San Francisco Marriage Records

San Francisco marriage records are managed by the County Clerk office at City Hall. The office is at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 168. You can reach staff at (415) 554-4950 during business hours, which are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Appointments are required for marriage licenses. San Francisco has a strict appointment policy. You cannot change your appointment time, but you can cancel and rebook if needed. Both public and confidential marriage licenses are available. Civil ceremonies can be performed at City Hall.

San Francisco County Clerk Office

The County Clerk office is located in City Hall at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 168, San Francisco, CA 94102. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Call (415) 554-4950 to reach staff with questions about marriage licenses and certificates.

Appointments are required for marriage licenses. San Francisco has a strict appointment policy. You can book an appointment online through the county website. Once you book an appointment, you cannot change the time. You can only cancel and rebook if you need a different time. This policy helps the office manage the high volume of requests.

An online application is available on the county website. Complete it before your appointment. Both parties must appear in person at the same time with valid photo IDs. The office offers both public and confidential marriage licenses. Civil ceremonies are also available at City Hall if you want to get married right away.

Applying for a Marriage License

Start by booking an appointment online through the San Francisco County Clerk website. Appointments are required. You cannot walk in without an appointment. After you book your appointment, complete the online marriage license application. The application asks for basic information about both parties.

On the day of your appointment, both parties must appear in person at the same time. Bring a valid photo ID such as a driver's license, passport, state ID card, or military ID. The ID must show your date of birth and have an issue date and expiration date.

If you were married before, be ready to tell staff when your last marriage ended and how it ended. Death, divorce, dissolution, and nullity are the usual ways a marriage ends. Staff may ask you to provide proof, so bringing a copy of your final divorce decree or your former spouse's death certificate can help.

There is no blood test required in California. There is no waiting period. The license is good for 90 days from the date it is issued. You must have your marriage ceremony within that 90-day period. After the ceremony, the person who performs the marriage must return the license to San Francisco within 10 days. This is a legal requirement under California law.

Public and Confidential Marriage Licenses

San Francisco offers both public and confidential marriage licenses. A public license becomes part of the public record. Anyone can request a copy later. This is the most common type of license. It requires one witness to sign at the ceremony, and there is space for a second witness if you want.

A confidential license is kept private. Only the two people who got married can request copies. To get a confidential license, you must state that you are living together as spouses at the time you apply. This requirement is in California law. Confidential licenses do not require witnesses at the ceremony.

Both types of licenses are valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. You must have your marriage ceremony within that time frame. After the ceremony, the person who performs the marriage must return the license to San Francisco within 10 days.

Civil Ceremonies at City Hall

San Francisco offers civil ceremonies at City Hall. A County Clerk staff member can perform your marriage ceremony. This is a quick and simple option if you do not want a large wedding or if you want to get married right away after you pick up your license.

There is a fee for civil ceremonies. The fee schedule changed on July 1, 2025, and then again on January 1, 2026, due to Assembly Bill 64. Check the fee schedule page on the San Francisco website to see current prices for civil ceremonies and other County Clerk services.

You may need to book a separate appointment for a civil ceremony. Call (415) 554-4950 or check the county website for details about scheduling civil ceremonies at City Hall. The ceremony is short and takes just a few minutes. You can bring guests if you want, but check with the office about how many people are allowed.

Getting Copies of Marriage Certificates

After your marriage ceremony takes place and the officiant returns the license to the county, San Francisco processes it and files it as a marriage certificate. You do not get a copy automatically. You must request one and pay for it. Each certified copy costs $19 as of January 1, 2026. This fee went up by $2 due to Assembly Bill 64.

You can request a certified copy in person at the County Clerk office in City Hall. Bring your photo ID and be ready to provide details like the date of the marriage and the names of both parties. The office may ask about your relationship to the people on the certificate if you are requesting someone else's record.

For public marriage certificates, anyone can request a copy. For confidential marriage certificates, only the two people who got married can request copies. This is set by California law to protect the privacy of those who choose confidential licenses.

If you cannot visit in person, you may be able to request copies by mail. Contact the San Francisco County Clerk office at (415) 554-4950 to ask about mail requests. You will likely need to send a completed application form, a copy of your ID, and payment.

Amending Public Marriage Licenses

If you need to change information on your marriage certificate after it is filed, the process depends on what type of license you have. Amendments to public marriage licenses must be submitted to the State Registrar directly. This means you cannot file the amendment with the San Francisco County Clerk office. You must work with the California Department of Public Health.

For amendments within one year of the marriage, there is no fee for the amendment itself, but you still pay $19 for each certified copy of the amended certificate. For amendments after one year, the fee is $26. This includes one certified copy of the amended certificate. Extra copies cost $19 each.

Amendment processing can take time. The California Department of Public Health notes that amendment requests typically take 9 to 11 weeks to process at the state level. To start an amendment, contact the California Department of Public Health Vital Records office. You will need to provide documentation that supports the change you are requesting.

San Francisco Marriage Fees

San Francisco updated its fees on July 1, 2025, and again on January 1, 2026, due to Assembly Bill 64. The fee schedule page on the city website lists current charges for all County Clerk services. This includes marriage licenses, civil ceremonies, and certified copies of marriage certificates.

The fee for a certified copy of a marriage certificate is $19 per copy. This is the state-mandated fee as of January 1, 2026. If the office searches for a record and cannot find it, they will issue a Certificate of No Public Record. The search fee is not refunded even if no record is found.

Payment methods include cash, checks, money orders, and credit or debit cards. Some offices charge an extra service fee for card payments. When paying by check or money order, make it payable to the San Francisco County Clerk or as instructed by staff.

California Marriage Requirements

You must be at least 18 years old to marry in California. Both parties must be unmarried at the time they apply for a license. Marriage by proxy is not allowed in California except in very limited military situations described in California Family Code Section 420(b).

California law requires that both parties, the officiant, and any witnesses be physically present together in the same location for the marriage ceremony. This is stated in California Family Code Section 420(a). Remote or online ceremonies are not valid under California law unless they fall under the narrow military exception.

The person who performs the marriage must be authorized to solemnize marriages in California. This includes judges, religious leaders, and certain other individuals listed in California Family Code Section 400. The officiant must sign the marriage license and return it to San Francisco within 10 days of the ceremony.

State-Level Marriage Record Resources

The California Department of Public Health Vital Records office in Sacramento keeps copies of all marriage records for the state. If you cannot get a record from San Francisco, you can try the state office. The state office charges the same $19 fee for certified copies.

Processing at the state level takes longer. The average time is 5 to 7 weeks, and it can be longer if there are problems with your request. The state office recommends going to the county where the marriage took place whenever possible because it is faster.

The marriage license general information page on the state website has helpful answers to common questions about requirements and procedures.

San Francisco City and County

San Francisco is unique in California because it is both a city and a county. There are no other cities within San Francisco County. All residents of San Francisco get their marriage licenses and certificates from the County Clerk office at City Hall.

Nearby Counties

San Francisco County is located on a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you need records from nearby areas, these counties are close to San Francisco.

• San Mateo County - south of San Francisco County
• Marin County - north of San Francisco County
• Alameda County - east of San Francisco County
• Contra Costa County - northeast of San Francisco County