Kings County Marriage License Information
Marriage licenses in Kings County are processed at the County Clerk-Recorder office in Hanford, located at 1400 W. Lacey Blvd. The office serves the entire county, from Hanford to Corcoran and all the small towns in between. You pay $91 for your license. Civil ceremonies are available on Thursdays only for $48. Both people must appear together with valid photo ID to apply. The license is good for 90 days after you get it. California Family Code Section 350 sets that time limit. Your officiant must return the completed license to Kings County within 10 days of your wedding ceremony so the county can file it and make your marriage an official record.
Kings County Marriage License Facts
Kings County Clerk-Recorder Office
The office is at 1400 W. Lacey Blvd. in Hanford. Call them at 559-852-2470 if you have questions. Hanford is the county seat. It sits in the San Joaquin Valley, surrounded by farms and dairies. Most folks here work in farming or food processing. The clerk office is part of the county government complex. Parking is free and easy to find.
The office handles many jobs. Staff record deeds, file vital records, and help with marriage licenses. They also run elections for the county. Despite all these duties, the staff keeps things moving. Wait times are usually short. You can walk in without a set time for your license. Just show up during office hours with your partner and your ID. Visit the Kings County Clerk-Recorder website to confirm hours before you go.
The county keeps old records too. If you need a copy of a marriage record from years ago, this is the place to ask. Very old files are stored in paper form and take longer to find. Call ahead if your record is from before 1990 in Kings County.
How to Apply
Both people must go to the clerk office at the same time. Bring photo ID for both of you. A driver license or passport works best. The clerk needs to verify who you are under California Health and Safety Code Section 103526. The staff will ask your full name, birth date, and where you were born. If either person was married before, say when that marriage ended. You do not usually need divorce papers unless the clerk asks for them in Kings County.
The clerk fills out your marriage license form based on what you tell them. They print the license right there. You pay the $91 fee. Cash, check, or credit card all work. Make checks out to Kings County Clerk-Recorder. The whole process takes about 15 to 20 minutes if the office is not busy. You leave with your license in hand the same day in California.
After your ceremony, give the signed license to your officiant. The officiant must send it back to the Kings County Clerk within 10 days. That filing makes your marriage legal and adds it to the vital records system. Do not lose the license before the wedding. If you do, you will need to go back and pay for another one.
Note: No blood test or waiting period is required in California.
Civil Marriage Ceremonies
The Kings County Clerk-Recorder offers civil ceremonies on Thursdays only. The fee is $48. That is on top of the $91 license fee. Call ahead to book a time. Ceremonies are short and simple, lasting about 10 minutes. The deputy clerk reads the vows. You say yes. You can exchange rings if you want. Up to a few guests can come, but there is not much room. Do not plan on decorations or music at the clerk office in Kings County.
Some couples like the clerk office ceremony because it is quick and cheap. You can get your license and have the ceremony on the same day if you book it in advance. Others prefer to hire a private officiant or use clergy for a bigger event. Both ways work. The marriage is legal either way in California. The clerk signs your license after the ceremony and files it with the county right away.
License and Ceremony Fees
The marriage license fee is $91 in Kings County. The county board sets this fee and can change it each year. Most of the money goes to cover the cost of running the vital records system under California Health and Safety Code Section 103625. A small part goes to fund domestic violence programs in California.
Civil ceremony fees are separate. If you want the Kings County Clerk to perform your ceremony, that costs $48. Not all counties in California offer ceremonies. Some just issue licenses. Kings County does both, but only on Thursdays. Make sure to call and set up a time before you show up for a ceremony in Kings County.
Certified copies of your marriage certificate cost extra too. After your wedding is filed, you can order copies for about $15 each from the clerk office. That is the state fee. You pay each time you need a new copy for changing your name, updating insurance, or other legal reasons in California.
Public and Confidential Licenses
Most people get a public marriage license. The fee is $91. After the wedding, the license becomes a public record. Anyone can ask for a copy from Kings County or from the state of California. Public licenses are easy to work with later when you need copies for legal or financial matters in California.
Kings County also offers confidential marriage licenses under California Family Code Sections 500 to 511. To get one, both people must be living together as a married couple when they apply. The license does not go into the public record. Only the two people who got married can get copies. The fee is the same as a public license in Kings County. Some couples choose this option for privacy reasons in California.
Confidential licenses do not need a witness at the wedding. The officiant signs the license and returns it to the county. The record stays sealed. Other people cannot access it without a court order. Both types of licenses are legal and work the same way for taxes, insurance, and other official purposes in California.
Certified Copies
After your wedding, the officiant files your marriage license with Kings County. Once filed, you can order certified copies from the Clerk-Recorder office at 1400 W. Lacey Blvd. in Hanford. Copies cost about $15 each under state law. You can go in person, mail a request, or use an online service like VitalChek. Online orders cost more because of service fees added on top of the county charge in California.
Certified copies prove you are married. You need them to change your name on your driver license, update your insurance, or file joint taxes. The county gives you one free copy after the wedding, but you might need more later. Order extras if you plan to change your name or update many accounts at once in Kings County.
If you got a confidential license, only you and your spouse can order copies. Bring photo ID to the clerk office. The staff will check your ID to make sure you are one of the two people on the record. Public licenses are easier because anyone can request them in California.
Marriage License Requirements
Both people must be 18 or older. If someone is younger than 18, a court order is needed under California Family Code Section 302. The clerk cannot issue a license to minors without that court order. No blood test is required. California stopped asking for blood tests in 1995. You do not need to live in Kings County or California. People from any state or country can get a marriage license here under California law.
You must apply in person together. You cannot mail in a form or apply online for the license itself. The clerk needs to see both of you and check your ID. Bring a driver license, state ID card, or passport. The clerk will ask basic questions about your name, birth date, and birth place. If either of you was married before, the clerk will ask when that marriage ended in Kings County.
State and Local Resources
The California Department of Public Health keeps marriage records from before 2000 and after 2008. If you need a very old marriage certificate, you might need to contact the state in Sacramento instead of Kings County. The state fee is $19 per copy. State orders take longer because they handle requests from all 58 California counties.
For legal help with marriage issues, call the Kings County Bar Association or a family law attorney. The clerk office can issue your license and provide copies, but they cannot give legal advice. Questions about prenuptial agreements, property rights, or name changes should go to a lawyer in California.
Cities in Kings County
Kings County includes the cities of Hanford, Corcoran, Lemoore, and Avenal. All marriage licenses for these cities are issued by the Kings County Clerk-Recorder office in Hanford. Cities do not issue marriage licenses in California.
Nearby California Counties
Kings County borders several other California counties. Each county has its own clerk office with different fees and procedures.