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Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters
Clerk-Recorder
Marriage License
To obtain a marriage license, complete the Online Application for Marriage License and follow the instructions at Checkout.
Please email marriage@sonoma-county.org for more information.
Important Notice
The staff of the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's Office are forbidden by California legal codes to practice law or provide legal advice; this prohibition includes giving advice about what forms you might need or how you should fill them out.
Applications and Forms
Marriage Licenses
A marriage license must be purchased prior to a marriage ceremony occurring and may be obtained at the County Clerk-Recorder Office during business hours. Please see our current business hours to the right under Contact Information.
General Requirements
Parties must physically appear together in person at the County Clerk's Office to be issued a marriage license prior to the marriage ceremony.
- The Name Equality Act of 2007 requires couples to state on the license the middle and last names they intend to use after the wedding.
- Read more about the Name Equality Act 2007(PDF: 311 kB)
- Parties to the marriage must appear together
- Valid, government-issued photo identification with name and date of birth is required
- Driver's license, passport or US-government military identification (with date of birth listed) are acceptable forms of identification
- If providing a credencial para votar or Consulate ID such as a matricula, parties must also provide a birth certificate
- If your full name (first, middle and last) is not printed in its entirety on your ID, you must bring in a copy of your birth certificate
- If a divorce or State Registered Domestic Partnership (SRDP) termination was final within the past 90 days, a copy of the final judgment must be provided
- Marriage licenses are valid for 90 days from the date of issuance, after which the license expires, and a new license must be obtained
- It is preferable that the marriage license application (Aplicación par Licencia de Matrimonio en linea) be completed online
- Applications may also be completed at the public kiosk in the Clerk-Recorder Office.
- Blood tests are no longer required to obtain a marriage license in California
General Regular (Public) Marriage License
- License fee: $82.00
- Marriage can be performed anywhere in California
- One witness is required at the ceremony
- Minors can only obtain a license with a Court order
- Contact Superior Court Family Law Division at (707) 521-6630 for more details.
- License is a matter of public record
- License is recorded at County Recorder's Office of county issuing license (in Sonoma County the Clerk's Office provides this service for Recorder). See Certified Copies of Marriage Licenses
Confidential Marriage License
- License Fee - $98.00
- Parties must be living together as spouses
- Both parties must be at least 18
- Marriage can be performed anywhere in California
- No witnesses required
- License is confidential (see Certified Copies of Marriage Licenses for restrictions)
Certified Copies of Marriage Licenses
- A certified copy of the registered license as proof of marriage may be required for legal purposes.
- A certified copy is not automatically provided; it must be requested and paid for after the ceremony is performed and the license is registered.
- See the Marriage Certificates page for more information