City and County of San Francisco exact answer
Is residency required for a marriage license in City and County of San Francisco?
This answer belongs to the issuing office and task named above. It does not substitute a statewide summary or infer a rule the office does not publish.
Direct answer
In City and County of San Francisco, there is no residency requirement. The Office of the County Clerk states that California residency and US citizenship are not requirements for marriage in California.
Published rule and conditions
- Marriage license residency rule
- There is no residency requirement. The Office of the County Clerk states that California residency and US citizenship are not requirements for marriage in California.Official requirement
California residency and US citizenship are not requirements for marriage in California.
Issuing office
San Francisco Office of the County Clerk
Official sources for this answer
- Get married in San FranciscoSan Francisco Office of the County Clerk - checked July 26, 2026
Only 2 unmarried persons who are at least 18 years of age with valid legal identification may apply for a marriage license in California. California residency and US citizenship are not requirements for marriage in California. Before you get married in California, you must have a California marriage license issued within 90 days of the date of your ceremony. You can download and complete the application and bring it to your appointment in person at City Hall. If your marriage license was issued in California, you may get married in any California county. Your marriage license must be recorded in the County where it was issued. If you had a confidential marriage license, return the signed license to the Office of the County Clerk. If you were married by someone from the Office of the County Clerk, we will file the documents for you.
- California Marriage License General InformationCalifornia Department of Public Health, Vital Records - checked July 26, 2026
Page last updated 14 February 2018. You do not need to be a California resident to marry in California. Marriage by proxy is NOT allowed in California. Blood tests are NOT required to obtain a marriage license in California. Both parties must appear in person and bring valid picture identification to the County Clerk's Office to apply for a marriage license in California. Marriage licenses are valid for 90 days from the date of issuance. The person solemnizing the marriage must return the original marriage license to the County Clerk or County Recorder as applicable within 10 days of the date of the ceremony. No waiting period between issuance and ceremony is stated anywhere on this page.
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MarriageLicenseCheck is an independent reference, not the issuing office or legal advice. Applicant facts, timing, prior marriages, and document type can change the result. The official office decides what it will accept.
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