A marriage license
MUST be purchased
BEFORE you get married. The couple must apply together at any time at any one of the three (3) offices listed above.
If either applicant has been divorced or has terminated a state registered domestic partnership within the last ninety (90) days, a certified copy of the final dissolution of marriage or termination of domestic partnership is required.
When one or both of the applicants is/are under the age of eighteen (18), arrangements must be made with the Santa Barbara Superior Court at 805-882-4520 in Santa Barbara or 805-614-6414 in Santa Maria and Lompoc. Once the judge approves the marriage, the couple must come into the Clerk, Recorder’s Office with a certified copy of the court order and government-issued photo ID. Minors may only purchase a regular marriage license.
To apply for a confidential marriage license you must be currently residing together as spouses. You will need to bring in proof of this in the form of your valid driver’s licenses showing the same address or a bill addressed to both of you at the same address. You can only be married in Santa Barbara County. No witnesses are required.
Applicants are not required to be U.S. citizens or residents of the State of California or of Santa Barbara County. Current government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, is required.
Once you enter the office, direct yourselves to the marriage license application kiosks to input your information; once you submit the information, complete the process at one of the counter windows. Please review the Marriage Equality Act of 2007 located next to the marriage kiosks. The license will be issued in approximately thirty (30) minutes. Once the license is issued to the couple they may use it immediately; there is no waiting period. A regular marriage license may be used anywhere in the state of California within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of issuance. A confidential marriage license may only be used in Santa Barbara County within a period of ninety (90) days from the date of issuance. The fee for a marriage license is:
• Regular marriage license . . . . . . .$87.00
• Confidential marriage license . . . $95.00
| Marriage Ceremony |
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Marriage ceremonies are not performed by the Santa Barbara County Clerk’s Office, with the exception of the Santa Maria and Lompoc offices. Ceremonies in Santa Maria and Lompoc are by appointment only; please call 805-346-8370 for Santa Maria and 805-737-7705 for Lompoc. You must have at least one (1) witness; if you have none, a witness can be provided for you at an additional cost.
• Wedding ceremony performance . . . .$83.00
• Witness fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$44.00
NOTE: A $1.00 surcharge will apply to all credit card tranactions.
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| Marriage Commissioner Appointment |
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The Santa Barbara County Clerk Recorder is designated as the Commissioner of Civil Marriages for Santa Barbara County. As the Commissioner of Civil Marriages, the Clerk-Recorder may appoint individuals as Deputy Civil Marriage Commissioners in order to marry specific couples (pursuant to California Family Code Section 401(a) & (b) and County Code Sec. 2-10.7, pursuant to Government Code 26861). This means that your friend or family member may be appointed as a Deputy Civil Marriage Commissioner for a Day and perform your marriage. The fee for a marriage commissioner appointment is $44.00. The applicant must appear in person at the County Clerk's office in order to be sworn in.
• For more information on Deputy Civil Marriage Commissioner for a Day. Click here
• To obtain Deputy Civil Marriage Commissioner for a Day application. Click here
After the license is issued, you may be married by a priest, rabbi, minister or other authorized person of your choice. Click here to see a list of local marriage officiants. You must be married within 90 days of the date the license was issued, and you may be married anywhere in the State of California.
To obtain a certified copy of your marriage certificate, please go to
"Marriage Certificate".
For information on reserving a wedding ceremony area on the Santa Barbara County Courthouse grounds, please click here.
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