San Diego County Marriage Records Lookup

Getting a Marriage License in San Diego County

The San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk (ARCC) issues marriage licenses. The elected official is Jordan Z. Marks, who was elected in November 2022 and also acts as Commissioner of Civil Marriage Ceremonies. ARCC handles birth, death, and marriage records, plus recorded documents and civil ceremonies. It does not hold divorce, will, or adoption records. Those are Superior Court files.

Both parties must schedule an appointment and appear together at an ARCC office with valid, current, government-issued photo ID, a completed application, and payment. IDs accepted are a current driver's license, current passport, current military ID, or current state ID. Expired IDs are not accepted. Both parties must be at least 18. If either party is under 18, contact San Diego County Juvenile Court at (858) 634-1600 for approval. If either party divorced or ended a domestic partnership within the last 90 days, bring the final decree or termination order with judge signature and date.

The lead-in to the online application portal shows the field flow before the appointment.

Marriage License Types: Public vs. Confidential

California offers two license types. A public, non-confidential license can be used anywhere in California and needs at least one witness at the ceremony. A confidential license can also be used anywhere in California and does not need a witness, but access to certified copies is limited. Only the two registrants, or a person with a court order, can request a certified copy of a confidential license.

Every marriage license expires 90 calendar days from the date issued. The ceremony must happen inside that 90-day window or the couple must apply for a new license. ARCC asks that the signed license be returned within 10 days after the ceremony for registration. A certified marriage certificate is not sent on its own; a separate request is needed. Certified copies are usually available about 10 business days after the office receives the signed license.

Civil Ceremony Options

ARCC offers civil ceremonies at its offices. The ceremony fee is $107. If the couple needs a county-provided witness for a public license, the fee is $58. Couples can also bring their own witness or have a clergy member or authorized officiant perform the ceremony off-site. Civil ceremony details, schedule notes, and rules are posted on the ARCC marriage license and civil ceremony page.

The image below shows the ARCC civil ceremony page.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in California since 2008 under the state Supreme Court ruling, then again from 2013 under the U.S. Supreme Court. California has offered Domestic Partnership since 2000. Couples can pick the path that best fits their needs.

How to Apply for a Marriage License in San Diego County

Steps run from prep at home to the signed license back at ARCC after the ceremony. Both parties must be at the appointment.

1. Fill out the online or printable application before the appointment. The printable PDF lives at the Marriage License Printable Application.
2. Schedule an appointment through the ARCC online system in English or Spanish. Appointments can be booked up to 7 weeks out.
3. Both parties appear together at an ARCC office with current government-issued photo ID.
4. Bring any final divorce decree or domestic partnership termination order if the prior end date was within 90 days.
5. Pay the license fee plus any ceremony or witness fee. ARCC takes cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card (card surcharge applies).
6. Have the ceremony before the 90-day expiration date.
7. Return the signed license to ARCC within 10 days after the ceremony.
8. Request a certified marriage certificate as a separate step; allow about 10 business days after the office receives the signed license.

Marriage License Application Fields

The application asks for vital-record data on both parties. The field list below comes from the ARCC printable application.

San Diego County Marriage and Divorce Fees

ARCC posts the marriage fee schedule on the recorder/clerk pages. Divorce filing fees are set by the Superior Court. The table below pulls from the ARCC fee list and from the court's family filing fees.

ARCC takes cash, check, money order, or card. Checks and money orders are made payable to San Diego Recorder/County Clerk. The Superior Court takes filing fees through its e-filing system or at the family business office. Fee waivers are available for low-income filers under Judicial Council form FW-001.

How to Look Up San Diego County Marriage Records

Three paths are used. First, request a certified copy directly from ARCC by mail, in person, or online. The printable form is the Marriage Certificate Application. Second, walk into one of the ARCC offices listed below and ask at the counter. Third, request through the California Department of Public Health Vital Records office at the state level if the marriage is from a year not yet on the county index.

To find a record, the request needs full names of both parties at the time of marriage, the date of marriage if known, and the city or county of marriage. ARCC requires a sworn statement for authorized copies. An informational copy is also available, with a note that it cannot be used to establish identity. The marriage certificate fee is $19 per certified copy.

Where Divorce Records Live and How to Find Them

ARCC does not hold divorce records. Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment are family court cases. They live at the San Diego Superior Court Family Division. To find a case, start at the Court Index, set case type to Domestic, and search by party name. Once a case number and location are found, use the Family Register of Actions (ROA) at roasearch.sdcourt.ca.gov.

Imaged family cases filed on or after August 24, 2015 may have documents purchasable online and mailed. Older cases need a mail or in-person request to the court branch where the case was filed. Sensitive family documents can be sealed or restricted under court rule. The court charges $1 per page for the first 5 pages and $0.40 per page after, with a $50 max per document, for ROA document purchase.

How to File for Divorce in San Diego County

California is a no-fault divorce state. The most common ground is irreconcilable differences. Residency rules must be met first.

1. Confirm residency: at least one spouse must have lived in California for 6 months and in San Diego County for 3 months before filing.
2. Complete the Petition for Dissolution, Judicial Council form FL-100, plus FL-110 Summons and any FL-105 if children are involved.
3. File at the Family Business Office at the Central Courthouse, 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101, or at the Family unit at North County, East County, or South County. Pay the filing fee or file form FW-001 for a fee waiver.
4. Serve the other spouse with the filed papers per California Code of Civil Procedure rules. The server must be 18 or older and not a party to the case.
5. File the Proof of Service with the court.
6. Exchange financial disclosures using forms FL-140, FL-142 or FL-150, and FL-160.
7. Wait the mandatory six-month waiting period before a judgment can be final.
8. Submit the Judgment package, form FL-180, plus orders on property, support, and custody. Use the family law facilitator at (619) 844-2200 for self-help guidance.

California Domestic Partnership and Annulment

California has offered Domestic Partnership since 2000. ARCC also accepts domestic partnership filings under state law. Termination of a registered domestic partnership goes through the Superior Court Family Division, the same as a divorce. Annulment is a separate path. It is a court order saying a marriage was never valid, due to fraud, force, bigamy, or another ground set in Family Code. Annulment is rarer than divorce and is also a family court file.

California does not recognize common-law marriage. Living together for years does not create a legal marriage in California, no matter how long the couple has been together. A valid marriage in California needs a license issued under California law and a ceremony before an authorized officiant or county clerk.

ARCC Office Locations

Four ARCC offices serve the county for recorder/clerk services. All are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Related San Diego County Records

For estate matters, wills, and conservatorships, see San Diego County probate records. For the broader public records framework and recorded documents, see public records. For Superior Court filing info and case files, see Clerk of the Superior Court. For court branch addresses, divisions, and case flow up to the Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division One, see Superior Court.