To get a copy of the marriage records, one can check the State's Vital Records division. The office contains marriage indexes ranging from 1949 - 1986 and 1998- 1999. Indexes are not certified copies but contain information where the marriage certificate was issued and the parties in the marriage. For certified copies, one can check out the County Recorder or the Clerk of the County Office. Marriage records are of two types - public and confidential marriage records. Public marriage records are available from the County Recorder's office.
Confidential records, on the other hand, are only given to the parties whose names appear in the marriage certificate and are available from the Clerk of the County Office. Each copy costs about $14 each when accessed through the CDPH. Cost for the record when obtained from the Clerk Office or County Recorder varies. It is important that one should call the office to know the updated fee.
Those who are eligible for authorized copies under the California Health and Safety Code include the parties indicated in the certificate, parents or legal guardians, their kids or grandchildren, husband or wife, adoption agencies and law officers who need the document in the performance of their work.
To get a copy of the marriage records, one must first download all the forms required and a sworn statement from the CDPH site or the County Clerk. The sworn statement must be notarized, as the request will not be processed if the documents are incomplete. Also, include a payment fee form and the payment in money order or check. All checks must be US drawn. One can also request a money order from the USPS. Please do note that credit card and cash payments are not allowed. Cash sent together with the request will not be reimbursed should it get lost in the mail.
The processing time for State request records will be 6 months and up depending on the volume of the requests received. For faster processing time, it is best to visit one of the 58 counties or the county where the certificate is issued. For those who want a faster way to obtain their marriage and divorce records, they can also access online public search sites, which offer these services for a minimal fee. It is the most convenient way to request the records anytime of the day.
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