Civil Ceremony in our Office
Our office conducts civil marriage ceremonies for a fee of $49. Ceremonies are conducted weekdays at all of our
office locations
by a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages on staff.
You must obtain a marriage license before the ceremony can be performed. At the time of the ceremony, you must provide a witness, unless the marriage is performed using a confidential marriage license, in which case no witness is required. If you do not have a witness, our office can provide one for $27.
- Wedding ceremony guests is limited at each location. Please note that infants and children should be counted in the guest count.
- Main Office (large) - 25 guests
- Main Office (small) - 10 guests
- South Office - 20 guests
- Call our office at (916) 874-6131 or
schedule an appointment online.
- For potential safety and the cleanliness of the facilities, no throwable items such as rice, confetti, bird seed, flowers, etc. are permitted inside or outside of the facilities.
General Information
Laws concerning marriage ceremonies are set forth in
Sections 400-426 of the Family Code. According to state law, the following officials who are 18 years of age or older may solemnize a marriage:
- A priest, minister, rabbi, or authorized person of any religious denomination.
- A judge or retired judge, commissioner of civil marriages or retired commissioner of civil marriages, commissioner or retired commissioner, or assistant commissioner of a court of record in this state.
- A judge or magistrate who has resigned from office.
- Any of the following judges or magistrates of the United States:
- 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 the United States Congress.
- A judge or retired judge of a bankruptcy court or a tax court.
- A United States magistrate or retired magistrate.
- A Member of the Legislature or constitutional officer of this state or a Member of Congress of the United States who represents a district within this state, or a former Member of the Legislature or constitutional officer of this state or a former Member of Congress of the United States who represented a district within this state.
- A person that holds or formerly held an elected office of a city, county, or city and county.
- A city clerk of a charter city or serving in accordance with subdivision (b) of
Section 36501 of the Government Code, while holding office.
- Ships’ captains
have no authority to solemnize California marriages unless they fall into one of the categories listed above.
