Trinity County Marriage License Records

Trinity County marriage licenses are issued by the Clerk-Recorder office at 11 Court Street in Weaverville, where couples can obtain public marriage licenses for just $49 or confidential licenses for $54, the lowest marriage license fees in all of California. The Trinity County Clerk serves this rural mountain county in Northern California, processing marriage license applications for residents and visitors planning weddings in the Trinity Alps region and surrounding wilderness areas. Both people must appear together in person at the historic Weaverville courthouse 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.

Trinity County Clerk Location

The Trinity County Clerk-Recorder is at 11 Court Street in Weaverville. This is the historic county courthouse building in downtown Weaverville. All marriage license services for Trinity County are handled from this single location. Weaverville is a small Gold Rush era town that serves as the county seat for Trinity County, one of the most rural and mountainous counties in California.

You can visit the office during regular business hours. Call (530) 623-1215 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 trinitycounty.org has information about marriage licenses and other county clerk services available in Trinity County.

Weaverville is located on Highway 299 in the mountains west of Redding. The town is remote and surrounded by national forest lands. Parking is available near the courthouse in downtown Weaverville. The historic courthouse is one of the main landmarks in this small mountain town. Plan your trip carefully if you are coming from another part of California, as Weaverville is not on a major highway and requires driving mountain roads to reach Trinity County.

Lowest Marriage License Fees in California

Trinity County charges just $49 for a public marriage license and $54 for a confidential license. These are the lowest marriage license fees among all 58 California counties. Most counties charge $60 to $100 or more for marriage licenses. The exceptionally low fees make Trinity County the most affordable county in California for obtaining a marriage license.

Many couples travel to Weaverville specifically to get a low-cost marriage license before having their ceremony elsewhere in California. The license works anywhere in the state. You can get your license in Trinity County and then have your wedding ceremony in any other county within the 90-day validity period. This saves money compared to getting a license in a county with higher fees.

The low fees combined with the scenic mountain setting make Trinity County popular with couples who want an affordable license and enjoy visiting historic Weaverville. The town has maintained much of its Gold Rush character and offers a unique experience for couples starting their marriage journey in Trinity County.

Applying for a Marriage License

Both people must appear in person at the Trinity County Clerk office in Weaverville. 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 Trinity 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 $49 and confidential licenses cost $54 in Trinity County. Check with the office about accepted payment methods when you call ahead at (530) 623-1215. 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.

Marriage License Costs

A public marriage license costs $49 in Trinity County, the lowest in California. A confidential license costs $54, also the lowest statewide. The fee covers processing your application and issuing the license document. Information about civil ceremony services was not confirmed for Trinity County, so contact the clerk office if you want the county to perform your wedding.

If you need certified copies of your marriage certificate after your wedding, you can order them from the Trinity County Clerk office. Copy fees vary by county but typically cost $15 to $25 per certified copy. Call (530) 623-1215 to ask about current copy fees and how to request copies by mail or in person in Trinity 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

Trinity County issues both public and confidential marriage licenses. A public license costs $49. 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 $54 in Trinity 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 Trinity County.

Who Can Get a Marriage License

Both people must be at least 18 years old to get a marriage license in Trinity 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 Trinity 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 Weaverville. 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 Trinity County.

After Your Wedding Ceremony

The person who performs your ceremony must complete and sign your marriage license. This can be 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 Trinity County Clerk office in Weaverville. 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 Trinity 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 Trinity County.

How to Get Certificate Copies

You can request certified copies of your marriage certificate from the Trinity County Clerk-Recorder at 11 Court Street in Weaverville. Call (530) 623-1215 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 Trinity County records.

Nearby California Counties

Trinity County is in the mountains of Northern California. 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.

Shasta County, Humboldt County, Tehama County, Mendocino County, Siskiyou County