Marriage License & Ceremony

Both parties (over 18 years of age) can begin the process by e-mailing [email protected] with images of their government-issued photo identification. You will receive an invitation to submit your marriage license application online. If either party is under the age of eighteen, a license cannot be issued without a court order. Please contact Napa Courts Family Law Services (FCS) at 707-299-1130. 

There is no waiting period, blood test or residency requirements to be married in California.

Please read the Name Equality Act of 2007 prior to submitting an application. The Name Equality Act of 2007 requires couples to state on the license the middle and last names they intend to use after the wedding. IF either party wants to change their name, that new name MUST be entered on the marriage license BEFORE purchase.

Please read the information of the Name Equality Act carefully before you complete the marriage license application.

Once the application is filed online the parties will receive a preview of the license for review and approval. When the parties return the approved preview to our office via e-mail, we will send you an appointment to appear in person together at our office, 1127 First Street Ste. A, Napa, CA 94559 (our building is across the alleyway behind 2nd St. Parking Garage). 

Fee & Payment

The fee for a public license is $83.00. We suggested but it is not required, that a certified copy be pre-paid for at the time the license is issued for an additional $17.00. We do not accept checks with an out of state address but do accept cash, money orders, travelers' checks and all major debit/credit cards. There is an additional $2.50 processing fee charged by our vendor if a debit/credit card is used for payment. Opens a New Window. 

Ceremony

If you wish to have us perform a civil ceremony at the same time you obtain your license, please notify us when you e-mail scanned images of your government issued photo identification. We will notify you after you approve your license preview of the civil ceremony appointment. Issuing a license and having a civil ceremony can both be done within an hour. A civil ceremony in our office, performed by our staff, costs $51.00. California ceremonies require at least one witness. We prefer that couples bring at least one witness for the ceremony. Our office can provide a witness for an additional fee of $35.00.

As a courtesy to other couples and to our staff, if you arrive late, please be prepared to wait or reschedule your appointment to a later date.

Marriage Commissioner for the Day

It is possible to have a friend or relative deputized as a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for the Day, so they can perform your ceremony. The person must be over 18 years of age. Personal appearance is required in our office at 1127 First Street Ste. A, Napa, CA 94559 (our building is across the alleyway behind 2nd St. Parking Garage) to be sworn in as a Deputy Marriage Commissioner. Once the oath is taken, the deputy commissioner can perform one ceremony anywhere in California as specified in the oath.

Please complete the Deputy Marriage Commissioner application (PDF) Opens a New Window.  (use this link to access the application) and forward the completed application to [email protected] so that we can make an appointment for you to appear in person. The fee is $63. We do not accept checks with an out of state address but do accept cash, money orders, travelers' checks and all major debit/credit cards. There is an additional $2.50 third party processing fee if a debit/credit card is used for payment.

Please call 707-253-4247 and our staff will assist you with scheduling and issuing a Marriage License, Ceremony, or a Deputy Marriage Commissioner application.