Same Day Receipt:

1)  You may go in person to the San Francisco County Assessor-Recorder Office, Room 190 in City Hall between 8 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday.  You will be able to obtain a copy of your marriage certificate while you wait.  Your wait time depends upon how busy the office is, and may be between 10 minutes and one hour.  Street parking is usually available within two or three blocks of City Hall and is metered at $.25 per 6 minutes.  Parking is usually also available at the underground Civic Center Garage across the street from City Hall at $2.50 per hour (April 12, 2007).  A number of public transportation routes serve Civic Center and City Hall.


Same Day Fax / Next Day Receipt:

2)  You may hire an agent to go to City Hall and order the marriage certificate for you over the counter.  You may elect to receive your certificate by fax same day and original copy next day.  Click here to order your marriage certificate. 


4 - 6 Weeks Receipt:


3)  You may submit your request by mail.  Include groom's first and last name, bride's first and maiden last name, and date of marriage.  Mail your request to:   Marriage Certificate Request, Assessor-Recorder, City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 190, San Francisco, CA  94102.  Include a check for in the amount of $13.00 for each certificate requested, payable to the San Francisco Assessor-Recorder.  Although the Assessor-Recorder states that your wait time will be between 4 and 6 weeks, receipt of your certificate(s) may be delayed up to 8 weeks (April 12, 2007).


4)  You may submit your request by phone and pay by VIsa, MasterCard or Discover.  Call (415) 554-4580.  There is a $5.00 service fee paid to VitalChek on top of your certificate cost of $13 per marriage certificate.  Although the Assessor-Recorder states that your wait time will be between 4 and 6 weeks, receipt of your certificate(s) may be delayed up to 8 weeks (April 12, 2007).


5)  You may submit your request over the internet through VitalChek.com.  VitalChek charges you $5.00 to do this.  Although the Assessor-Recorder states that your wait time will be between 4 and 6 weeks, receipt of your certificate(s) may be delayed up to 8 weeks (April 12, 2007).  Ordering through VitalChek will not reduce the time it takes to get your certificate.  

You may order through an onsite agent as well over the internet. An agent may obtain your certificate the same day it is ordered.  Click here to order your marriage certificate.

Emergency Expedited Requests:

The Assessor-Recorder will expedite your request if you can prove a real need to have your certificate on an expedited basis.  Your request will only be processed on an expedited basis if undue hardship will result from the standard processing time of 4 to 6 weeks.  Expedited processing will not be considered  for a planned name change.

You may also use a private agent to expedite your request without proof an emergency need.  Call (415) 440-9100, or  Click here to order your marriage certificate on an expedited basis.






Marriage certificates are available 10 days after the signed marriage license is received by the Assessor-Recorder.






Please click here for San Francisco County Birth and Death Certificate information.



We provide agent service and can obtain birth and death certificates.

Click here to order your certificate online.





Records of divorce in California are obtained from the court where the decree of dissolution was granted.  Records are maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court, 400 McAllister, San Francisco, CA  94102  (415) 551-3800.

You may also order divorce certificates online by clicking here, or calling 415-440-9100.