Please visit the following link to view appointment openings via Microsoft Bookings:

Schedule your Civil Marriage Ceremony here (Programa tu Ceremonia de Matrimonio Civil aqui)

Civil Marriage Ceremonies are performed in our office during the following days & times:

• English ceremonies: M-F at 9:30am & 1:30pm
• Spanish ceremonies: M-F at 1:30pm

To ensure availability, we encourage couples to schedule appointments well in advance of the desired ceremony date. We do not accept walk-in ceremonies. Please read the information below and then use the link above to schedule your appointment.

Our Marriage Room can only accommodate a maximum of 20 people.

Important information for your Civil Marriage Ceremony with our office:

1. The marriage license can be obtained on the same day as your scheduled ceremony. If you wish to obtain your marriage license before your ceremony, please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. You may also complete the marriage license application before your ceremony date by clicking here.

2. You are required to have at least one witness if you obtain a public marriage license. If you do not have your own witness, you may request a witness be provided by the Clerk-Recorder's Office for a fee. To learn more about Marriage License types, please click on the Marriage License Types tab below.

3. There is an opportunity to exchange rings during the ceremony; however, exchanging rings is not legally required to solemnize your marriage.

4. Neither partner can be currently married to someone else, nor can the couple already be married. If either partner has been recently divorced (within 6 months of scheduled ceremony date), you MUST bring physical copies of your court documents. 

5. If you are using your own commissioner (Commissioner for a Day, clergy, ordained individual, etc.) you may still rent and use our Marriage Room to host your ceremony. Fees for Marriage Room Usage, Commissioner for a Day, and more may be found below. For more information about Commissioner for a Day, please click on the Commissioner for a Day tab below.

Commissioner of Civil Marriages for a Day

Family Code, Section 401(a), designates the County Clerk as the Commissioner of Civil Marriages for the County. This Commissioner may appoint Deputy Commissioners of Civil Marriages.

Using this authority, the Yolo County Clerk has authorized a program to allow an individual to be a "Commissioner for a Day". Due to the significant responsibilities associated with this, an individual who chooses to participate in this program must appear in person in the Clerk-Recorder's office to review and receive materials identifying their responsibilities and to take the Oath of Commissioner of Civil Marriages for a Day. The oath is valid on the day of the ceremony only.

According to guidelines established by the Yolo County Clerk, the individual requesting to be sworn in as a marriage commissioner for a day must:

• Identify the county the marriage will be performed in
• Identify the date of the marriage
• Provide the full names of the persons to be married
• Read and sign the oath
• Pay the $31 fee

Once your marriage license is returned to our office for registration, you may then obtain a certified copy of your marriage certificate which is sufficient for proof of marriage.

Pursuant to Health and Safety Code 103526(c) only authorized individuals may receive a certified copy of a public marriage record. Those who do not qualify as authorized individuals may receive an Informational certified copy.

Confidential Marriage Certificates can only be issued to the couple, identification required.

How to Obtain a Marriage Certificate (Authorized Certified Copy or Informational Only Copy)

Option 1: Order Online 

• Order Online: Orders are processed within 24 hours with multiple shipping options. You will receive email updates throughout the process so you can track your records.

Option 2: In-Person 

• In-Person Request Application: your order will remain in our service queue until you come into our office.
• In our office you will sign the application electronically, pay the fee, and the certificate is handed to you at the service counter.

Option 3: By Mail

• Print (English (PDF))(Spanish (PDF)) application.
• Sign before a Notary Public (Authorized Certified Copy requests).
• Enclose a check, money order, or Credit Card Charge Form (PDF), with your notarized application to Yolo County Clerk-Recorder.
• Processing time is 1 to 2 business days upon receipt.

Option 4: By Fax

• Print (English (PDF))(Spanish (PDF)) application.
• Sign before a Notary Public (Authorized Certified Copy requests).
• Fax your notarized application to 530-666-8109.
• Call 530-666-8130 to confirm we have received your application and to provide us your credit card information.
• Processing time is 1 to 2 business days upon receipt.

***NOTE: Please ensure your delivery location is secure and accessible as once an order is processed and handed to the shipping carrier responsibility transfers to the customer. The County is not liable for lost, stolen, delayed, or misdelivered packages. If a package does not arrive within the expected timeframe, we cannot offer replacements or refunds; a new order must be placed.

You may choose between two different types of Marriage Licenses: Public or Confidential.

Public Marriage License

A public marriage license requires the signature of at least one witness (but no more than two) to the ceremony. Authorized persons may obtain certified copies of your marriage certificate.

Confidential Marriage License

A confidential marriage license differs from a public marriage license in that it is not available for public inspection. Only the applicants may obtain a certified copy of their marriage license. There are no Informational copies of Confidential Marriages. Also, no witnesses are required for the ceremony.

Both Types of Marriage Licenses Require the Following:

• Both parties must be 18 years or older, appear in-person together at our office and present authentic photo identification.
• There are no blood tests or residency requirements.
• The license is valid for 90 days, during which time the ceremony must take place. The ceremony license may be performed anywhere in the State of California.
• Minors, under the age of 18, must obtain an order from the Superior Court prior to applying for a license. For information from the court, call 530-406-6704. After obtaining a court order the minors must appear at the county clerk's office.
• If you are recently divorced and it has been 6 months or less, you are required by our office to present a certified copy of the divorce decree for verification that the marriage has been legally dissolved. The Yolo County Clerk-Recorder's office does not handle nor hold dissolution (divorce) papers. These documents are processed and held by the Civil Division of the Superior Courts.

When applying for a Marriage License each individual must provide the following information:

• Father's Full Birth Name
• Father's State or Foreign Country of Birth
• Mother's Full Birth (maiden) Name
• Mother's State or Foreign Country of Birth
• How an individual's previous marriage ended and the marriage end date (if applicable)
• (More information below) The name each individual will take after the ceremony. Click to see the information on allowable new names. Name Equality Act of 2007 (PDF)

You may choose to complete the marriage license application online prior to coming into our office.

Name Change Information 

How do I change my name through marriage?

To change your name through marriage, you must include your new name on your Marriage License at the time the license is issued by the County Clerk and prior to your ceremony. Review the Name Equality Act of 2007 to know the name changes allowable through marriage.

Your name is legally changed upon having your ceremony. It is up to you to inform the correct identification agencies (such as Social Security, DMV, passports, etc.) that you changed your name through marriage. It is up to you to contact any agencies for their requirements to update your name.

You will likely need certified copies of your marriage certificate in order to prove that you changed your name through marriage. Your marriage certificate will have your former name at the top, and your new name at the bottom of the certificate.

What if I don't include my new name on the Marriage License?

If you do not include the new name on the Marriage License, then your name will not be changed through marriage.

If you wish to change your name after-the-fact, you will need to do so through a legal name change with the court. You may not add or amend this information on the marriage license or marriage certificate at a later date.

For your protection, if you have any questions regarding whether you should or should not list your new name on the marriage license application, and/or how the Name Equality Act of 2007 may affect you, please consult an attorney prior to applying for your marriage license.

Marriage may be solemnized by any of the following who is of the age of 18 years or older:

• A priest, minister, rabbi or authorized person of any religious denomination.
• A judge or retired judge, commissioner or retired commissioner, or assistant commissioner of a court of record in this state.
• A judge or magistrate state who has resigned from office.
• A justice or retired justice of the United States Supreme Court.
• A judge or retired judge of a court of appeals, a district court, or a court created by an act of Congress the judges of which are entitled to hold office during good behavior.
• A judge or retired judge of a bankruptcy court or a tax court.
• A United States magistrate or retired magistrate.
• A legislator or constitutional officer of this state or a member of Congress who represents a district within this state, while the person holds office.
• Commissioner of civil marriages or retired commissioner of civil marriages. For each county, the county clerk is designated as commissioner of civil marriages.
• Deputy marriage commissioner for the day is available from the county clerk to individuals to have the legal right to marry a specific couple on a specific day, see the Commissioner for a Day tab above to learn more.