Online Marriage License Application

Online Marriage License Application
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This is an Online Marriage License Application.

This service is optional; you can either complete your application online or visit our office to complete the application on our kiosk.

Overview
1. Both parties must appear together in-person at one of our office locations when the license is issued.
2. Parties must present valid, government-issued photo identification as proof of name and date of birth. Examples of acceptable forms of I.D. are:
  1. Driver’s License
  2. Passport
  3. Military I.D.
  4. Resident Alien Card
3. Parties must be unmarried. You may not be already married to each other or other individuals.
4. If either party was previously married or in a State Registered Domestic Partnership (SRDP), you must provide the date the previous marriage or SRDP ended and how it ended (death, dissolution, divorce, or nullity). Note: An SRDP need not be dissolved prior to the issuance of a marriage license if the parties to the SRDP and the parties to the marriage are same.
5. If the previous marriage or SRDP ended by dissolution, divorce, or nullity within the past 90 days, you must present a copy of the final judgment issued by the court.
6. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen or California resident to apply for a marriage license.
7. Blood tests and health certificates are not required to obtain a marriage license.
Type of Marriage License Requested
Type of Marriage (see explanation below)*

PublicConfidentialNon-ClergyDeclaration
Types of Marriage Licenses

The two most common types of marriage licenses issued in California are the Public Marriage License and the Confidential Marriage License. Please read the details on all marriage license types listed below before making your decision.

Public Marriage License:
- Both parties must be at least 18 years of age.
  - Persons under 18 must obtain a judicial approval to marry. A certified copy of the court order granting permission to marry must be presented to the County Clerk at the time the marriage license is issued.
- The Public Marriage License is valid from 90 days of issuance. Within that timeframe, a marriage ceremony can take place anywhere in the state of California. The license must then be returned to the Sacramento County Recorder to be registered.
- There must be at least one witness present at the marriage ceremony. The license contains a place for up to two witnesses to complete their information and sign.
- One party must officiate the ceremony. The officiant must complete and sign their fields.
The Public Marriage License is registered at the County Recorder’s Office in the county where the license was purchased, and is a public record.

Confidential Marriage License:
- Both parties must be at least 18 years of age. Minors may NOT purchase a Confidential Marriage License.
- Both parties must be living together as spouses at the time they apply for the Confidential Marriage License, and must sign an affidavit on the license attesting to those facts.
- The Confidential Marriage License is valid from 90 days of issuance. Within that timeframe, a marriage ceremony can take place anywhere in the state of California. The license must then be returned to the Sacramento County Clerk to be registered.
- No witnesses are required to be at the ceremony, AND there are no fields for witnesses to sign.
- One party must officiate the ceremony. The officiant must complete and sign their fields.
This Confidential Marriage License is a confidential record and is registered at the County Clerk’s Office in the county where it was purchased. Only the parties to the marriage may purchase copies of the Confidential Marriage Certificate and must present valid, government issued picture identification, along with the required fee, to the County Clerk. Persons other than the married couple requesting copies of a Confidential Marriage Certificate may only do so by presenting a court order to the County Clerk.

Non-Clergy Marriage License:
- Both parties must be at least 18 years of age. Minors may NOT purchase a Non-Clergy Marriage License.
- The Non-Clergy Marriage License is for the ceremonies of religious denominations that do not have clergy members (i.e. Society of Friends, Quakers, Bahai, etc.)
- The Non-Clergy Marriage license is valid from 90 days of issuance. Within that timeframe, a marriage ceremony can take place anywhere in the state of California. The license must then be returned to the Sacramento County Recorder to be registered.
- There must be at least two witnesses present at the marriage ceremony. Two witnesses must complete and sign their fields.
Declaration of Marriage License:
- Both parties must be at least 18 years of age. Minors may NOT purchase a Declaration of Marriage License.
- The Declaration of Marriage License is used by those who wish to declare an already existing, licensed California marriage, for which no official record exists, and more than one year has passed since the date of the marriage.
- The Declaration of Marriage License is valid from 90 days of issuance. Within that timeframe, the license must be completed with all signatures and returned to the Sacramento County Recorder to be registered.
- The parties must reside in Sacramento County.
- There must be two witnesses who were present at the original marriage ceremony who can complete and sign the Declaration of Marriage License.

Information About the First Person
First Person Designation*

GroomBrideN/A
Type of Identification*
Type of Identification-OP_ML_Person
Issuing State / Country*
Select a State or Country from the list
Identification Number*
Identification Number-OP_ML_Person
Email
example@example.com
OH_Email
example@example.com
OrderHeaderAddressName

First NameMiddle NameLast Name
First Person Name*

First NameMiddle NameLast Name
First Person Name Hidden Field
Last Name at Birth (if different than above)
Date of Birth*

MonthDayYear
Enter a valid date (Must be greater than 01-01-1900)
FP-DOB-YMD

YearMonthDay
Date
FP-DOB-TXT
State of Birth if Born in U.S.
Country of Birth if Born Outside U.S.
Select or pick Other
Other Country Name
FIDBirthState
First Person Previous Marriages or State Registered Domestic Partnership

If either party was previously married or had a State Registered Domestic Partnership (SRDP) within 90 days of the issuance of this marriage license, a copy of the final Dissolution is required. A copy of a Minute Order is not acceptable.
Number of Previous Marriages/SDRP*
Last Marriage/SDRP Ended By:

DEATHDISSOANNULMENTTERM SRDPNOT APPLICABLE
Date Ended

MonthDayYear
Enter a valid date (Must be greater than 01-01-1900)
FP-END-YMD

YearMonthDay
Date
FP-END-TXT
First Person Father/Mother/Parent Information
Father/Parent Full Birth Name*
Father's State of Birth if Born in U.S.
Father's Country of Birth if Born Outside U.S.
Select or pick Other
Other Country Name
FIDFatherBirthState
Mother/Parent Full Birth Name *
Mother's State of Birth if Born in U.S.
Mother's Country of Birth if Born Outside U.S.
Select or pick Other
Other Country Name
FIDMotherBirthState
First Person Address Information

Please enter your current mailing address and contact information below:
OPOrderHeaderAddress

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Address*
Street Address
City*
State/Country*
Zip Code*
OP_Address
OP_City
OP_State
OP_Zip
Day Phone Number*
OH_Phone
TypeOfUserData

Information About the Second Person
Second Person Designation*

GroomBrideN/A
Type of Identification*
Type of Identification-OP_ML_Person
Issuing State / Country*
Select a State or Country from the list
Identification Number*
Identification Number-OP_ML_Person
OPOrderHeaderAddressSP

First NameMiddle NameLast Name
Second Person Name*

First NameMiddle NameLast Name
Second Person Name Hidden Field
Last Name at Birth (if different than above)
Date of Birth*

MonthDayYear
Enter a valid date (Must be greater than 01-01-1900)
SP-DOB-YMD

YearMonthDay
Date
SP-DOB-TXT
State of Birth if Born in U.S.
Country of Birth if Born Outside U.S.
Select or pick Other
Other Country Name
SID_BirthState
Second Person Previous Marriages or State Registered Domestic Partnership

If either party was previously married or had a State Registered Domestic Partnership (SRDP) within 90 days of the issuance of this marriage license, a copy of the final Dissolution is required. A copy of a Minute Order is not acceptable.
Number of Previous Marriages/SDRP*
Last Marriage/SRDP Ended By:*

DEATHDISSOANNULMENTTERM SRDPNOT APPLICABLE
Date Ended

MonthDayYear
Enter a valid date (Must be greater than 01-01-1900)
SP-END-YMD

YearMonthDay
Date
SP-END-TXT
Second Person Father/Mother/Parent Information
Father/Parent Full Birth Name*
Father's State of Birth if Born in U.S
Father's Country of Birth if Born Outside U.S.
Select or pick Other
Other Country Name
SIDFatherBirthState
Mother/Parent Full Birth Name *
Mother's State of Birth if Born in U.S.
Mother's Country of Birth if Born Outside U.S.
Select or pick Other
Other Country Name
SIDMotherBirthState
Second Person Address Information

Please enter your current mailing address and contact information below:
Address*
Street Address
City*
State/Country*
Zip Code*
TypeOfUserData
Day Phone Number*

Optional New Name(s) Information
The Name Equality Act

The Name Equality Act of 2007 (AB 102, Chapter 567, Statutes of 2007) allows the couple, at the time they are applying for their marriage license, to choose and list on the marriage license the name that each party will go by after marriage.

Parties are not required to have the same name, nor are they required to change their names.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Changing a middle and/or last name after the license is issued (and before the marriage ceremony) will require the purchase of a new license. Changing a middle and/or last name after the marriage is solemnized requires a court order and can be a lengthy, expensive process.

How It Works

Either party may elect to change his/her middle and/or last names to create a “new name” by which that party wishes to be known after solemnization of the marriage. The new name (if any) will be reflected in the space provided on the marriage license.

Each party to the marriage may adopt any of the following middle names:
- The current last name of either spouse
- The last name of either spouse given at birth
- A combination of the current middle name and the current last name of the person or spouse
- A combination of the current middle name and the birth last name of the person or spouse
- Segments are not allowed in the middle name
- Parties may not completely drop their existing middle name
Each party to the marriage may adopt any of the following last names:
- The current last name of the other spouse
- The last name of either spouse given at birth
- A name combining into a single last name all or a segment of the current last name or the last name of either spouse given at birth
- A combination of last names
Use of Your Marriage License

The marriage certificate is used by multiple local, state, federal and private agencies, each of which have different rules and/or regulations regarding what documents are acceptable to change your name on their records following marriage. It is recommended that you contact these agencies to verify their requirements.

It is unlawful for County employees to answer questions of a legal nature. Our staff cannot advise you how to complete the marriage license application as it relates to your entry of a new name or retention of your former name on the marriage license application. If you have any questions regarding whether you should or should not list your new name on the marriage license application, or how the Name Equality Act of 2007 may affect you, please consult an attorney prior to applying for your marriage license.
First Person New Names (if any)
First Person New Middle Name
First Person New Last Name
Second Person New Names (if any)
Second Person New Middle Name
Second Person New Last Name
MarriageLicense – Regular
MarriageLicense – Confidential
MarriageLicense – Declaration
MarriageLicense – Non-Clergy
FilingCodes
OP_OrderitemDocumentInfo
IsBrideFP
IsBride
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