Access Daly City Marriage Licenses

Marriage license applications for Daly City residents are processed by the Daly City County Assessor County Clerk Recorder Elections office. Daly City is a city of about 103,000 people in the Bay Area. All marriage licenses for Daly City go through the county clerk system at the County Center in Redwood City. The clerk office issues both public and confidential marriage licenses and keeps all marriage records for Daly City County. If you got married in Daly City or anywhere in Daly City County, your marriage record is maintained by the county clerk recorder and you can request certified copies through their office or through VitalChek at any time.

Daly City County Handles Marriage Licenses

Daly City is in Daly City County. The county clerk recorder handles all marriage license applications for Daly City residents. Cities do not issue marriage licenses in California. County clerks have sole authority under California Family Code to issue licenses and maintain marriage records.

The Daly City County Clerk Recorder office is at 555 County Center in Redwood City. This is the first floor of the main county building. You must have an appointment to apply for a marriage license. Both people must come together in person. Walk-in service is not available.

Daly City County uses Qmatic for appointment scheduling. You can book your time slot through the county website. Call 650-363-4500 if you need help with the process or have questions about marriage licenses in Daly City County.

Marriage License Requirements

Daly City couples must meet California state requirements. You must be at least 18 years old. No blood test is required. You do not need to be a California resident. People from any state or country can get a marriage license in Daly City County.

Bring valid photo ID to your appointment. A driver license, passport, or state ID card works. You need your social security number. If you were married before, tell the clerk when and where that marriage ended. The clerk fills out the application during your appointment at the Redwood City office.

What to bring:

• Government-issued photo ID for both people
• Social security numbers
• Information about previous marriages if applicable
• Payment for the license fee

Your marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued. You must have your wedding ceremony within that time. After the ceremony, the person who performed your wedding must sign the license and return it to the county clerk within 10 days. Once the clerk files the signed license, your marriage is official in Daly City County.

Public and Confidential Licenses

A public marriage license costs $79 in Daly City County. This is the standard type. The license becomes a public record after your ceremony. Anyone can request a copy of your marriage certificate. You need at least one witness at your wedding. The witness must be 18 or older and must sign the license.

A confidential marriage license costs $80 in Daly City County. To qualify, both people must already be living together as a married couple when you apply. No witness is required for a confidential ceremony. The license does not become a public record. Only the two people who got married can get copies. California Family Code Sections 500 through 511 set the rules for confidential marriages in Daly City and across California.

If you want privacy, choose a confidential license. If you do not mind public access, a public license is fine. Both types are legally valid. You cannot change from one type to the other after the clerk issues your license in Daly City County.

Note: Confidential marriage records stay with the Daly City County Clerk Recorder and are not sent to the California Department of Public Health.

Civil Marriage Ceremonies

The Daly City County Clerk Recorder performs civil marriage ceremonies. The ceremony fee is $65. This is separate from the license fee. Ceremonies are held at the clerk office in Redwood City. The ceremony lasts about 10 minutes. You can bring a small group of guests. The clerk reads a standard script and you exchange vows.

You can also hire your own officiant. Any judge, religious leader, or person authorized under California law can perform your wedding. The officiant must return the signed license to the county clerk within 10 days. You can have your wedding anywhere in California once you have your license from Daly City County.

Many Daly City couples schedule their ceremony for the same day they pick up their license. This works well for a simple civil ceremony. If you want a larger wedding, get your license first and plan your ceremony for later. Just make sure your ceremony happens within 90 days of the license date.

Requesting Marriage Certificate Copies

You can get copies of your Daly City marriage certificate from Daly City County or from the California Department of Public Health. The county clerk is faster for recent records. The state vital records office can provide older records for public marriages but takes longer.

To order from Daly City County, visit the clerk office in Redwood City. You can also order by mail or through VitalChek. VitalChek is an authorized vendor for Daly City County. The website at smcacre.gov has information about ordering copies. Most orders are processed within one to two weeks in Daly City County.

The California Department of Public Health charges $19 per certified copy of public marriage certificates. You can order by mail or through VitalChek. VitalChek adds service fees. The state cannot provide records for years 2000 through 2007. For those years, contact Daly City County. The state does not keep confidential marriage records.

Note: Allow 2 to 3 weeks for mail orders from the state vital records office.

California Marriage License Laws

California Family Code Sections 350 through 360 set the requirements for marriage licenses. These statutes cover age requirements, ID requirements, and license validity. The 90-day validity rule comes from this part of California law. Daly City County clerks follow these statutes when they issue licenses to Daly City residents.

California Health and Safety Code Section 103526 controls who can get certified copies of marriage certificates. This law creates two groups. Authorized persons include the married couple, their legal representatives, and certain family members. They can get certified copies for legal use. Other people can only get informational copies.

Confidential marriage laws appear in California Family Code Sections 500 through 511. Section 509 limits access to confidential records. Section 511 sets penalties for unauthorized disclosure. These laws protect couples who choose confidential licenses in Daly City County.

Nearby Cities

Other qualifying cities near Daly City include Daly City, San Mateo, and San Francisco. Daly City County residents can use the clerk office in Redwood City. San Francisco is its own county with its own clerk office.