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Sonoma, California · County government

Clerk-Recorder

Find recorded documents, recording requirements and certified copies. Find marriage licensing and county clerk services. Find fictitious business name (FBN / DBA) filing and renewal instructions. Business licenses are a separate service.

Source checked October 12, 2026[1]

Opens this office’s own website. CountyWiki does not process applications, take payments or provide personal records.

Contact details & office locations ↓
Serves Sonoma County, California. Use the official service instructions to confirm jurisdiction and appointment requirements.

Online services & information

These links were found on official source pages. Each service is handled by the office.

Marriage license information and requirements (opens in a new tab)[14]Official instructions

Official county instructions for obtaining a new marriage license. Online application entry alone does not issue a license or replace the required appearance; confirm the license type, documents and visit arrangements.

How to get started
  1. Complete the county’s online marriage license application and follow the checkout instructions.
  2. Check the county’s document requirements for your circumstances, including identification and any additional records.
  3. Appear together at the Clerk-Recorder office during its business hours.

Before you start

Information & documents
Valid, government-issued photo identification with name and date of birth is required Driver's license, passport or US-government military identification (with date of birth listed) are acceptable forms of identification If providing a credencial para votar or Consulate ID such as a matricula, parties must also provide a birth certificate If your full name (first, middle and last) is not printed in its entirety on your ID, you must bring in a copy of your birth certificate If a divorce or State Registered Domestic Partnership (SRDP) termination was final within the past 90 days, a copy of the final judgment must be provided [12]
Deadlines
Marriage licenses are valid for 90 days from the date of issuance, after which the license expires, and a new license must be obtained [13]
Official-record copies — download, office and mail (opens in a new tab)[29]Official instructions

Sonoma County separates paid regular-copy downloads from certified copies mailed by staff. Have the document number ready; counter and online card fees differ.

Before you start

Information & documents · Copy identification
Supply the recording document number; staff cannot identify which documents you want to purchase. [31]
Availability · Certified copies — no download
Certified copies are processed and mailed by staff; they cannot be downloaded. [32]
Processing time · Mail copy processing
The county lists 2–3 weeks for mail processing; this is not an instant download or guaranteed delivery date. [33]
Birth Certificates (opens in a new tab)[2]Official instructions

Official official instructions for requesting certificates. Read the office’s current requirements before continuing.

FBN / DBA filing instructions (opens in a new tab)[24]Official instructions

Use the county’s official FBN portal or statement form and review publication and filing fees. Older residence-address text is not used as a current owner-address requirement. Private renewal solicitations are not county filing fees.

Before you start

Availability · Direct filing option
You can file directly with the County Clerk instead of paying a private renewal service. [28]
Deadlines · Initial filing — state deadline
File within 40 days after starting business under the fictitious name. [15]
Eligibility & access · Where to file — principal place of business
File in the county of your principal California business location. If you have no California business location, file in Sacramento County. [16]
Deadlines · New or changed filing — newspaper publication
Start publication within 45 days after filing. Use a qualifying newspaper in the filing county, or an adjoining county if no qualifying newspaper exists there. [17]
Information & documents · Newspaper notice — publication frequency
Publish once a week for four successive weeks. [18]
Deadlines · After publication — file the affidavit
File the publication affidavit with the County Clerk within 45 days after publication is completed. Check whether your newspaper files it for you. [19]
Deadlines · Expiration — earlier changes or abandonment can end the statement
A statement generally lasts five years, but changes or abandonment can end it earlier. [20]
Eligibility & access · No-change renewal — publication exception
An unchanged renewal filed within 40 days after expiration does not need republication. Changes can require a new publication. [21]
Information & documents · California principal business location
Provide the street address and county of the principal business location. A registrant’s separate mailing-address rule does not remove this requirement. [22]
Information & documents · Individual registrant — owner mailing address
For an individual owner, provide the full name and business mailing address if different from the business address. Do not apply older blanket residence-address instructions. [23]
Search document index and order copies (opens in a new tab)[30]Online service

County-linked document search and copy ordering. Certified copies ship; regular online downloads have a separate fee.

Fees

Fees are quoted only when a source document supports the amount and conditions.

ServiceAmountConditions & source
Printed recorded-document copy$5.00per pageStandard printed pages up to 11 × 17 inches.[4]
Recorded-document certification$4.00per documentCertification charge listed separately from copy fees.[5]
Regular (public) marriage license$82.00per licensePublic marriage license; one witness is required at the ceremony.[9]
Confidential marriage license$98.00per licenseConfidential license: parties must be living together as spouses and both be at least 18.[10]
FBN — First business and first owner$55.00per filingFirst business name and first owner name; newspaper costs separate. Effective date is not stated.[25]
FBN — Additional business or owner name$9.00per additional nameEach additional business or owner name. Effective date is not stated.[26]
Online official-record download$4.00per documentOnline regular-copy download; certified copies are processed and mailed instead.[34]
In-person official-record copy$5.00per pageIn-person printed copy; certification is an additional charge.[35]
Official-record certification — additional$4.00per documentAdditional to in-person copy-page charges.[36]
Online copy order — card convenience fee$2.00per transactionOnline copy-order card charge; in-person card use has a different listed charge.[37]
In-person copy order — card convenience fee$2.50card convenience chargeIn-person card charge; separate from online transaction fee.[38]

These are individual fee items, not a quote for your total. Other charges or exemptions may apply; confirm the total with the office.

Forms & documents

Official forms and document pages for this office’s services.

Sources & last checked12 source pages · 39 citations

Sources were checked by an AI-assisted research process. A checked website does not mean every service or fee on it has been reviewed.

  1. [1] Sonoma County — departments directory (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County · Department directory: Clerk-Recorder
    Source reviewed October 12, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Title certificate
  2. [2] Sonoma County — clerk recorder (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County · Service link: Birth Certificates
    Source reviewed October 12, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Birth Certificates
  3. [3] Sonoma County — clerk recorder (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County · Forms/document link: Clerk-Recorder Forms
    Source reviewed October 12, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Clerk-Recorder Forms
  4. [4] Sonoma County — recorder-fees (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County · Fee schedule table — Printed recorded-document copy
    Source reviewed October 12, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Standard Printed Pages (up to 11" x 17") [Government Code § 27366] $5.00 per page
  5. [5] Sonoma County — recorder-fees (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County · Fee schedule table — Recorded-document certification
    Source reviewed October 12, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Certification [Government Code § 27364] $4.00 per document
  6. [6] Sonoma County Clerk — Marriage license instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County Clerk · Contact us by Phone — Clerk-Recorder; phone hours Monday–Friday 9 AM–4 PM
    Source reviewed October 14, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    (707) 565-3800
  7. [7] Sonoma County Clerk — Marriage license instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County Clerk · County Clerk-Recorder Office — Address
    Source reviewed October 14, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    585 Fiscal Drive Room 103 Santa Rosa, CA 95403
  8. [8] Sonoma County Clerk — Marriage license instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County Clerk · Clerk-Recorder — Business Hours and transaction cutoff
    Source reviewed October 14, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Monday – Tuesday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Wednesday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Thursday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Note: No fee transactions or document processing within 30 minutes of closing
  9. [9] Sonoma County Clerk — Marriage license instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County Clerk · Regular (public) marriage license — fee and conditions
    Source reviewed October 14, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    General Regular (Public) Marriage License License fee: $82.00 Marriage can be performed anywhere in California One witness is required at the ceremony Minors can only obtain a license with a Court order Contact Superior Court Family Law Division at (707) 521-6630 for more details. License is a matter of public record License is recorded at County Recorder's Office of county issuing license (in Sonoma County the Clerk's Office provides this service for Recorder). See Certified Copies of Marriage Licenses
  10. [10] Sonoma County Clerk — Marriage license instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County Clerk · Confidential marriage license — fee and conditions
    Source reviewed October 14, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Confidential Marriage License License Fee - $98.00 Parties must be living together as spouses Both parties must be at least 18 Marriage can be performed anywhere in California No witnesses required License is confidential (see
  11. [11] Sonoma County Clerk — Marriage license instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County Clerk · Applications and Forms — linked online application
    Source reviewed October 14, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Online Application for Marriage License »
  12. [12] Sonoma County Clerk — Marriage license instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County Clerk · General Requirements — identification and conditional additional documents
    Source reviewed October 14, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Valid, government-issued photo identification with name and date of birth is required Driver's license, passport or US-government military identification (with date of birth listed) are acceptable forms of identification If providing a credencial para votar or Consulate ID such as a matricula, parties must also provide a birth certificate If your full name (first, middle and last) is not printed in its entirety on your ID, you must bring in a copy of your birth certificate If a divorce or State Registered Domestic Partnership (SRDP) termination was final within the past 90 days, a copy of the final judgment must be provided
  13. [13] Sonoma County Clerk — Marriage license instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County Clerk · General Requirements — license validity
    Source reviewed October 14, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Marriage licenses are valid for 90 days from the date of issuance, after which the license expires, and a new license must be obtained
  14. [14] Sonoma County Clerk — Marriage license instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County Clerk · Marriage License — application instructions and General Requirements
    Source reviewed October 14, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    To obtain a marriage license, complete the Online Application for Marriage License and follow the instructions at Checkout. Please email marriage@sonomacounty.gov for more information. Important Notice The staff of the Clerk-Recorder-Assessor's Office are forbidden by California legal codes to practice law or provide legal advice; this prohibition includes giving advice about what forms you might need or how you should fill them out. Applications and Forms Online Application for Marriage License » Aplicación para Licencia de Matrimonio en Linea » Marriage Licenses A marriage license must be purchased prior to a marriage ceremony occurring and may be obtained at the County Clerk-Recorder Office during business hours. Please see our current business hours to the right under Contact Information. General Requirements Parties must physically appear together in person at the County Clerk's Office to be issued a marriage license prior to the marriage ceremony. The Name Equality Act of 2007 requires couples to state on the license the middle and last names they intend to use after the wedding. Read more about the Name Equality Act 2007(PDF: 311 kB) Parties to the marriage must appear together Valid, government-issued photo identification with name and date of birth is required Driver's license, passport or US-government military identification (with date of birth listed) are acceptable forms of identification If providing a credencial para votar or Consulate ID such as a matricula, parties must also provide a birth certificate If your full name (first, middle and last) is not printed in its entirety on your ID, you must bring in a copy of your birth certificate If a divorce or State Registered Domestic Partnership (SRDP) termination was final within the past 90 days, a copy of the final judgment must be provided Marriage licenses are valid for 90 days from the date of issuance, after which the license expires, and a new license must be obtained It is preferable that the marriage license application (Aplicación par Licencia de Matrimonio en linea) be completed online Applications may also be completed at the public kiosk in the Clerk-Recorder Office. Blood tests are no longer required to obtain a marriage license in California
  15. [15] Business and Professions Code 17910 — fictitious business names (opens in a new tab)

    California Legislature · BPC §17910(a)
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    File a fictitious business name statement in accordance with this chapter not later than 40 days from the time the registrant commences to transact such business.
  16. [16] Business and Professions Code 17915 — fictitious business names (opens in a new tab)

    California Legislature · BPC §17915
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    A fictitious business name statement shall be filed with the clerk of the county in which the registrant has his or her principal place of business in this state or, if the registrant has no place of business in this state, with the Clerk of Sacramento County.
  17. [17] Business and Professions Code 17917 — fictitious business names (opens in a new tab)

    California Legislature · BPC §17917(a)
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Within 45 days after a fictitious business name statement has been filed pursuant to this chapter, the registrant shall cause a statement in the form prescribed by subdivision (a) of Section 17913 to be published pursuant to Section 6064 of the Government Code in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the fictitious business name statement was filed or, if there is no such newspaper in that county, in a newspaper of general circulation in an adjoining county.
  18. [18] California — FBN publication-frequency (opens in a new tab)

    California Legislature · Government Code §6064
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Publication of notice pursuant to this section shall be once a week for four successive weeks.
  19. [19] Business and Professions Code 17917 — fictitious business names (opens in a new tab)

    California Legislature · BPC §17917(d)
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    An affidavit showing the publication of the statement shall be filed with the county clerk where the fictitious business name statement was filed within 45 days after the completion of the publication.
  20. [20] Business and Professions Code 17920 — fictitious business names (opens in a new tab)

    California Legislature · BPC §17920(a)
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Unless the statement expires earlier under subdivision (b) or (c), a fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk.
  21. [21] Business and Professions Code 17917 — fictitious business names (opens in a new tab)

    California Legislature · BPC §17917(c)
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    If a refiling is required because the prior statement has expired, the refiling need not be published unless there has been a change in the information required in the expired statement, provided the refiling is filed within 40 days of the date the statement expired.
  22. [22] Business and Professions Code 17913 — fictitious business names (opens in a new tab)

    California Legislature · BPC §17913(b)(2)
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    If the registrant has a place of business in this state, insert the street address, and county, of the registrant’s principal place of business in this state.
  23. [23] Business and Professions Code 17913 — fictitious business names (opens in a new tab)

    California Legislature · BPC §17913(b)(3)
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    If the registrant is an individual, insert the registrant’s full name and business mailing address if it differs from the business address.
  24. [24] Sonoma — fictitious business name instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County — business name filing · Fictitious business name — Fictitious Business Name
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Fictitious Business Name
  25. [25] Sonoma — fictitious business name instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County — business name filing · FBN fee — FBN — First business and first owner
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    $55.00 for the first business name and first owner name
  26. [26] Sonoma — fictitious business name instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County — business name filing · FBN fee — FBN — Additional business or owner name
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    $9.00 for each additional business or owner name
  27. [27] Sonoma — fictitious business name instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County — business name filing · FBN official resource — FBN statement form
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Fictitious Business Name Statement Form
  28. [28] Sonoma — fictitious business name instructions (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County — business name filing · FBN requirement — Direct filing option
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Business owners can deal directly with the County Clerk’s Office when filing.
  29. [29] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — Official-record copies — download, office and mail
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Official Public Record Copies
  30. [30] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — Search document index and order copies
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Search Sonoma County Document Index Now
  31. [31] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — Copy identification
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    To purchase a document, you must provide the document number of the document you wish to obtain.
  32. [32] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — Certified copies — no download
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Certified copies may not be downloaded and will be processed and mailed by our staff.
  33. [33] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — Mail copy processing
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Mail processing time is 2 - 3 weeks.
  34. [34] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — Online official-record download
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    The cost of downloading an official record is $4.00 per document.
  35. [35] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — In-person official-record copy
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    In Person: The cost of an official record is $5.00 per page - for a certified copy, the cost is an additional $4.00 per document.
  36. [36] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — Official-record certification — additional
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    In Person: The cost of an official record is $5.00 per page - for a certified copy, the cost is an additional $4.00 per document.
  37. [37] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — Online copy order — card convenience fee
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Credit and debit cards are accepted, although a $2.00 convenience fee is charged per transaction.
  38. [38] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — In-person copy order — card convenience fee
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Credit and debit cards are accepted, although a $2.50 convenience fee is charged with the usage of a card.
  39. [39] Sonoma — property records (opens in a new tab)

    Sonoma County official service / referred provider · County Recorder — Official public-record copy request form
    Source reviewed October 15, 2026

    View supporting excerpt
    Official Public Record Copies Request
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