Plumas County Marriage License Services

Plumas County marriage licenses are issued by the County Clerk-Recorder-Elections office at 520 Main Street, Room 102, in Quincy, where couples can obtain public marriage licenses for $60 or confidential licenses for $65 to use for wedding ceremonies anywhere in California. The Plumas County Clerk also performs civil ceremonies for $50, making it an affordable option for couples planning mountain weddings in the Northern Sierra Nevada region. Both people must appear together in person at the Quincy office to complete the marriage license application, show valid photo identification, and receive their license which remains valid for 90 days from the issue date under California Family Code requirements for use throughout the state.

Plumas County Clerk Location

The Plumas County Clerk-Recorder-Elections office is at 520 Main Street, Room 102, in Quincy. This is the county courthouse building in downtown Quincy. All marriage license services for Plumas County are handled from this single location. The office serves people from across the county, which covers a large rural area in the Northern Sierra Nevada mountains.

You can visit the office during regular business hours. Call (530) 283-6128 if you have questions before your visit. The clerk staff can answer basic questions about the marriage license process and tell you what documents to bring. The county's website at plumascounty.us has information about marriage licenses, civil ceremonies, and other county clerk services available in Plumas County.

Quincy is in the central part of Plumas County off Highway 70. Parking is available near the courthouse in downtown Quincy. The office is accessible on foot from most downtown locations. Quincy is about an hour from Reno, Nevada, and serves as the county seat for this mountain region in Plumas County.

Applying for a Marriage License

Both people must appear in person at the Plumas County Clerk office in Quincy. Bring valid photo identification for each person. A driver license, passport, state ID card, or military ID works. The clerk will verify your identities and complete the marriage license application with you. The process takes about 15 to 20 minutes in Plumas County.

The application asks for basic information. You need your full legal name, date of birth, place of birth, and social security number. If either person was married before, you must provide the date and place where that marriage ended. The clerk may ask additional questions about previous marriages to verify you are legally able to marry again under California law.

After completing the application, you pay the license fee. Public licenses cost $60 and confidential licenses cost $65 in Plumas County. These are among the lower fees in California. Check with the office about accepted payment methods when you call ahead. Once you pay, the clerk prints your marriage license. You receive the physical document immediately. It is valid for 90 days from that date anywhere in California.

Make sure both people are present when you visit the clerk office. The clerk cannot issue a license if only one person shows up. Both people must appear together under California Family Code requirements for all marriage licenses in the state.

Civil Marriage Ceremonies

The Plumas County Clerk performs civil marriage ceremonies for $50. This is one of the most affordable ceremony fees in California. Civil ceremonies are short and simple, typically lasting about 5 to 10 minutes. The clerk reads a standard ceremony script, both people say their vows, and you can exchange rings if you want.

You can schedule a civil ceremony when you pick up your marriage license or by calling the office later at (530) 283-6128. Ceremonies are available during regular business hours. A small number of guests can usually attend, though space may be limited at the clerk office. Ask about guest limits when you schedule your ceremony in Plumas County.

The $50 ceremony fee is separate from the license fee. You pay for the license first, then pay for the ceremony if you want the county clerk to officiate. After the ceremony, the clerk signs your marriage license and files it with the county recorder. Your marriage becomes official at that point in Plumas County.

If you prefer a more elaborate wedding, you can hire a private officiant and hold your ceremony at another location. The marriage license from Plumas County works anywhere in California. You just need to make sure your officiant is authorized to perform marriages in the state and knows to file the completed license within 10 days after your ceremony.

Marriage License Costs

A public marriage license costs $60 in Plumas County. A confidential license costs $65. These are among the lowest fees in California. The fee covers processing your application and issuing the license document. If you want the county clerk to perform your ceremony, add $50 for the civil ceremony fee.

If you need certified copies of your marriage certificate after your wedding, you can order them from the Plumas County Clerk office. Copy fees vary by county but typically cost $15 to $25 per certified copy. Call (530) 283-6128 to ask about current copy fees and how to request copies by mail or in person in Plumas County.

For marriages that occurred before 2000 or after 2007, you can also order copies from the California Department of Public Health. The state charges $19 per copy. Visit cdph.ca.gov to learn about state vital records services and which years are available from the state versus the county in California.

Public and Confidential Licenses

Plumas County issues both public and confidential marriage licenses. A public license costs $60. After your wedding ceremony, the license becomes part of the public record. Anyone can request a copy of the marriage certificate from the county clerk or the state vital records office once it is filed. This is the most common type of license in California.

A confidential license costs $65 in Plumas County. The record stays private. Only the two people who got married can obtain copies later. To qualify for a confidential license, both people must be living together as a married couple when they apply. No witness is required for a confidential ceremony. The officiant signs the license and files it with the county clerk, but it does not become public under California Family Code Section 509.

Many couples choose confidential licenses for privacy reasons. Others prefer public licenses because they are more common and may be easier to use when dealing with government agencies or financial institutions. Both types are fully legal in California. You cannot change from one type to the other after the license is issued in Plumas County.

Who Can Get a Marriage License

Both people must be at least 18 years old to get a marriage license in Plumas County. If someone is under 18, a court order is required in California. No blood test is needed. California stopped requiring blood tests in 1995. You do not need to be a resident of Plumas County or California. People from any state or country can apply for a marriage license here.

You must apply in person together at the clerk office in Quincy. Both people need to be present. You cannot send someone else to apply for you. The clerk will verify your identities and ask questions that only you can answer. If either person was married before, be ready to provide the date and place where that marriage ended. Divorce decrees are not usually required, but the clerk may ask for them in some situations.

Your marriage license is valid for 90 days from the issue date. You must have your wedding ceremony within those 90 days. If the license expires before your ceremony, you need to apply again and pay another fee. Make sure you have a ceremony date planned before getting the license to avoid wasting money on an expired license in Plumas County.

After Your Wedding Ceremony

The person who performs your ceremony must complete and sign your marriage license. This can be the county clerk, a judge, clergy member, or other authorized officiant in California. The officiant has 10 days after the ceremony to return the completed license to the Plumas County Clerk office in Quincy. This is a state law requirement under the California Family Code.

Once the license is filed, your marriage becomes an official record. The county clerk processes the filed license and adds it to the vital records database. This usually takes a few days to a few weeks depending on how quickly the officiant returns the license and how busy the clerk office is at the time in Plumas County.

After the license is filed, you can order certified copies of your marriage certificate. These are the official documents you use to change your name on a driver license, social security card, passport, or other legal records. Order extra copies if you need to update multiple documents. It is easier to get several copies at once than to request them separately later in Plumas County.

How to Get Certificate Copies

You can request certified copies of your marriage certificate from the Plumas County Clerk office at 520 Main Street, Room 102, in Quincy. Call (530) 283-6128 to ask about the current copy fee and how to submit your request. Options may include in-person requests, mail requests, or online requests depending on what services the county offers.

In-person requests are usually processed within a few days. Bring valid photo ID and be ready to pay the copy fee. Mail requests take longer. Allow two to three weeks if you order by mail. Some counties use third-party services like VitalChek for online orders, which may have extra fees but can be faster than mail in some cases for Plumas County records.

Nearby California Counties

Plumas County is in the Northern Sierra Nevada region. It borders several other California counties. Each county has its own clerk office with different fees and procedures. You can apply for a marriage license in any California county regardless of where you live or plan to have your ceremony.

Lassen County, Sierra County, Nevada County, Yuba County, Butte County, Tehama County