A courthouse appointment is not the moment you want to discover that an expired ID, a name mismatch, or a missing document could slow down your wedding day. If you are asking what identification is needed to get married in Los Angeles, the reassuring answer is usually simple: both partners need to appear in person with valid government-issued photo identification that proves age and identity.
For most couples, that means bringing the ID already in your wallet or travel bag. A current driver’s license, state ID card, passport, military ID, or permanent resident card will generally satisfy the requirement. The key is that it must be valid, readable, and clearly belong to you.
What identification is needed for a marriage license?
California requires both people applying for a marriage license to be at least 18 years old, unless a minor has completed the separate court-approved process. The official issuing the license must be able to verify who each applicant is and confirm that both parties are of legal age to marry.
Bring an original, unexpired government-issued photo ID. The most commonly accepted forms include:
- A current driver’s license
- A state-issued identification card
- A valid U.S. or foreign passport
- A military identification card
- A permanent resident card, often called a green card
A passport is often the easiest option for visitors, international couples, and anyone whose current address is outside California. You do not need to be a California resident to marry here. You also do not need to be a U.S. citizen, have a Social Security number, or provide proof of immigration status in order to receive a California marriage license.
What matters is that you can establish your identity and age with acceptable documentation. If your ID is expired, badly damaged, or difficult to read, do not assume it will be accepted. A quick document check before you leave can protect the one thing a spontaneous wedding should never include: an avoidable delay.
Do both partners need to bring ID?
Yes. Both partners must be physically present to apply for the marriage license, and each person must provide their own identification. One partner cannot apply on the other’s behalf, even if you already have every detail written down and your ceremony is happening later that day.
This is also why photos of an ID on a phone are not a safe substitute for the original document. Requirements are designed to verify the person standing in front of the license issuer. Bring the physical ID whenever possible.
If you are planning to get married today, put both IDs in one place before you head out. It is a small step, but it prevents the classic last-minute scramble of realizing one passport is in a hotel safe, glove compartment, or suitcase across town.
Your names should make sense across your documents
Your identification does not need to match your future married name. The marriage license is issued using your current legal name, exactly as it appears on your identifying document. You can decide after the wedding whether and how to change your name with agencies such as the Social Security Administration, DMV, bank, employer, and passport office.
If you have recently changed your name and your documents do not match, bring supporting paperwork when available, such as a certified court order, prior marriage certificate, divorce judgment, or other legal name-change record. Whether additional documentation is needed depends on the facts of your situation, but bringing it is far better than leaving it at home.
This is especially relevant if one partner has a passport in a maiden name and another form of identification in a newer name. The marriage itself may be straightforward, but the license issuer needs a clear, accurate legal identity for the record.
What if you are divorced, widowed, or previously married?
Many couples expect to need divorce papers to obtain a new marriage license. In California, you will generally be asked for basic information about prior marriages, including how the marriage ended and the date it ended. You typically do not need to bring a divorce decree or death certificate just because you were married before.
There is one essential condition: the prior marriage must already be legally ended before you marry again. If a divorce is still pending, a legal separation has not become a final dissolution, or there is uncertainty about the date a judgment became final, pause and clarify the status before applying. A same-day marriage service can move quickly, but it cannot bypass a prior legal marriage.
When dates are complicated, bring any final paperwork you have. It can help you provide accurate information and gives you confidence that your new marriage begins on solid legal ground.
Identification for international couples and destination elopements
Los Angeles is a favorite place to elope for couples visiting from other states and around the world. California does not impose a residency requirement for marriage, so visitors can marry here legally. For many international couples, a valid passport is the clearest and most practical form of identification.
You do not need to translate your love story into a stack of residency documents before you can marry. Still, make sure your passport is current and that the name on it is the name you intend to use on the marriage license. If you use more than one surname, have a multi-part legal name, or are unsure how a name should appear, ask before the license is issued. Corrections after recording can be more complicated than getting the details right on day one.
A California marriage is legal when properly licensed, solemnized, and recorded. Whether another country will require an apostille, a certified copy, or additional translation for its own records is a separate question. Couples using their marriage abroad should plan for those post-wedding document needs early.
Public or confidential license: does the ID change?
Your ID requirement remains the same, but the license type can change other parts of the process.
A public marriage license becomes part of the public record after it is recorded. It generally requires at least one witness at the ceremony, in addition to the officiant. A confidential marriage license is not available for public inspection and does not require a witness, but California law requires the couple to affirm that they are already living together as spouses.
The right choice depends on your privacy preferences and circumstances. It does not depend on whether you are having a chapel elopement, a mobile ceremony, a military marriage, or a celebration with a room full of loved ones. Either way, bring valid photo ID for both partners and be prepared to provide accurate information.
A same-day document check can save your wedding day
The practical goal is not to collect paperwork for paperwork’s sake. It is to make sure your license is legally correct, your ceremony can happen as planned, and your marriage record is ready to be filed without a bureaucratic detour.
Before leaving for your appointment, check that you each have an original valid photo ID, know your current legal names, have accurate information about any prior marriage, and have agreed on the spelling you want on the license. If one of you has an unusual document situation, a recent name change, an expired passport, or a pending divorce, ask about it before the ceremony time is on the clock.
Same-Day Marriage helps couples turn an urgent decision into a legally complete Los Angeles marriage, from license and ceremony through recording support and certified proof. After 23 years of helping couples marry without courthouse stress, we know that preparation can still feel romantic when it is simple, clear, and handled with care.
Bring the right ID, bring each other, and leave room for the part that matters most: the moment you say yes.