Application For Marriage License: Please Read Before Completing Application
Application For Marriage License: Please Read Before Completing Application
The Name Equality Act of 2007 (Assembly Bill 102, Chapter 567, Statutes of 2007) allows one or both applicants to a
California marriage to elect to change the middle or last names by which each party wishes to be known after they are married
by entering the new name in fields 29A thru 30C, as applicable, on the marriage license application. This must be done at the
time the applicants are applying for the marriage license.
Each party to the marriage may adopt any of the following last names (Family Code Section 306.5(b)(2)):
Current last name of the other spouse
Last name of either spouse given at birth
A name combining into a single last name all or a segment of the current last name or the last name of either
spouse given at birth
A combination of last names
Each party to the marriage may adopt any of the following middle names (Family Code Section 306.5(b)(3)):
Current last name of either spouse
Last name of either spouse given at birth
A combination of the current middle name and the current last name of the person or spouse
A combination of the current middle name and the last name given at birth of the person or spouse
NOTE: Parties to the marriage may not change their first name on the marriage license.
Parties to the marriage are not required to change their name, nor, are they required to have the same name.
If one or both parties do not wish to identify a new name on the marriage license, the fields on the marriage license
will be completed using two single dashes. You may not change the information on the marriage license after it has
been issued by the County Clerk, unless there is a clerical error.
The marriage certificate is used by multiple local, state, federal and private agencies, each of which have different
requirements regarding what documents are acceptable to change your name on their records following marriage. It is
recommended that you contact these agencies to verify their requirements prior to applying for your marriage license.
NOTE: County Clerk staff cannot provide you information on how to complete the marriage license application as it relates to
the entry of a new name or retention of your former name on the marriage license application. For your protection, if you have
any questions regarding whether you should or should not list your new name on the marriage license application, and/or how
the Name Equality Act of 2007 may affect you, please consult with a private attorney prior to applying for your marriage
license.
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH - VITAL RECORDS VS117Be (05/2017)
FIRST PERSON DATA GROOM BRIDE
1C. Current Last Name 1D. Last Name at Birth (if different than box 1C.)
2. Date of Birth 3. Birthplace (U.S. State or Foreign Country) 4. # of Previous Marriages or State
Registered Domestic Partnerships
5A. Last Marriage/State Registered Domestic Partnership ended by: (check one) 5B. Date ended: (mm/dd/yyyy)
Death Dissolution (Divorce) Annulment Terminated SRDP
6. Address 7. City 8. State/Country 9. Zip Code
10A. Full Birth Name of Father/Parent (First, Middle, Last) 10B. Birthplace (U.S. State or Foreign Country)
11A. Full Birth Name of Mother/Parent (First, Middle, Last) 11B. Birthplace (U.S. State or Foreign Country)