Full question:
My husband and I are married for two years. We had obtained our confidential marriage license after our marriage. Recently, we found that we have misplaced our marriage certificate. Is there a possibility for obtaining a duplicate copy of the same?
- Category: Marriage
- Subcategory: Marriage Certificate
- Date:
- State: California
Answer:
In California, if a confidential marriage license is lost after the marriage ceremony but before it is returned to the county clerk, the person who solemnized the marriage can obtain a duplicate certificate. This is done by filing an affidavit with the county clerk where the license was issued. A fee may be charged for this service.
However, a duplicate cannot be issued if more than one year has passed since the original license was issued. If the license was lost before the ceremony, a new license must be purchased, and the old one will be voided.
According to California Family Code § 510, a duplicate marriage license can be obtained if the original was lost after the marriage but before it was returned to the county clerk. The county clerk may charge a fee for issuing the duplicate. If the original license was lost before the ceremony, a new license must be obtained.
Since it has been more than a year since your original license was issued, it may not be possible to obtain a duplicate.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.