California is an open state which means that the residents of the state have access to their personal documents. CA marriage records are one of the documents that have been opened according to the Freedom of Information Act.
Marriage records in California are vital documents in genealogy. Once an individual marries, the family tree has to be updated in a timely manner. Aside from genealogy, a marriage certificate is also required when processing transactions in the government. These transactions includes, but not limited to, insurance or financial related matters as well as the declaration of properties and assists of a couple. Ironically, a marriage certificate is needed when filing for separation.
Back in the old days, there was only little information that can be obtained in a California marriage certificate. One would only know the basics of the marriage like the names of the bride and the groom and the date and place where it took place as well as the names of the witnesses and the officiant. Now, it is a little more complex since it now includes the maiden name of the bride as well as other personal details of the bride and the groom such as their residence address, race, age and occupation during the marriage. Another thing that was added is the name of the couple's parents and their birth place.
The state of California has started to document marriages that took place since the 1850's, but the records that are available for retrieval are only those from July 1905. However, certificates filed from 1987 to 1995 are not indexed by the state so this has to be requested at the county where the couple had their marriage. One has to pay $14 for the processing fee to proceed with the request at the Vital Records Section in the Department of Health. If the request is made at the county, fees may differ. To make a smooth retrieval process, it is recommended to indicate on the request form all possible information that you know about the record being requested. The state office also accepts mail request but it is not the fastest method to get such document.
To make sure that there are no delays in the retrieval process, requesting for a copy of a marriage certificate online improves the search. With the Internet, the search can be done even without going to any offices making it convenient for many. Another good thing about it is that the document can be obtained faster. There is no need to wait for hours, days or even weeks in order to get a copy of the said file.
One can choose to get marriage records free or to pay for the retrieval. Several websites lets first time users to test their system without any charges. This lets the user to see what the system can do and it can let them decide whether to look for another site to obtain the marriage certificate or pay for the next use.
Marriage records in California are vital documents in genealogy. Once an individual marries, the family tree has to be updated in a timely manner. Aside from genealogy, a marriage certificate is also required when processing transactions in the government. These transactions includes, but not limited to, insurance or financial related matters as well as the declaration of properties and assists of a couple. Ironically, a marriage certificate is needed when filing for separation.
Back in the old days, there was only little information that can be obtained in a California marriage certificate. One would only know the basics of the marriage like the names of the bride and the groom and the date and place where it took place as well as the names of the witnesses and the officiant. Now, it is a little more complex since it now includes the maiden name of the bride as well as other personal details of the bride and the groom such as their residence address, race, age and occupation during the marriage. Another thing that was added is the name of the couple's parents and their birth place.
The state of California has started to document marriages that took place since the 1850's, but the records that are available for retrieval are only those from July 1905. However, certificates filed from 1987 to 1995 are not indexed by the state so this has to be requested at the county where the couple had their marriage. One has to pay $14 for the processing fee to proceed with the request at the Vital Records Section in the Department of Health. If the request is made at the county, fees may differ. To make a smooth retrieval process, it is recommended to indicate on the request form all possible information that you know about the record being requested. The state office also accepts mail request but it is not the fastest method to get such document.
To make sure that there are no delays in the retrieval process, requesting for a copy of a marriage certificate online improves the search. With the Internet, the search can be done even without going to any offices making it convenient for many. Another good thing about it is that the document can be obtained faster. There is no need to wait for hours, days or even weeks in order to get a copy of the said file.
One can choose to get marriage records free or to pay for the retrieval. Several websites lets first time users to test their system without any charges. This lets the user to see what the system can do and it can let them decide whether to look for another site to obtain the marriage certificate or pay for the next use.
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Government or private record providers for Free Marriage Records? Make the right choice to suit your particular needs. You can learn all about them by visiting our site at Marriage Licenses Public Records.