Sunday, April 13, 2014

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 will not become official unless there is a marriage license. The license needs to be obtained by the husband and wife simultaneously at the Recorder's Office. The license is good for 90 days only and if no marriage transpires within that period, the current license will become invalid and a new one should be obtained.

A request form is available at the vital records department or it can be downloaded through their official website. It costs $14 for every request and it is paid through check or money order. A notarized sworn statement should also be submitted. If any of the requirements is missing, the request will not be accepted. Obtaining marriage records from the vital records department usually takes about 6 months because they maintain a lot of records and they are undermanned. If you want to obtain the records faster, head to the specific country 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.




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