Getting Married in Los Angeles County, California
Certified Copies of Your Marriage Certificate, Proof of Marriage


Almost every married couple will be asked to provide proof of marriage at some point in their lives. It is wise to keep in your files at least two certified copies of your marriage certificate. In most instances, a photocopy will not suffice as it is not considered a certified, legal copy. Some people will order three certified copies and have one copy off-site, in a bank vault or a parent's home. It never hurts to have extras as this will save you time and frustration in the future.


Most people wrongly assume that they will be sent a marriage certificate automatically from the state after they have their marriage license filed. In California you must fill out a form called Request for Marriage Record and a Certificate of Identity, which must me notarized, and pay $14 for each copy, payable to RRCC, or Register Recorder/County Clerk. The mail request shoud be addressed as follows: Register Recorder/County Clerk, Marriage Records, P.O. Box 53120, Los Angeles, CA  90053-0120
Here are links to the forms that must be completed in the presence of the cashier at the at :
        
        Public Marriage License
        Certificate of Identity for Public Marriage Certificate                
        Request for Certified Copies of a Public Marriage License

        Confidential Marriage License
        Certificate of Identity for Confidential Marriage        
        Request for Certified Copies of a Confidiential Marriage Certificate



PLEASE NOTE:  it is much easier and faster to ask your notary to file your Certificate of Identity to file with the request for Certified Copies of your Marriage Certificate. The notary can correctly fill out your Request for Certified Copies, verify your Certificate of Identity, and then file the Marriage License with the request of certified copies. These two forms will come with a Los Angeles County Marriage License. It also comes with a Customer Copy, which can be used as proof of marriage until the certified copies arrive.


If a certified copy of a marriage record is not ordered at the time the Marriage Certificate is filed, it will be necessary  to wait up to 8 weeks after the date of the ceremony, then find a notary to verify your identity, then submit a mail request for a copy and then wait another 6-8 weeks for the certified copy to arrive.