Sonoma County Marriage License Access
Marriage license applications in Sonoma County are processed by the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor office at 585 Fiscal Drive in Santa Rosa. You pay $82 for a public license or $98 for a confidential marriage license when you apply in person with your partner. Both people must appear together and show valid photo identification. The office phone is 707-565-3800 for questions about the process. Civil ceremonies cost $60 and are performed by county staff if you want the county to officiate your wedding in Sonoma County.
Sonoma County Marriage License Facts
Clerk Office Location
The Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor office is at 585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103, in Santa Rosa. This office handles all marriage license applications for the county. Santa Rosa is the county seat and the largest city in Sonoma County. The office serves residents from across the county including cities like Petaluma, Rohnert Park, and Sebastopol.
Call 707-565-3800 during business hours to ask questions or confirm office hours. The main website is sonomacounty.gov. Check the website before you visit to see current hours and any special instructions for marriage license applications in Sonoma County.
Sonoma County has about 500,000 residents. The county is known for wine country, scenic coastline, and redwood forests. Many couples choose to get married in Sonoma County because of its beautiful locations and easy access from the San Francisco Bay Area. The clerk office processes several thousand marriage licenses each year.
Applying for Your License
Visit the Sonoma County Clerk office at 585 Fiscal Drive in Santa Rosa 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 Sonoma 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. You can have your ceremony the same day you get your license 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 Sonoma County.
Marriage License Costs
A public marriage license costs $82 in Sonoma County. A confidential marriage license costs $98. You pay the fee when you apply in person at the clerk office. The office accepts cash, checks, and credit cards. Make sure you bring enough to cover the type of license you want.
If you want a civil ceremony performed by the county, that costs an additional $60. The ceremony is simple and takes about 10 minutes. A deputy clerk officiates. You can bring a small number of guests. Ask about ceremony scheduling and guest limits when you apply for your license in Sonoma County.
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 insurance updates.
Using Your Marriage License
Your marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date it is issued in Sonoma 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 Sonoma County Clerk 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 Sonoma County Clerk office if your officiant forgets to file the paperwork. Most officiants are familiar with the process and file the license without problems.
Public and Confidential Licenses
Sonoma 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 Sonoma 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.
Civil Ceremonies
The Sonoma County Clerk office performs civil wedding ceremonies for $60. These are short and simple ceremonies officiated by a deputy clerk. The ceremony takes about 10 minutes. You can bring a few guests. Check with the office for current guest limits and ceremony scheduling options in Sonoma County.
Many couples who get married in Sonoma County choose to have their ceremony at a private venue like a winery, beach, or redwood grove. If you use a private officiant, make sure they are authorized to perform marriages in California. Your officiant must be registered or authorized under California Family Code. This includes clergy, judges, and others with legal authority to officiate weddings.
After the ceremony, your officiant must complete the marriage license and return it to the Sonoma County Clerk 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 a friend or family member who got ordained online, make sure they understand their filing obligations.
Getting Certified Copies
After your marriage is registered, you can order certified copies of your marriage certificate from the Sonoma County Clerk office. You can request copies in person, by mail, or online 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 Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor at 585 Fiscal Drive, Room 103, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. 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 Sonoma 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 county clerk 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 Sonoma County.
Additional Resources
The Sonoma County website has detailed information about marriage licenses and ceremonies. Visit sonomacounty.gov to read about the application process. The site includes forms, fee schedules, and contact information for the county clerk 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 Sonoma County, contact the county clerk 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 Sonoma County Clerk website or call the office before you visit to confirm current information.
Major Cities in Sonoma County
Sonoma County includes one city with a population over 100,000. Santa Rosa is the county seat and the largest city in the county. All residents of Sonoma County cities apply for marriage licenses through the Sonoma County Clerk office in Santa Rosa. There are no separate city offices for marriage licenses in California.
The qualifying city in Sonoma County with population over 100,000:
If you live in smaller cities like Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, or Healdsburg, you still use the same county clerk office in Santa Rosa. The process is the same no matter where you live in Sonoma County.
Nearby Counties
Sonoma County is in the North Bay 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 Sonoma County include: