Glad you asked!

In Los Angeles County a small number of notary publics are authorized by the County Clerk's Office to assist with the issuance of marriage licenses. Where most marriage licenses issued by the Recorder are public record and require witnesses, confidential marriage licenses are not public record and require no witnesses. They are just as legal and binding as a regular marriage license; the differences are only in the qualifications for obtaining one and access to certified copies.

All persons who apply for any marriage license must have valid, unexpired state-issued ID or a passport. There are a few additional requirements that must be met in order to qualify for a confidential license:

1. the bride and groom must already be living together as husband and wife,
2. the marriage must take place within Los Angeles County, and
3. proof of dissolution must be provided for any marriage that ended within the previous two years.

Any U.S. state's driver's license or ID card is acceptable, but it must be unexpired. Notaries cannot accept birth certificates, school IDs, or matricula consular as identification for marriage licensing.

If you meet these requirements you may be able to take advantage of a notary marriage licensing service like MarriageToGo.Com. A notary-issued license can be issued outside of the limited hours of the Clerk's Office in the privacy of your home or office, saving you time and travel. Appointments are often available within 24 hours of your request. MarriageToGo will travel to any location in Los Angeles County for your convenience. Click here for rate information.



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There are firms that will take your money to perform a wedding by phone and they'll tell you it's legally binding, but they're lying. Sorry, but all phone weddings are strictly illegal. You'll lose your money and have no legal recourse when your legally-married status is denied. Don't do it.

Click here for more information on fraudulent wedding services scams like phone marriage for military/incarcerated, how to obtain a legal proxy marriage for active service personnel, and reporting marriage fraud.


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Unlike many other states and county governments, California has no registry or permits for those who officiate weddings. This has the advantage of reducing government interference in faith practices, but leaves consumers no recourse if they end up choosing an unscrupulous or incompetent provider. It is very important to check an officiant's references and credentials before you hire, since there is no government regulation or agency screening potential candidates for you.

However, if your officiant is also a notary who will be issuing your marriage license, they must hold an authorization from the local County government and that can be verified by phone with the County's Marriage Licensing unit. Due to the high level of wedding fraud here in Los Angeles County, it's a good idea to call the County Clerk's office to confirm that the notary's marriage license authorization is legitimate and that no disciplinary actions for negligence or malfeasance are pending. A notary can only issue marriage licenses in the County where they reside, and L.A. County notaries may not issue licenses for the incarcerated.

MarriageToGo has an excellent reputation for providing legit, prompt and informed service, and we can back it up! We are happy to provide you with references from recent clients so you may speak with them about their experience, and we are also glad to provide contact information for the County's Notary Authorization Supervisor so you can verify credentials. We're confident you'll be able to confirm that MarriageToGo deserves its sterling reputation as a legitimate, conscientious, and properly authorized marriage license and officiant service, and we hope to continue earning your trust and regard throughout our client relationship.


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Beware! There are many wedding ministers in L.A. County who claim to be Justices of the Peace--that is, active or retired State judges or commissioners of the court who are empowered to perform weddings as civil officiants--who DO NOT hold those credentials! In order for an officiant to sign your marriage license as "JOP" they must have served in the State courts. If having a civil officiant is important to you, check your officiant's credentials carefully. In our experience, real judges love performing weddings because it's about the only fun they get to have.

Elizabeth Oakes is an ordained Universalist minister who performs both religious and non-religious ceremonies, but not a Justice of the Peace. Ministers must use the title "Minister" when signing your marriage license even if you have a non-religious ceremony. Yes, the license forms are archaic, and we're working on that (so's the ACLU!)


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Well, yes and no....

Though the recent civil rights actions in San Francisco and across the country are surely changing the definition of civil marriage, here in California we are still not authorized to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. However, we here at MarriageToGo strongly believe that no religious or political organization has a patent on the concept of Love nor a trademark on the word "marriage"; love should be confirmed, consecrated, and supported wherever it occurs.

Therefore, though we cannot yet issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in Los Angeles County, we will continue to provide high-quality ceremonial services and up-to-date information for all who wish to celebrate their loving relationships. If you are a straight couple who would like to demonstrate your support for gay and lesbian wedding guests, please ask about our ceremonial acknowledgements.

For more information on civil marriage rights for all, please check out MarriageEqualityCA.Org.


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Of course you can have a man perform your ceremony, but in keeping with our ethics of fairness and social justice we do not refer to other officiants on the basis of gender. We are happy to make recommendations if we cannot provide service at your preferred location or don't possess the language skills, ordination, or other special credentials you need, but since our philosophy is inclusive we feel it's biased to refer merely on the basis of what someone has in their pants (or pantyhose.) We ask that you carefully consider why you feel having a male officiant is important to you, and we sincerely hope that someday soon all traditions will be more tolerant of female voices in spiritual practice.

You shouldn't have a problem finding a male officiant as the majority of clergy and clergy-for-hire are still male, in keeping with the the gender bias of most religions (and politics, and the corporate world...but that's another website.) A Google search or Yellow Pages foray will provide plenty of possibilities.

We wish you good luck with your officiant search and hope we can be of service to you soon.


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Do not confuse proxy marriage with phone marriage--phone marriages are never legal, and notaries and wedding chapels cannot provide marriage licensing for those in custody!! You'll find lots of chapels and notaries that will provide phone marriages and jailhouse weddings if you pay cash--and then they won't return your phone calls or your money when they cannot deliver. Don't be fooled!

Proxy marriage is a legal process whereby a legal representative is appointed to obtain the marriage license and attend the wedding ceremony; in California, proxy marriages are only available to active military personnel and the marriage license must be obtained through a County Clerk's office--not an authorized notary or wedding chapel.

California also allows ill or incarcerated partners to apply for a marriage license through an "Inability To Appear" affidavit; please contact the L.A. County Clerk's office to inquire about correct procedures for Inability to Appear, detention facility weddings, and proxy marriages for active military personnel.

Click here for more information on weddings scams, consumer alerts concerning marriage fraud, and how to report a wedding chapel or notary scam.


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