Roseville Marriage Records

Roseville residents get marriage licenses through Placer County. The city is part of the county system and all marriage records go through the County Clerk-Recorder office. Couples must apply in person at the county office in Auburn with valid photo ID. After the ceremony, the signed license goes back to the county and copies become available. Public marriages are open records. Confidential marriages stay private between the married couple.

Placer County Clerk Office

The Placer County Clerk-Recorder office is in Auburn at 2954 Richardson Drive. This is the main office for the entire county. Both people must show up in person with ID to apply for a marriage license. No one can apply for you. This rule applies across all California counties.

Bring your driver license or passport. If you were married before, tell the clerk when it ended. Some counties want to see divorce papers. Call ahead at (530) 886-5600 to confirm what you need. This saves a trip if you forget something important.

The office accepts credit cards, checks, and money orders for payment. Do not send cash by mail if you order copies later. Make checks payable to Placer County Clerk-Recorder. Call ahead to confirm hours and what you need to bring with you.

How to Get a License

You must be 18 years old to marry in California. California Family Code section 301 sets this rule. Minors under 18 need court permission and parental consent. This is rare and requires a hearing in front of a judge.

Placer County offers public and confidential marriage licenses. A public license becomes a public record once you marry. Anyone can look it up or order a copy. A confidential license stays private. Only the married couple can get copies. Confidential licenses require you to live together as a couple when you apply. This comes from California Family Code sections 500 to 511.

The license is valid for 90 days from the date you get it. You can use it anywhere in California. If you do not marry within 90 days, it expires and you must get a new one. There is no waiting period. You can marry the same day you get the license if you want. Most people wait a few days or weeks to plan the ceremony.

After the wedding, your officiant has 10 days to return the signed license to the county. This is required by California Family Code section 359. Once the county gets it back, they record your marriage in the official files. Then you can order a copy of your certificate.

California has no residency requirement for marriage. You do not need to live in the state to marry here. People from other states or countries can come to Roseville to get married. The license works the same for everyone no matter where you are from.

After You Get Married

Wait about two weeks after your wedding to request a certificate. The county needs time to enter the data. If you try too soon, they may not find your record yet. Call first if you are in a hurry to see if your record is ready. This saves you a wasted trip to Auburn.

You can get a copy in person at the county office. Take your ID and fill out a request form. Pay the fee and they give you the copy if your record is in the system. By mail takes longer. Send your request with payment to the office address. Allow a few weeks for them to process it and mail it back to you.

Online orders go through VitalChek at vitalchek.com. Choose California, then Placer County. You pay extra fees for the service but it may be faster than mail. Expect 2 to 3 weeks for processing even with online orders. VitalChek adds convenience, not speed.

The fee is $19 per certificate as of January 2026. This went up by $2 due to AB 64. All California counties charge this amount for state copies. Placer County may add fees for rush service or same-day copies. Ask about extra charges when you order if you need it fast.

For a certified copy, you must sign your request in front of a notary. Certified copies have an official seal and work for legal purposes like changing your name on a driver license or passport. Informational copies do not need a notary. They just show the facts without the seal. Most people need certified copies for official uses.

Note: Only the married couple can get confidential marriage certificates unless a court orders it.

State Health Department

California keeps some marriage records at the state level. The Department of Public Health has public marriages from 1905 to 2001 and from 2010 forward. If your marriage is outside that range, go to the county. The state does not have confidential marriages. Those stay with the county clerk forever.

State copies take 5 to 7 weeks to process. County copies are much faster. Most people skip the state and go to Placer County for their records. The state office is in Sacramento at P.O. Box 997410, CA 95899-7410. Their phone is (916) 445-2684 if you need to ask them a question.

To order from the state, use form VS 113-A. Download it from the CDPH forms page. Fill it out and mail it with payment. Include a notarized sworn statement if you want a certified copy. Informational copies do not need the notary part.

Marriage Law in California

California law defines marriage as a civil contract between two people. See California Family Code section 300 for the full definition. You must get a license and have a ceremony to be legally married. Just living together or saying you are married does not count under the law.

You can have anyone authorized by the state perform your ceremony. Clergy, judges, and some county workers can do it. The county clerk can appoint someone to be a deputy for a day if you want a friend or family member to marry you. Ask the clerk office about that program when you get your license.

California does not require blood tests or a waiting period. Some states do, but not this one. You can get your license and marry right away. The state also has no residency rule. You do not have to live in California first. Tourists and people from out of state can get married here without any wait time.

Changing Names

You can change your name when you marry in California. Family Code section 306.5 lets you pick a new middle or last name on the license form. You do not have to change your name if you do not want to. Neither person is required to take the other's name.

Write the new name on the form when you apply. After the county records your marriage, the certificate proves the name change. Use it to update your Social Security card, driver license, and passport. No extra court order is needed if you do it when you marry.

Both people can change names. One can change and the other can stay the same. You can combine names or make up a new one. The law is flexible. Just write what you want and the county records it that way.

Correcting Mistakes

If your certificate has wrong information, you can ask to fix it. Public marriage amendments go through the state health department. Confidential marriage amendments go through Placer County. The process depends on your license type.

Amendments in the first year are free. You just pay for a new copy. After one year, there is a $26 fee plus the copy fee. See the state fee page for details. Processing takes 9 to 11 weeks. Plan ahead if you need it soon.

Bring proof that the record is wrong. IDs, birth certificates, or other documents help show the right information. The state or county reviews your request and decides if they will approve it. Not all changes are allowed. They will explain what counts as valid.

Placer County Resources

Roseville is in Placer County and all marriage services go through the county clerk. For complete details on procedures, office hours, and fees, visit the Placer County marriage records page.

View Placer County Marriage Records