Where to Start?

• A marriage license is a government approved request to get married. You cannot get married without one in the state of California. Below are links to the clerk's office websites where you can apply and pay the filing fee for your county. 

• Both partners must be present to pick up the license. As most clerk's offices are only open on weekdays, be sure to plan ahead in order to pick it up. 

• Once you have obtained your license, you must get married and return the signed license within 90 days of its issue, or it will expire. If it does expire, you will need to file and pay the fee again. So it is best to make sure you have your license about 4-8 weeks prior to the wedding ceremony.

• After the wedding ceremony, your officiant (hopefully me) will sign and oversee 1-2 witnesses sign the license. In California, witnesses may be any age, but over 18 is preferred, and must be of sound mind and capable of understanding the significance of what they are signing. 

• Once the license is signed by the officiant and witnesses to your ceremony, you can make arrangements with the officiant to return the signed license to the clerk's office, or opt to return it yourselves. Only one person is required to be present, and it does not matter if it is the couple or the officiant. It is also advisable to deliver it to the clerk's office before the honeymoon to be sure it doesn't get lost, or the 90 day period is expended.

*DO NOT FORGET YOUR LICENSE ON THE DAY OF THE WEDDING*

License Application: https://ocweddings.ocrecorder.com/#/

Additional marriage information: https://www.ocrecorder.com/services/marriage-services

County Service Center - County Administration South

601 N. Ross Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm

Old County Courthouse - Downtown Santa Ana 

211 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Rm 202, Santa Ana, CA 92701

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm   Closed: 12pm-1pm for lunch

North County Branch Office - Wells Fargo Building and Parking

222 S. Harbor Blvd., Ste. 110, Anaheim, CA 92805

Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm  Closed: 12pm-1pm for lunch

South County Branch Office - Laguna Hills Civic Center

24031 El Toro Rd., Ste. 150 & 160, Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm

License Application: https://webselfservice.riversideacr.com/Web/action/ACTIONGROUP76S4

Additional marriage information: https://www.rivcoacr.org/Marriages

Riverside Gateway

2724 Gateway Dr., Riverside, CA 92507

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

Riverside Downtown

4080 Lemon St., 1st Floor, Riverside, CA 92501

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

Palm Desert

38-686 El Cerrito Rd,, Palm Desert, CA 92211

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm

Hemet

880 N. State St. Suite B-6,, Hemet, CA 92543-1496

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm

Temecula

41002 County Center Dr. #230, Temecula, CA 92591-6027

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm

Blythe

270 N Broadway,, Blythe, CA 92225

Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-3pm

License Application: https://arcselfservice.sbcounty.gov/web/user/disclaimer

Additional marriage information: https://arc.sbcounty.gov/marriage/

Hall of Records: Recorder-Clerk

222 W. Hospitality Lane, 1st Floor, San Bernardino, CA 92415 

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

License Application: https://marriage.lavote.net/MLS/

Additional marriage information: https://www.lavote.gov/home/county-clerk/marriage-licenses-ceremonies/general-info

Norwalk(Main Office)

12400 Imperial Hwy., Norwalk, CA 90650

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

Beverly Hills

9355 Burton Way, 4th Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4pm

East Los Angeles

4716 E. Cesar Chavez Blvd., Building B, Los Angeles, CA 90022

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm

Lancaster

44509 16th St. West, Suite 101, Lancaster, CA 93534

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm

LAX / Courthouse

11701 S. La Cienega Blvd., 6th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm

Van Nuys

14340 W. Sylvan St., Van Nuys, CA 91401

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm

Florence / Firestone

7807 Compton Ave., Room 102, Los Angeles, CA 90001

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm