on marriages that occurred between these time periods. Couples married during this time are encouraged to contact the County Recorder.
Couples can submit their request and pay their fee to the Vital Records department via electronic submission or postal mail. The processing time for either request is approximately 10 to 12 weeks.
How to Lookup a California Confidential Marriage License
To look up a California confidential marriage license, couples should contact the county clerk of the county in which their marriage license was issued.
Couples can gain a copy of their confidential marriage license by paying a fee and presenting valid photo identification to the County Clerk.
FAQs About How to Lookup a California Marriage License
How much does it cost to get a copy of my marriage license?
The cost of getting a copy of your marriage license varies depending on the method in which you receive the copy. Information about current fees can be found by contacting the Vital Records department of the California Department of Public Health or the County Clerk.
What is the difference between an authorized and informational copy of my public marriage license?
Both copies are considered “certified” by the State of California. An authorized copy can be used as a valid document to obtain identification. An informational copy contains all the same information as an authorized copy but is not a valid document to obtain identification. In addition, some confidential information on the document may be unavailable.
Who can get an authorized copy of my public marriage license?
The following individuals are allowed to retrieve a copy of a couple’s public marriage license:
- A spouse in the marriage
- A parent, legal guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the individual
- A party entitled to receive the record under a court order
- An individual affiliated with law enforcement or another agency conducting official business
- An individual or agency empowered by statute or appointed by the court on behalf of the individual involved in the marriage, or of the individual’s estate
- An attorney representing the individual involved in the marriage, or the individual’s estate
- An agent or employee of a funeral establishment
- Any surviving next of kin
Contact Us
If you need legal help or have any more questions about how to lookup a California marriage license, contact us. Get your free consultation with one of our family law attorneys in California today!