San Joaquin County Marriage Licenses
San Joaquin County marriage license applications go through the Assessor-Recorder office at 44 N. San Joaquin Street in Stockton. A public marriage license costs $65 and a confidential license is $73 when you apply in person with your partner. Both of you must appear together and bring valid photo identification to complete the application process. Call the office at 209-468-3939 if you have questions about requirements or procedures for getting a marriage license in San Joaquin County.
San Joaquin County Marriage License Facts
Assessor-Recorder Office Location
The San Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder office is at 44 N. San Joaquin Street, Suite 260, in Stockton. This office handles all marriage license applications for the county. Stockton is the county seat and largest city in San Joaquin County. The office serves residents from cities across the county including Stockton, Tracy, Manteca, and Lodi.
Call 209-468-3939 during business hours to ask questions or confirm current office hours. The main website is sjgov.org. Check the website before you visit to see hours and any special instructions for marriage license applications in San Joaquin County.
San Joaquin County has about 780,000 residents. The county sits in the Central Valley between Sacramento and the Bay Area. The office processes several thousand marriage licenses each year for local residents and others who choose to get married in San Joaquin County.
How to Get Your License
Visit the San Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder office at 44 N. San Joaquin Street in Stockton to apply for your marriage license. Both people must appear together in person. You cannot apply by mail or have someone else pick up your license. California law under Family Code Sections 350-360 requires both parties to appear and sign the application at the same time in San Joaquin County.
Bring a valid photo ID for each person. A driver license is the most common form of ID. You can also use a passport or state ID card. The clerk will ask for your full legal name, date of birth, place of birth, and social security number. If either person was married before, you must say when and how that marriage ended.
The application process takes about 15 to 20 minutes if you have all your documents ready. The clerk reviews your information and checks your IDs. Then you pay the license fee. Once payment is complete, the clerk prints your marriage license. You get it right away. The license is valid for 90 days from that date in California.
There is no blood test required in California. That requirement was dropped in 1995. There is also no waiting period once you get your license. You can have your ceremony the same day if you want. Most couples wait a few days or weeks to plan their wedding, but the license is valid as soon as it is issued in San Joaquin County.
License Fees in San Joaquin County
A public marriage license costs $65 in San Joaquin County. This is one of the lower fees among California counties. A confidential marriage license costs $73. You pay the fee when you apply in person at the assessor-recorder office. The office accepts cash, checks, and credit cards. Make sure you bring enough to cover the type of license you want.
The lower fees in San Joaquin County make it an affordable option for couples who want to get married in the Central Valley. Some couples from neighboring counties choose to apply here because of the lower cost. Your marriage is legal statewide no matter which California county issues your license.
After your marriage is registered, you can order certified copies of your marriage certificate. Each copy costs extra. The fee is set by California law under Health and Safety Code Section 103625. Most couples order at least one or two certified copies for legal purposes like name changes or updating insurance.
Using Your Marriage License
Your marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued in San Joaquin County. You must have your wedding ceremony within that time. If you do not, the license expires. You would need to apply again and pay the fee again if you miss the 90-day window. This is a statewide rule in California.
After your ceremony, the officiant must sign the license and return it to the San Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder office within 10 days. The officiant keeps one copy of the license. You keep another copy. The county files the official copy once it is returned. That filing makes your marriage part of the legal record in California.
Make sure your officiant knows how to properly complete and file the license. If they do not return it to the county on time, your marriage will not be registered. You might need to follow up with the San Joaquin County office if your officiant forgets to file the paperwork. Most officiants are familiar with the process and file the license without problems.
Note: The license is not the same as a marriage certificate. You cannot use the license as proof of marriage until after the ceremony and filing are complete.
Public and Confidential Licenses
San Joaquin County offers two types of marriage licenses. A public license is the standard option. After your ceremony, the marriage becomes part of the public record. Anyone can look up the record or request a certified copy from the county or from the California Department of Public Health.
A confidential license stays private. Only the couple can get certified copies under California law. Confidential marriage licenses were created under Family Code Sections 500-511 for couples who want privacy. To qualify for a confidential license, you must be living together as a married couple at the time you apply in California. No witnesses are required at the ceremony for confidential licenses.
Public licenses require at least one witness over age 18 at the ceremony. The witness signs the license along with the officiant. Most couples ask a friend or family member to be the witness. You do not need to name your witness when you apply in San Joaquin County. You just need to have one present on your wedding day.
The main difference between the two license types is privacy and cost. Public licenses cost less but become public records. Confidential licenses cost more but stay private. Choose the option that fits your needs. Both types of licenses are equally valid under California law.
Wedding Ceremonies
The San Joaquin County office does not perform civil ceremonies. You will need to arrange your own officiant for your wedding ceremony. California allows many types of people to officiate weddings, including clergy, judges, and others authorized under California Family Code. Your officiant must be registered or authorized to perform marriages in California.
Many couples hire a professional wedding officiant or ask a religious leader to perform their ceremony. Some couples have a friend or family member get ordained online through organizations that offer minister credentials. Make sure your officiant understands how to properly complete and file the marriage license after your ceremony in San Joaquin County.
After the ceremony, your officiant must complete the marriage license and return it to the San Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder office within 10 days. The officiant should be familiar with this process. Most professional officiants know how to properly file marriage licenses in California. If your officiant is inexperienced, review the filing instructions with them before your wedding day.
Getting Certified Copies
After your marriage is registered, you can order certified copies of your marriage certificate from the San Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder office. You can request copies in person, by mail, or through third-party services. VitalChek is an authorized online vendor for California vital records. The VitalChek website charges a service fee on top of the county fee.
If you want to order by mail, send a written request to the San Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder at 44 N. San Joaquin Street, Suite 260, Stockton, CA 95202. Include your full names, the date of marriage, and a copy of your photo ID. Enclose a check or money order for the fee. Mail orders take longer to process than in-person or online requests.
In-person orders are the fastest way to get certified copies in San Joaquin County. Go to the office with your ID and request copies at the counter. If your marriage was recently filed, there may be a short wait while the record is processed. Most marriages are fully registered within a few days after the signed license is returned to the assessor-recorder office.
You will need certified copies for many legal purposes after marriage. This includes changing your name on government documents, updating insurance policies, and other official business. Order a few copies when you pick up your certificate or shortly after your marriage is registered in San Joaquin County.
Additional Information
The San Joaquin County website has detailed information about marriage licenses and vital records. Visit the assessor-recorder page for forms, fee schedules, and contact information. The website is a good place to check current hours before you visit or call the office.
California does not require a blood test or waiting period for marriage licenses. You can have your ceremony the same day you get your license if you want. The 90-day validity period gives you plenty of time to plan your wedding, but some couples prefer to marry right away. Both options are fine under California law.
If you need older marriage records from San Joaquin County, contact the assessor-recorder office. For public marriages that occurred before 2000 or after 2007, you can also request copies from the California Department of Public Health. The state website is cdph.ca.gov for state-level vital records requests.
Note: Fees and procedures may change. Always check the San Joaquin County website or call the office before you visit to confirm current information.
Major Cities in San Joaquin County
San Joaquin County includes two cities with populations over 100,000. Stockton is the county seat and largest city. Tracy is a growing city in the western part of the county. All residents of these cities apply for marriage licenses through the San Joaquin County Assessor-Recorder office in Stockton. There are no separate city offices for marriage licenses in California.
The qualifying cities in San Joaquin County with populations over 100,000:
If you live in smaller cities like Manteca, Lodi, or Tracy, you still use the same county office in Stockton. The process is the same no matter where you live in San Joaquin County.
Nearby Counties
San Joaquin County is in the Central Valley region of California. If you live near the edge of the county, you might be close to another county's clerk office. You can apply for a marriage license in any California county. Your marriage is legal throughout the state once it is registered.
Counties adjacent to San Joaquin County include: