California Free Marriage Records

By Ben Kingsley


The vital records department of the California Department of Public Health is the central repository of all records of Marriage in California. They are also found at the specific county Recorder's Office that issued the license.

The county Recorder's office is the office in-charge of providing certified authorized versions of the documents while the vital records department only provides certified informational version. Informational versions only serve as a source of information and, therefore, cannot be used in any legal proceeding. Any person can obtain the informational versions of the documents but only a few have the authority to obtain the authorized versions. Authorized versions are granted only to the bride, groom, their lawyers, and other parties authorized by the court because they contain confidential information. Informational versions contain the basic details of a marriage document, including the names of the spouses, their date of birth, and the time and location where the marriage transpired.

A marriage license is essential for marriage to become completely valid. A license can be secured at the Recorder's office. The bride and the groom should be present at the same time when they apply for a license. A license has a 90-day validity period. The license is effective if the couple marries within the validity period. After 90 days, the license becomes useless and the couple will have to secure a new one.

To request for the files, you must fill out a request form at the vital records department or you can download it at their website. The request form should be submitted together with a $14 fee and a notarized sworn statement. The department only accepts payments of fees through check or money order. All requirements should be prepared for a request to be accepted. Requesting the files at the department is time-consuming, usually reaching 6 months for every request. If you want to get the files faster, head to the Recorder's Office.

Today, the files can now be acquired through private websites that have the consent of the court. Anyone can submit a request as long as proper procedures are observed. Files are stored in a database that is linked with that of the government office's official website. Files that are kept by private websites and government offices are pretty much alike.

There are several sources on the Internet that provide Records of Marriage to the public. If you are not knowledgeable as to which state to begin a search, look for a website that lets you do a nationwide search. Some sources are for free while some impose a certain amount of fee. Both kinds of sources are able to supply the simple details of a marriage file. The difference is that those that impose a certain amount of fee provide a little bit more details. But before anything else, check the credibility of your source by performing a little research about them.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire