Marriage records in Santa Barbara County, California, are available through several channels. SantaBarbaraCourt.us allows you to quickly find public information about marriage records in the county. Additionally, records can be obtained directly from the County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's office by submitting a request in person or by mail. State online tools also provide access to certain categories of records.
Santa Barbara Marriage Records Search
In Santa Barbara County, marriage records are maintained by the County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's office. This office issues marriage licenses, registers returned certificates, and keeps archival records. The collection includes marriage licenses, registered marriage certificates, and confidential marriage licenses. Historical records date back to the county's founding.
The office has two branches — in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. Each serves requests for marriage records.
Santa Barbara Office
Santa Maria Office
Note: Confidential marriage licenses have restricted access — they can only be obtained by the spouses named in the document or individuals with a corresponding court order.
Certified Marriage Record Copies and Fees in Santa Barbara
The fees for copies of marriage records are determined according to the California Health and Safety Code and the Clerk-Recorder's fee schedule. Current rates are listed below:
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Certified copy | $15 |
| Each additional copy (in one order) | $3 |
| Informational copy (informational/uncertified copy) | $15 |
| Search fee (if the exact date is unknown) | Included in the cost of the first copy |
Certified copies come in two types. An authorized certified copy is suitable for legal purposes — name changes, obtaining a passport, etc. — and is issued only to individuals entitled to it under California Health and Safety Code §103526. An informational copy is available to anyone; it bears a watermark stating "INFORMATIONAL — NOT A VALID DOCUMENT TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY." When applying in person, a copy is usually issued the same day. Mail requests are processed within a few weeks.
Order Marriage Certificates Online or In Person in Santa Barbara
There are three main ways to order a copy of a marriage certificate.
Online
The State of California offers the ordering of certified copies of vital records through the California Department of Public Health — Vital Records (CDPH-VR) portal. Orders are placed on the CDPH website, and payment is made by credit card. An additional service fee is charged. Processing online orders may take several weeks.
Additionally, the official Santa Barbara County website contains links to relevant resources and contact information for county departments, including the Clerk-Recorder.
In Person
Visit any of the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor offices listed above. You will need:
- A valid photo ID (driver's license, passport, etc.)
- A completed application for a copy (form available at the office)
- Payment of the fee — cash, check, or money order
To obtain an authorized certified copy, the applicant must verify their entitlement under state law — for example, being one of the parties to the marriage, their parent, legal representative, or having a court order.
By Mail
Send a request to the Santa Barbara office address:
Include in the envelope:
- A completed application (Sworn Statement / Application for Certified Copy) — the form can be downloaded from the CDPH website or obtained at the office
- A copy of a photo ID
- A check or money order for the appropriate amount, payable to "Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder"
- A self-addressed stamped envelope
Include the full names of the spouses and the approximate date of marriage in the application — this will expedite the search. If the exact date is unknown, the clerk will search within the available records.
To check the status of court cases related to marriage (e.g., divorce), you can use the court records search on the Santa Barbara County Superior Court website. Court records and vital records are different categories of documents, and they are stored in different institutions. Public access rules for court records are regulated separately from the rules for access to Clerk-Recorder records.