Sierra County Marriage Licenses
Sierra County marriage licenses are issued by the County Clerk office at 100 Courthouse Square, Room 11, in Downieville, one of California's smallest and most historic county seats located in the heart of Gold Country. Public marriage licenses cost $66 and confidential licenses cost $71 in Sierra County, with civil ceremonies available for $50 making this an affordable choice for couples planning mountain weddings in the Northern Sierra Nevada. Both people must appear together in person at the Downieville courthouse to complete the marriage license application, show valid photo identification, and receive their license which is then valid for 90 days anywhere in California under state Family Code provisions.
Sierra County Marriage License Facts
Sierra County Clerk in Downieville
The Sierra County Clerk office is at 100 Courthouse Square, Room 11, in Downieville. This is the historic county courthouse in downtown Downieville. All marriage license services for Sierra County are provided from this location. Downieville is one of the smallest county seats in California, with a population of just a few hundred people, making it a unique and charming place to get a marriage license.
You can visit the office during regular business hours. Call (530) 289-3295 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 sierracounty.ca.gov has information about marriage licenses, civil ceremonies, and other vital records services available in Sierra County.
Downieville is located on Highway 49 in the Northern Sierra Nevada. The town sits along the Downie River in a narrow mountain valley. Parking is available near the courthouse in downtown Downieville. The courthouse is a historic building and one of the main landmarks in this small Gold Rush town. Plan to spend about 20 to 30 minutes at the clerk office to complete your marriage license application in Sierra County.
How to Apply
Both people must appear in person at the Sierra County Clerk office in Downieville. 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 Sierra County.
The application asks for standard 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 follow-up questions about previous marriages to confirm you are legally able to marry again under California law.
After completing the application, you pay the license fee. Public licenses cost $66 and confidential licenses cost $71 in Sierra County. These are moderate fees compared to other California counties. Check with the office about accepted payment methods when you call ahead at (530) 289-3295. 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 Section 350 and related provisions for all marriage licenses in the state.
Civil Marriage Ceremonies
The Sierra County Clerk performs civil marriage ceremonies for $50. This is an affordable ceremony fee compared to many California counties. 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) 289-3295. Ceremonies are available during regular business hours. A small number of guests can usually attend. The historic courthouse in Downieville provides a charming setting for a simple wedding ceremony in Sierra 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 Sierra County.
Marriage License Fees
A public marriage license costs $66 in Sierra County. A confidential license costs $71. These are reasonable fees for 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 Sierra County Clerk office. Copy fees vary by county but typically cost $15 to $25 per certified copy. Call (530) 289-3295 to ask about current copy fees and how to request copies by mail or in person in Sierra 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 or Confidential Licenses
Sierra County issues both public and confidential marriage licenses. A public license costs $66. 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 $71 in Sierra 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 Sierra County.
California Marriage Requirements
Both people must be at least 18 years old to get a marriage license in Sierra 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 Sierra 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 Downieville. 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 cases.
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 Sierra County.
After Your Ceremony
The person who performs your wedding 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 Sierra County Clerk office in Downieville. 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 Sierra 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 Sierra County.
Obtaining Marriage Certificates
You can request certified copies of your marriage certificate from the Sierra County Clerk at 100 Courthouse Square, Room 11, in Downieville. Call (530) 289-3295 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 Sierra County records.
Nearby California Counties
Sierra County is a small mountain county in the Northern Sierra Nevada. 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.