Only 2 unmarried persons who are at least 18 years of age with valid legal identification may apply for a marriage license in California. California residency and US citizenship are not requirements for marriage in California.
Your ceremony must be performed by an authorized person.
If 1 person is a member of the military, under 18, in jail, or hospitalized, different rules apply. Learn more about these special case marriages.
You cannot reschedule a civil marriage license appointment. You must cancel your appointment in-person or through the online booking system. You will NOT get your money back.
Get a marriage license
Before you get married in California, you must have a California marriage license issued within 90 days of the date of your ceremony. You can download and complete the application and bring it to your appointment in person at City Hall.
Get married in person at City Hall
You can get married in San Francisco’s historic City Hall by a Commissioner from the Office of the County Clerk.
For smaller wedding ceremonies
If you have 6 guests or fewer, make an appointment to have a small civil marriage ceremony or domestic partnership ceremony at City Hall.
For larger wedding ceremonies and evening / weekend / holiday ceremonies
If you have more than 6 guests or want to get married on a weekend or a holiday, you need to book a space through City Hall Events.
Get married somewhere else in San Francisco
You do not have to get married at City Hall. Learn how to have a marriage ceremony at a San Francisco location of your own choosing.
You will be responsible for all off-site ceremony arrangements, including reserving and paying for the venue, permits, etc. Learn about some wedding venue options available in San Francisco.
Get married somewhere else in California
If your marriage license was issued in California, you may get married in any California county.
Make sure you get your marriage license first and have your ceremony within 90 days of the date you got your marriage license.
Your ceremony must be performed by an authorized person.
Record your marriage
Your marriage license must be recorded in the County where it was issued.
The person who performed your ceremony is responsible for getting your signed marriage license to the right place.
If you had a public marriage license from the San Francisco County Clerk, return your signed license to the Office of the Assessor-Recorder.
If you had a confidential marriage license, return the signed license to the Office of the County Clerk.
If you were married by someone from the Office of the County Clerk, we will file the documents for you.
Get a copy of your marriage certificate
You must get a copy of your marriage certificate from the county where it was issued.
If you had a public marriage, you can get a copy of your marriage certificate from the Office of the Assessor-Recorder.
If you had a confidential marriage, you can get a copy of your confidential marriage certificate from the Office of the County Clerk.
Last updated September 22, 2023