Obtaining a Marriage License

1.	General Requirements
	a.	Applicants must be an unmarried male and an unmarried female (blood tests are no longer required in the State of California)
	b.	Minimum age requirement is 18 years. For information if one or both parties requesting a marriage license are under the age of 18, please click here Marriage License for Minors
	c.	Valid photo I.D. required, such as:

		i.	Driver's license
		ii.	State issued I.D. card
		iii.	Passport
		iv.	Military service or military dependent I.D. card
		v.	Alien registration card (formerly known as “Green” card)
		vi.	I.D. card issued by the U.S. Government
		If a form of identification which includes both a photograph and birth date is not available, the use of two other identification documents will be necessary to prove identity and age (one with a photograph and one with a birth date). Some examples of these types of documents include:

i.

Photograph

	- School identification card
	- Employee identification card

ii.

Birth Date

	- Certified copy of a birth certificate
	- Baptismal certificate
	- Adoption records

	d.	If either applicant has been divorced or had an annulment within the last year, we will need a certified copy of the JUDGEMENT OF ANNULMENT OR FINAL DECREE OF DISSOLUTION before issuing a license. Note: a “Notice of Entry of Judgment” is not a final dissolution document.
	e.	Both applicants must apply together
	f.	All persons who are members of a religious society or denomination not having clergy for the purpose of solemnizing marriages, must let the clerk know they need a VS 115 form (Family Code, Section 425)
2.	IMPORTANT: Couples must read prior to applying for a marriage license
	New law pertaining to name(s) on marriage licenses effective January 1, 2009
		Name Equality Act of 2007
		Contact Information - Name Equality Act of 2007
3.	Marriage License Application
	We are in the process of creating a web based marriage license application that can be submitted electronically, but until then we have provided the below application form that may be completed prior to coming into our office. This form will prepare you for the questions that will be asked when you come into our office. Couples will be required to enter all of the information contained in the marriage license application on a computer when they come into our office. Completing the application before you come into our office saves time when entering the information into the computer.
		San Bernardino County Marriage License Application form (ENGLISH)
		San Bernardino County Marriage License Application form (SPANISH)
4.	DETERMINE THE TYPE OF MARRIAGE LICENSE YOU REQUIRE:
	There are five types of marriage licenses depending on each person’s legal status or religious beliefs. Before you purchase a marriage license you may want to consult an attorney if you have questions concerning which type of license is appropriate for your needs. Neither the County Clerk nor his deputies are permitted by law to give legal advice and/or assistance. The first two licenses listed below are the most common types of marriage licenses:
	a.	Regular Public License ($88.00)

		i.	Open to the public
		ii.	May be used anywhere in the State of California
		iii.	One witness required. (Besides person performing ceremony)

b.		Confidential License ($90.00)

		i.	Not open to the public
		ii.	Photocopies issued to couple only
		iii.	Ceremony must take place in San Bernardino County
		iv.	No witnesses required
		v.	Applicants must be living together as husband and wife
		Note: Confidential marriage licenses are also offered by certain authorized notaries. For a list of San Bernardino County authorized notaries by location, please click on the link below:
		Authorized Notaries To Issue Confidential Marriage Licenses

	c.	License for Denominations Not Having Clergy ($88.00)
		To be used by those persons who, due to religious beliefs, are entering into a marriage without the participation of a minister, priest, rabbi, lay leader, or other person authorized to solemnize marriages.
	d.	Declaration of Marriage ($88.00)
		To be used by those persons 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.
	e.	Court Order Delayed Marriage
		This license is required under any of the following situations:

		i.	When a marriage was performed without benefit of a license or the license was expired and the couple is unwilling to sign and acknowledge on the marriage license that they are not married and/or they do not agree to participate in a second ceremony.
		ii.	When the requirements to be issued a License and Certificate of Declaration of Marriage cannot be met because the marriage occurred less than one year ago, the couple cannot provide two witnesses who were present at the ceremony; or there is only one spouse available to apply.
		iii.	To record a marriage which occurred in another state or country where the record no longer exists, e.g., was destroyed or lost
		For additional information please go to: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/birthdeathmar/Pages/CorrectingorAmendingVitalRecords.aspx click on "Court Order Delayed Certificate of Marriage (PDF): (5th link)

5.	APPEAR IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE
	a.	Please call (855) 732-2575 and select option #5 "County Clerk" to schedule an appointment from 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Monday–Friday, excluding holidays.
	b.	Couples will be directed to a kiosk to enter their information from the marriage license application form (step 3 above).
	c.	Once the information has been entered into the computer, couples will be directed to a County Clerk window to proofread the license, take their oath, show valid identification, sign the license and provide any necessary additional documentation (such as divorce records, etc.) to complete the marriage license issuance process.
	d.	The original marriage license will be issued to the couple
	Note: refunds may not be granted once a license is purchased.