Should we choose a public or confidential marriage license in Los Angeles County?
Choose a public license if you do not meet the confidential-license requirements or prefer a public marriage record. Consider a confidential license if you qualify and want restricted access to the record. Compare eligibility, witness requirements, and who can obtain copies before applying.
Independent information: This website is not affiliated with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC). We do not issue licenses, book ceremonies, accept payments, or provide marriage certificates.
Compare Public and Confidential Licenses
| Consideration | Public license | Confidential license |
|---|---|---|
| Living together | No requirement to be living together before applying. | You must already be living together as spouses when applying and sign an affidavit confirming that fact. |
| Age | Generally, both applicants must be at least 18. Applicants under 18 require a separate court-authorized process; confirm current requirements with the County. | Both applicants must be at least 18. |
| Witnesses | At least one ceremony witness is required. Up to two witnesses may sign the license. | No ceremony witness is required, and witnesses do not sign the license. |
| Record access | The record is public. Authorized certified copies have eligibility restrictions; informational certified copies are available to other requesters. | Copies are limited to the marriage parties or a person with a court order. Informational certified copies are not issued. |
| Published County license fee | $91. | $85. |
The California Department of Public Health license comparison explains the statewide requirements. Verify charges using the RR/CC fee schedule; ceremony and certificate-copy charges are separate.
Check Confidential License Eligibility First
A confidential license is not simply a privacy option available to every couple. If you cannot truthfully make the required living-together declaration, use the public-license route, subject to the general marriage requirements.
Both types also require you to meet the County's general eligibility rules. Review the official eligibility page for identification, previous marriages, domestic partnerships, and required supporting documents.
Ask RR/CC about an uncertain eligibility issue before paying for a license. Do not choose solely because one license has a lower fee or does not require a witness.
Understand Who Can Obtain the Marriage Record
For a public marriage, access to an authorized certified copy is restricted to legally eligible requesters. These include the spouses and certain relatives, government representatives, and legal representatives. Other requesters may obtain an informational certified copy, which cannot establish identity.
For a confidential marriage, a parent, sibling, or adult child does not qualify for a copy merely because of that relationship. Access requires being a party to the marriage or obtaining a court order. There is no informational-copy alternative.
Review the County's marriage-record access rules when considering future copy requests.
Privacy and Proof of Marriage
A confidential license limits access to the County marriage record. It does not guarantee that the marriage will remain unknown to employers, benefit programs, courts, or other organizations to which you disclose it.
Both license types provide a route to a recorded marriage certificate after the ceremony and registration. If an agency needs proof of marriage or a name change, ask which certified document and authentication steps it requires. An informational copy of a public record is not a substitute for an identity-establishing certified copy.
For copy-request guidance, see our Los Angeles County marriage records page.
Plan the Ceremony and Return the License
Either license may be used for a ceremony anywhere in California. Return the completed license to the county that issued it, even if the ceremony takes place in another California county.
Marriage licenses are valid for 90 days from issuance. Applying online or purchasing a license does not itself make you married; you must have the marriage solemnized by a qualified officiant.
The officiant must return the completed license for registration within 10 days after the ceremony. Confirm the return instructions with the officiant and review the County's recording instructions.
A certificate copy is not automatically mailed after recording. Request one separately if needed.
Confirm Fees and Apply Through RR/CC
The County currently publishes a $35 civil ceremony fee and a $20 fee for a County-provided civil ceremony witness, in addition to the license fee. Confirm the service and total cost before booking.
- Decide on eligibility and record access: Review the comparison and resolve any questions with RR/CC.
- Prepare your documents: Follow the County's identification and prior-marriage requirements.
- Review any name choice: Read the name-change instructions before issuance. This process cannot be used later to add or change the elected married name on the issued license.
- Apply and book the correct appointment: Start at the official application page, save your confirmation number, and distinguish a license-only appointment from an available license-and-express-ceremony appointment.
- Arrange completion: Confirm the officiant, any required witness, license return, and certificate-copy request.
For questions about license selection or appointments, call 800-201-8999 and follow the marriage license prompts. Check the official contact page for routing.
For broader application guidance, see our Los Angeles County marriage license page. Submit applications and record requests through official services; submissions to this website do not reach RR/CC.