Getting a Marriage License in Contra Costa County
Marriage licenses in Contra Costa County are sold by the County Clerk-Recorder, not the Superior Court. The current Clerk-Recorder is Kristin B. Connelly. Her office issues both public and confidential licenses, performs civil ceremonies, and runs the Destination Weddings program at Mount Diablo. The general phone line is (925) 335-7900. Couples must obtain the license before any ceremony takes place. The Clerk-Recorder is separate from the family-law clerk who handles divorce, so the right counter for a license is the Clerk-Recorder, not Court Records.
Both parties must appear in person to apply. California rules call for valid government photo ID, and there is no blood test. The license becomes valid right away and stays valid for 90 days. A public license is part of the public record. A confidential license is only seen by the spouses and is sold under California Family Code rules that limit who can buy a copy. The Clerk-Recorder explains the choice during the application. Fees and forms come from the Clerk-Recorder, while the Superior Court only steps in if the marriage later ends in court.
The Clerk-Recorder office is part of the broader county system but is not the same as the court clerk profiled on Clerk of the Superior Court. Court Records, at 725 Court Street, Room 103, Martinez, only handles court files. The Clerk-Recorder handles deeds, fictitious business names, voter records, and marriage licenses. That split is a common source of confusion for residents. Note: verify the current 2026 marriage-license fee schedule with the Clerk-Recorder before relying on the amounts below.
Contra Costa County Family and Children Division
The Superior Court Family and Children Division runs family-law cases in Contra Costa County. The division handles dissolution, legal separation, nullity, parentage, custody, support, and domestic violence restraining orders. Hearings take place at the Spinetta Family Law Center in Martinez. The official Family and Children page lists local resources, links to the Divorce Roadmap, and connects litigants to mediation and custody recommending counseling. Most family cases also flow through self-help, since many parties file without an attorney.
The Family and Children Division page lays out the local entry points for spouses, parents, and other family-law litigants in Contra Costa County. Read more on the Superior Court Family and Children Division page, then visit the screenshot below.
That same page links out to custody, visitation, and child support steps. Local self-help staff can point users to the right counter at Spinetta. Many forms are Judicial Council statewide forms, but Contra Costa has local intake rules.
How to Apply for a Marriage License
The Clerk-Recorder uses a short, in-person flow. Couples can prep online and finish at the counter. Bring photo ID, payment, and the names of parents. If a prior marriage ended, bring the end date. The list below walks through the steps used in Contra Costa County.
- Open the Clerk-Recorder portal and pick the Marriage License module in English or Spanish.
- Choose license type. Pick public or confidential, then start the online form.
- Fill in legal names, dates of birth, places of birth, and prior-marriage status for both parties.
- Book an appointment at the Clerk-Recorder, or check walk-in hours for license issuance.
- Both parties appear together. Show valid photo ID and sign in the presence of the deputy clerk.
- Pay the license fee. Add a civil ceremony booking if you want one on site.
- Take the issued license. Have an authorized officiant solemnize the marriage within 90 days, then return the signed license for recording.
Note: a public license is open to anyone who orders a certified copy, while a confidential license is only available to the spouses under California Family Code rules.
Marriage License Application Fields
The Clerk-Recorder marriage module asks for the same data the state form requires. Couples in Contra Costa County save time by gathering this info before they walk in. The table below mirrors the live portal layout.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| License type | Yes | Public or confidential marriage license, picked at the start. |
| Party A legal name | Yes | Full current legal name. |
| Party B legal name | Yes | Full current legal name. |
| Names prior to marriage | If applicable | Standard on California license forms. |
| Date of birth | Yes | Used for ID match. |
| Place of birth | Yes | State or country. |
| Residence address | Yes | Confidential license adds cohabitation rules. |
| Parent birth names / birthplaces | Yes | Standard California marriage application info. |
| Prior marriage status | Yes | Add end date if a prior marriage or partnership ended. |
| ID type and number | Yes at issuance | Valid government photo ID required. |
| Ceremony appointment | Optional | Use the Clerk-Recorder scheduler for civil ceremonies. |
| Payment | Yes | License and ceremony fees due at issuance. |
Contra Costa County Marriage and Divorce Fees
Two fee schedules apply. The Clerk-Recorder sets license and ceremony fees in Contra Costa County. The Superior Court sets copy and certification fees for divorce judgments. Verify the current marriage-license fees with the Clerk-Recorder before relying on them, since the official 2026 fee page was not in the research pass.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Public marriage license | $86 |
| Confidential marriage license | $90 |
| Civil marriage ceremony | $60 |
| Court Records plain copy per page | $0.50 |
| Certified court copy | $40 plus $0.50 per page |
| Certified divorce judgment | $15 (includes copies) |
| In-court credit/debit fee | 2.99%, $1 minimum |
| Fee waiver | Use FW-001 and FW-003 if low income |
How to Look Up Contra Costa County Marriage Records
Marriage record search in Contra Costa County runs through the Clerk-Recorder portal. Order a certified copy of a public marriage record there. Confidential records require proof of identity from one of the spouses. The state level fallback is the California Department of Public Health Vital Records office, which also issues certified marriage copies after the local return.
Order online through the Clerk-Recorder vendor portal. Mail orders go to the Clerk-Recorder office at 555 Escobar Street, Martinez. In-person orders use the same office during posted hours. The state-level office at CDPH Vital Records carries copies for many older marriages and accepts mailed applications. For records linked to a court case, such as a name-change or divorce judgment, route the request through Court Records at Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, not the Clerk-Recorder.
Note: certified divorce judgments cost $15 at Court Records and should not be ordered from the Clerk-Recorder.
How to Find Contra Costa County Divorce Records
Divorce records are Superior Court family-law files. Filing happens at the Spinetta Family Law Center, 751 Pine Street, Martinez. Index and hearing data may show in the Court Public Portal at the new Tyler site, but California Rule of Court 2.503 limits remote public access to family-law records. Most of the file is not viewable from home. The Divorce Roadmap explains each step from petition through judgment.
The local Divorce Roadmap on the Superior Court site shows the case path. See the Divorce Roadmap page for the local flow.
The roadmap covers petition, response, disclosure, judgment, and post-judgment work. It also names the local forms most cases use.
Step 1 starts the case in Contra Costa County. The petitioner files FL-100 Petition, FL-110 Summons, and FL-105 UCCJEA if minor children are involved. Optional forms include FL-160 Property Declaration, FL-311 custody and visitation attachment, FL-312 child abduction prevention request, and the FL-341 series custody attachments. Low-income parties add FW-001 and FW-003 fee-waiver forms. Filing can be done by mail, drop box, or in person at Spinetta.
Step 2 is service. An adult who is not the petitioner serves the respondent and signs FL-115 Proof of Service. The proof is filed within 60 days. The respondent has at least 30 days to respond from the date of service. Step 3 covers preliminary and final declarations of disclosure using FL-140, FL-142, FL-150, and FL-141. Disclosures are served between the parties, not filed in full. The case then moves to default judgment, uncontested stipulated judgment, or contested trial as the facts dictate.
Child custody and visitation often runs alongside the divorce. The Contra Costa County family division explains the local custody process and connects parents to mediation. See the Child custody and visitation page.
Custody recommending counseling, parenting classes, and DV restraining orders all run through the same Spinetta location.
Adoption confidentiality is set by California Family Code section 9200. Adoption files are not open public records and need a court order or statutory access. See the screenshot below.
The statute matters here because the family-law clerk handles related petitions, but the file itself stays restricted.
Children's Waiting Room and On-Site Support
The Children's Waiting Room helps parents who must come to court for a family-law case. It gives children a safe spot to wait while a parent is in a hearing. The room is at the courthouse and is part of the Family and Children Division. Parents must check the room's posted hours and rules before they show up. Staff watch the children, but the room is not a daycare for general use.
See the Children's Waiting Room page for current details.
This service is one of the local supports that sets Contra Costa County divorce cases apart from a bare-bones filing process.
Getting Certified Copies
Certified marriage copies come from the Clerk-Recorder. Certified divorce judgments come from Court Records at Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, Room 103. Both offices issue copies that meet legal-proof needs for name change, immigration, Social Security, banking, and probate. The court office charges $15 for a certified divorce judgment, and that fee includes copies. A plain (uncertified) court copy is 50 cents per page, and any other certified court copy is $40 plus 50 cents per page.
Order by mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope, or in person with valid ID. The Court Records page says ID is required to view any file. The Clerk-Recorder also takes mailed orders for marriage records and requires extra ID for confidential licenses.
Where to File a Divorce in Contra Costa County
Spinetta Family Law Center is the main intake site for divorce, legal separation, nullity, custody, and domestic violence cases in Contra Costa County. The court accepts filings by mail, drop box, or in person. Bring extra copies, the filing fee or fee waiver, and a self-addressed stamped envelope if filing by mail. The clerk dates each copy and returns one to the petitioner.
Spinetta Family Law Center
751 Pine Street
Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 608-1000
Family law, DVRO, ex parte, mediation, custody recommending counseling
Court Records (Certified Divorce Copies)
Wakefield Taylor Courthouse
725 Court Street, Room 103
Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 608-1000
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
California Vital Records Office
The California Department of Public Health Vital Records office issues certified copies of marriages recorded with the state. The state office is a backup if the Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder cannot pull the record or if a couple needs an apostille for foreign use. For most local marriages, the Clerk-Recorder is faster and cheaper.
California Department of Public Health Vital Records
MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410
(916) 445-2684