Order Your Official California Marriage Certificate Online
Quick, easy and secure — we prepare and file your application, and your certified copy is delivered by mail.
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Ordering a different record type? Birth|Death OR from a different state?
Simple, Secure Online Process
Get your vital records in three easy steps
Select Record Type
Choose the vital record you need from any U.S. state
Complete Application
Complete the secure application form and required documentation
Secure Delivery
Receive your official certificate securely via mail
Marriage Certificate
Standard: 4 to 6 weeks
Processing Time
Standard: 4 to 6 weeks
Filing Level: State or County
Requirements
- • Completed application for a certified copy of the marriage record
- • Sworn statement of identity (notarized when an authorized copy is requested)
- • Government-issued photo ID for the requester
- • Full names of both spouses, including last names before marriage
- • Date of the marriage and the county where the license was issued
- • Your relationship to the couple and the reason for the request
Who Can Order Certified Records?
Most states allow the following individuals to order certified copies of vital records.
Birth Certificates
- The person named on the certificate
- Parent or legal guardian
- Spouse
- Child
- Legal representative
Death Certificates
- Immediate family members
- Legal representatives
- Estate administrators
Marriage Certificates
- Either spouse
- Legal representatives
- Authorized requesters depending on state rules
Divorce Certificates
- Either party named on the record
- Legal representatives
- Authorized requesters depending on state rules
Eligibility requirements vary by state. The application will confirm eligibility during the order process.
Order a Certified Record
Order official certificates from all 50 U.S. states
Payment Information
| Certified Copy of California Marriage Certificate | |
|---|---|
| $140.00 | Online processing fee (US Records service fee) |
| $19.00 | California agency fee (per copy) |
| Free | Filing speed: Standard Filing |
| $14.95 | Filing speed: Priority Filing |
| $29.95 | Filing speed: Expedited Filing |
Fees & Payment
We accept Visa, Mastercard and debit cards.
Our service fee: a processing fee charged at the time of your order, covering our secure online platform, application preparation, review and support.
Agency fee: the California issuing agency charges a separate fee for each certified copy. It is collected with your order and passed through to the agency.
Please Note
Filing speed: additional fees may apply depending on the filing speed you choose. Agency processing and delivery times are controlled by the issuing agency.
Agency fees are set by the issuing agency and are subject to change without notice.
If no record is found, fees may be applied to cover the cost of the record search and are non-refundable.
US Records is a private, non-government provider and is not affiliated with any federal, state or local government agency.
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Official State-Issued Certificates
Issued by the appropriate state or county agency
Transparent Pricing
Clear breakdown of service and state fees
How to get a copy of a California marriage certificate
You get a certified California marriage certificate from the county recorder in the county that issued the marriage licence, or from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for public marriages statewide, by filing an application with your ID, a notarized sworn statement for an authorized copy, and the agency fee of $19.00 per copy. With US Records you complete one online form and we prepare, notarize and file it.
- Give us the marriage details. Both spouses' full names before the marriage, the date of the marriage and the county that issued the licence.
- Tell us your relationship to the record — spouse, parent, child, legal representative or other.
- Upload your photo ID and complete the sworn statement; notarization is handled online.
- Pay once for the processing fee and every copy you request.
- We file and track it and email you at each step until the certificate arrives by mail.
Applying directly yourself
You can also apply yourself for less. CDPH publishes an application for a certified copy of a public marriage record; mail it with a notarized sworn statement and a check or money order for $19.00 per copy. The county recorder that issued the licence accepts the same request, usually faster, at a fee between $15.00 and $24.00 depending on the county. US Records is an independent private service and is not a government agency.
Public vs confidential marriage records in California
California issues two kinds of marriage record, and only one of them can be ordered from the state. A public marriage record is held by both the county recorder and CDPH and is available to authorized requesters. A confidential marriage record is held only by the county recorder that issued the licence, is not registered with CDPH, and can be released only to the spouses themselves or by court order.
| Public marriage record | Confidential marriage record | |
|---|---|---|
| Held by | County recorder and CDPH | County recorder only |
| Who may order a certified copy | Either spouse, parents, children, legal representatives and other authorized parties | Only the two spouses, or a person with a court order |
| Available from the state | Yes | No — county recorder only |
| Appears in a public index | Yes | No |
If your marriage was confidential, we file with the county recorder that issued the licence, and only a spouse can request the copy. If you are not sure which type you have, the licence itself is labelled — confidential licences state it on the face of the document.
Who can order a California marriage certificate
Authorized certified copies of a public California marriage record go to the people named on it and their close family or legal representatives.
- Either spouse named on the record
- A parent or legal guardian of a spouse
- A child, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of a spouse
- A party entitled to receive the record by court order
- An attorney representing a spouse or an estate
- A member of a law enforcement or government agency conducting official business
Anyone else may request an informational copy, which shows the same information but is stamped so it cannot be used to establish identity. Confidential marriage records have no informational version.
Searching for a California marriage record
A California marriage record is located by the names of both spouses and the year and county of the marriage. Bring as much of that as you can:
- Both spouses' full names as they were before the marriage
- The date of the marriage, or the year if the exact date is unknown
- The county that issued the marriage licence — not necessarily where the ceremony was held
- Whether the marriage was public or confidential
The licensing county matters more than the ceremony location: California records the marriage where the licence was issued. If you know the county, we file directly with that recorder, which is normally the fastest route. If the county is unknown, a CDPH statewide search covers public marriages across California.
California marriage certificate cost
One certified California marriage certificate through US Records is $159.00 all in — our $140.00 processing fee plus the $19.00 California agency fee per copy, paid once at checkout.
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| US Records processing fee (per order) | $140.00 |
| California agency fee (per certified copy) | $19.00 |
| Total for one certified copy | $159.00 |
California marriage agency fees run from $15.00 to $24.00 across county recorders, and CDPH charges $19.00. Additional copies are charged at the agency fee only. There is never a second charge after checkout.
How long a California marriage certificate takes
CDPH currently reports 4 to 6 weeks for certified marriage copies; California county recorders typically take 1 to 2 weeks. We prepare and file within a business day.
| Stage | Who controls it | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Application prepared, notarized and filed | US Records | Same or next business day |
| County recorder processing | County recorder | 1 to 2 weeks |
| CDPH state processing | CDPH | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Mail delivery | Postal service | Varies by destination |
More California vital records
Order a California birth certificate or a California death certificate, see the California vital records hub, or choose from all 58 counties in the list below.
California Marriage Certificate — Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I get a copy of my marriage certificate in California?
- Request it from the county recorder that issued the marriage licence, or from CDPH for public marriages statewide, with an application, your photo ID, a notarized sworn statement for an authorized copy, and the agency fee. Through US Records, one online form covers all of it — total $159.00 for one certified copy.
- Who can order a California marriage certificate?
- In most cases either spouse, legal representatives and other authorized requesters depending on state rules may order a certified California marriage certificate. The issuing agency makes the final eligibility decision, and we confirm your relationship to the record before filing.
- How long does it take to get a California marriage certificate?
- The California issuing agency currently reports 4 to 6 weeks for this record type. We prepare and file your application first, then track it through to delivery and email you at each step.
- What does a California marriage certificate cost in total?
- One certified copy is $159.00 in total: a $140.00 US Records processing fee plus the $19.00 California agency fee per copy. Additional copies and faster filing speeds are priced at checkout before you pay.
- Can I order a California marriage certificate for a family member?
- Yes, when you are an eligible requester — typically either spouse or legal representatives. You will tell us your relationship to the record during the application, and we only file requests the California issuing agency allows.
- What is a confidential marriage record in California?
- A confidential California marriage record is held only by the county recorder that issued the licence — it is not registered with CDPH and does not appear in any public index. Only the two spouses, or someone with a court order, may obtain a certified copy.
List of California Counties
About US Records
US Records is a private service that assists individuals with ordering vital records from government agencies. We are not a government agency. Official vital records may be obtained directly from the issuing government office for free or at a lower cost. Our fees cover the convenience of online ordering, guided assistance, document review, and document filing, to help ensure your order meets agency requirements.