Alameda County Marriage License Services

Marriage license services in Alameda County are provided by the Auditor-Controller-Clerk-Recorder office, which operates two locations to serve over 1.6 million residents across one of the most diverse counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can apply for a marriage license at the Oakland office on Madison Street or the Dublin office, with public licenses costing $81 and confidential licenses costing $90, and civil ceremonies are available for $75 at both locations. Alameda County also offers virtual ceremony services through MS Teams, making it one of the few California counties to provide remote wedding options in addition to traditional in-person ceremonies.

Alameda County Clerk Offices

The Auditor-Controller-Clerk-Recorder office in Alameda County operates two locations for marriage services. The main office is at 1106 Madison Street in Oakland. A second office serves the Tri-Valley region in Dublin. Both locations handle marriage license applications and perform civil ceremonies in Alameda County.

Office hours are typically Monday through Friday. You should call ahead to check current hours and appointment availability. Call 510-272-6362 to ask questions about marriage services. The county website at auditor.alamedacountyca.gov/clerk-recorder has information about both office locations in Alameda County.

Most couples choose the office closest to where they live. The Oakland office serves the western part of the county. The Dublin office serves communities in the eastern part of Alameda County.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

Both people must appear in person together at one of the Alameda County offices to apply for a marriage license. You can visit either the Oakland or Dublin location. Some services may require appointments, so call ahead to confirm. Walk-ins may be accepted depending on current office policies in Alameda County.

Bring valid photo identification for each person. Driver licenses, state ID cards, and passports all work. The staff will ask for your full name, date of birth, place of birth, and social security number. If you were married before, you must provide details about when and where that marriage ended in Alameda County.

The application process takes about 15 to 20 minutes. The staff reviews your information and answers any questions you have. Once everything is complete, you pay the license fee and receive your marriage license the same day in Alameda County.

What to Expect at Your Visit

Both people must appear together at the Alameda County office to apply for a marriage license. The staff reviews your identification and asks questions to complete the application. This process takes about 15 minutes in Alameda County.

You pay the license fee after the application is complete. A public marriage license costs $81 in Alameda County. A confidential license costs $90. The office accepts credit cards, debit cards, checks, and cash. After you pay, the staff prints your marriage license. You get the physical document right away. It is valid for 90 days from that date under California Family Code Section 359.

Your wedding ceremony must happen within those 90 days. The license has multiple copies. One stays with you. Another goes to your officiant, who must file it with the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder within 10 days after the ceremony. Make sure your officiant knows to file the license on time. If it is not filed, your marriage will not become an official record in Alameda County.

Marriage License Fees

Alameda County charges $81 for a public marriage license and $90 for a confidential license. These fees are moderate compared to other Bay Area counties. The fee covers the full application and processing in Alameda County.

Civil ceremony fees are $75 in Alameda County. You can pay for the license and ceremony at the same time, or get your license first and schedule the ceremony later. Some couples choose to have a private ceremony instead of using the county service in Alameda County.

After your wedding, you can order certified copies of your marriage certificate from the Clerk-Recorder office. The first certified copy usually costs around $25. Each additional copy in the same order costs less. You can order copies in person, by mail, or through online services in Alameda County.

Civil Marriage Ceremonies

The Alameda County Auditor-Controller-Clerk-Recorder performs civil ceremonies at both office locations. The ceremony fee is $75. Ceremonies are available during regular business hours Monday through Friday. You can book your ceremony when you pick up your license or by calling the office in Alameda County.

Alameda County also offers virtual ceremony services through MS Teams. This option became available during the pandemic and continues to be offered. Virtual ceremonies cost the same as in-person ceremonies. You and your officiant join a video call with the deputy clerk who performs the ceremony. This option is convenient for couples who cannot easily visit an office in Alameda County.

A typical civil ceremony takes 5 to 10 minutes whether in-person or virtual. The deputy clerk reads a standard ceremony script. Both people say their vows. You can exchange rings if you want. A small number of guests can attend in-person ceremonies. Virtual ceremonies can have more remote guests watching. The ceremony is legally valid just like any other wedding in California. After the ceremony, the deputy signs your marriage license and files it with the county. Your marriage becomes official at that moment in Alameda County.

Public and Confidential Licenses

Alameda County issues both public and confidential marriage licenses. A public license costs $81 and becomes part of the public record after filing. Anyone can request a copy of a public marriage certificate from the county or from California state vital records.

A confidential marriage license costs $90 in Alameda County. It does not become a public record. Only the two people who got married can request copies later. To qualify for a confidential license, both people must be living together as a married couple when they apply under California Family Code Section 500. No witness is required at the ceremony for a confidential marriage.

Some couples choose confidential licenses for privacy. Others prefer public licenses because they are more common. Both types are equally legal in California. You cannot switch from one type to the other after the license is issued in Alameda County.

Who Can Get a Marriage License

Both people must be at least 18 years old to get a marriage license in Alameda County. If someone is under 18, a court order is required. No blood test is needed. California eliminated the blood test requirement in 1995. You do not need to be a resident of Alameda County or California. Anyone from any state or country can get a marriage license in Alameda County.

Both people must apply in person together. You cannot send someone else to apply for you. Each person needs valid photo ID. The staff asks for your full legal name, date of birth, place of birth, and social security number. If you were married before, you must state when and where that marriage ended. Divorce decrees are not usually required, but the staff may ask for proof in some cases in Alameda County.

Marriage licenses expire 90 days from the date of issue under California law. You must have your wedding ceremony within that time, or you will need to apply for a new license in Alameda County.

Certified Marriage Certificate Copies

After your wedding ceremony, your officiant files the marriage license with the Alameda County Clerk-Recorder office. This usually happens within 10 days of the ceremony. Once filed, the marriage becomes an official California vital record. You can then order certified copies from the Clerk-Recorder office in Alameda County.

Certified copies are available in person at either office location or by mail. You can also order online, which adds extra service fees. In-person requests are usually processed the same day or within a few business days. Mail requests take longer. Allow two to three weeks for mail orders in Alameda County.

For older marriages, the Clerk-Recorder office has records going back many decades. Some very old records are stored in archives and take longer to retrieve. If you need a copy of a marriage certificate from many years ago, allow extra time in Alameda County.

Major Cities in Alameda County

Alameda County includes many large cities. All marriage licenses for these cities are issued by the Alameda County Auditor-Controller-Clerk-Recorder. Cities do not issue marriage licenses in California.

Cities in Alameda County with populations over 100,000: Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley

Nearby California Counties

Alameda County borders several other Bay Area counties. Each county has its own clerk office with different fees and procedures.

Contra Costa County, Santa Clara County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County