California Marriage Records

Marriage records in California have been available since July 1, 1905. There are three types of marriage records available:

  1. Certified Copies - these can only be requested by the individuals named on the certificates themselves, their direct family members as well as any legal respresenatives.
  2. Informational Copies - anybody can request informational copies, but they are not valid documents in a court of law. These are useful for genealogists and people interested in just the information.
  3. Confidential Marriage Records - can only be requested by the two individuals on the certificate themselves and only from the vital records office in the county where the marriage occurred.

Where to Obtain Marriage Records

There are 3 places to get public marriage records:

  1. California Department of Public Health Vital Records - processing time can exceed 6 months.
  2. County Recorder's office where the marriage occurred. Use the navigation on the right to get contact information.
  3. Online from a website such as Archives.com or Ancestry.com

The California Department of Public Health - Vital Records

The California Department of Public Health is the government office responsible for maintaining vital records in California. Although the CDOPH is the main office that serves the entire state, you can get quicker service by ordering online or contacting the county office where the marriage occurred directly. Currently there is a 6 month processing time if you order from the CDOPH.


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Easily find marriage records in California

 

Marriage Records by County