Search Fresno County Marriage and Divorce Records

How to Search Fresno County Marriage and Divorce Records

Fresno County marriage and divorce records sit in three places. The County Clerk holds license applications and confidential marriage records. The County Recorder sells certified copies of public marriage certificates. The Superior Court Family Law Division holds divorce case files. Pick the office that matches your need.

For a name lookup, start with the Recorder for a public marriage certificate or the court case portal for a divorce. The Clerk does not do public certificate copies. Confidential copies stay with the Clerk and only go to the two parties or a court order. Adoption and sealed family records are not open.

Fresno County Marriage License (Appointment Only)

James A. Kus, Fresno County Clerk, issues all marriage licenses by appointment only. There is no walk-in line. Couples book a slot through the Clerk's online system and finish the application before the visit. The link arrives in the confirmation email.

Both people must appear together. Each brings a valid, real, government-issued photo ID with proof of age. Phone photos and photocopies are not accepted. The Clerk asks for names, addresses, dates of birth, both parties' parents' full names and states of birth, and the status of any prior marriages. If a divorce closed within the past 12 months, bring a copy of the judgment. Both parties must read, speak, and understand English or Spanish, or bring an unbiased translator. The license is issued the same day. The ceremony must happen within 90 days. California has no waiting period.

How to Apply for a Marriage License

1. Book an appointment online through the Clerk's system. Pick a public or confidential slot.
2. Open the confirmation email and use the link to fill out the online application.
3. If you cannot finish it, arrive 15 minutes early (unless your slot is 8:30 AM).
4. Both parties show up together with valid government photo ID. No phone photos.
5. Bring any divorce judgment from the past 12 months and parents' names and birth states.
6. Pay with cash or card. No checks. No $100 bills.
7. Sign in front of the Clerk and pick up the license the same day.
8. Hold the ceremony within 90 days. The officiant returns the original in 10 days.

Public vs Confidential Marriage License

California offers two license types. A public license creates a public marriage record. A confidential license is a separate program with limits on who can buy copies.

Most couples pick the public license. The confidential option fits when both spouses share a home and want a more private record.

Marriage License Application Fields

The Clerk's application asks for the same core facts on both license types. Bring the data ready. The Confidential Marriage Certificate Application also has a sworn-statement block for mail copy orders.

Marriage Fees and Payment Rules

Fees run between two offices. The Clerk takes the license and ceremony fee. The Recorder takes the copy fee for public marriages. Pay with cash or card. The Clerk does not take checks or $100 bills.

One fee note matters. The Recorder schedule lists copies at $17, while the Clerk marriage page lists $19 for a copy by mail. Call the office you plan to use and confirm before you mail payment.

Civil Ceremonies at the Clerk's Office

The Clerk performs civil ceremonies by appointment. The fee is $21 and the slot is booked through the same online system. The ceremony room caps at six guests beyond the couple. Rice, flowers, confetti, food, and drinks are not allowed.

The Clerk is not deputizing anyone as a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a day. Other officiants are governed by Family Code section 400. After the ceremony the officiant returns the original license inside 10 days. Public licenses go to the Recorder, confidential to the Clerk.

Public Marriage Certificate Copies (Fresno County Recorder)

The Fresno County Recorder sells certified copies once the marriage is recorded. Reach the Recorder at 559-600-3471. Confidential copies do not come from the Recorder. They come from the Clerk, and only the two parties or a court order can pull one.

Certified copies are issued under Health & Safety Code section 103526. Authorized copies need a sworn statement naming the requester as a party, parent, child, grandparent, sibling, spouse, domestic partner, guardian, or other authorized party. Anyone else can still get an informational copy marked "informational, not a valid document to establish identity."

For mail requests, the Clerk page asks for a self-addressed stamped envelope, a notarized sworn statement, and payment per copy.

Special Circumstance Marriages (Jail, Hospital, Prison)

Fresno County handles jail, hospital, and prison marriages on a separate track. The rules are stricter and the timeline is longer.

For a Fresno County Jail marriage, the inmate marriage application is filed at the Clerk's office during normal business hours. The Sheriff and District Attorney then review the case to decide if a license can be issued. Review takes at least four weeks. For Pleasant Valley State Prison or FCI Mendota marriages, contact prison staff directly. Each facility has its own visitor and ID rules.

For hospitalization or illness, the rules sit in Family Code section 426. The appearing party and officiant present the statutory form plus proof the other party cannot appear, usually a physician letter on letterhead with an original signature. The absent party's signature must be notarized. The notary cannot also solemnize.

Fresno County Divorce Records (Family Law Division)

Divorce records are not Clerk records. They are Fresno Superior Court files held by the Family Law Division at the B.F. Sisk Courthouse, 1130 O Street, second floor. The Family Law line is (559) 457-2100. The division also handles custody, support, and family restraining orders.

A divorce file can hold the petition, summons, response, proof of service, disclosures, custody papers, support orders, settlement agreement, judgment, and notice of entry. Sensitive forms like financial disclosures are filed but not public. Settlement and child information may be redacted or sealed.

How to File for Divorce in Fresno County

1. Confirm residency. One spouse must have lived in California six months and Fresno County three. The petition can be amended later if needed.
2. Pick the case type: dissolution, legal separation, or annulment.
3. Fill out Judicial Council forms FL-100 (Petition) and FL-110 (Summons). Add FL-105 (UCCJEA) if there are minor kids.
4. File at the Family Law Clerk window on the second floor of the B.F. Sisk Courthouse. Pay the filing fee or file a fee waiver.
5. Serve the other spouse. The server cannot be you. Use a process server, the Sheriff, or any other adult.
6. Trade financial disclosures (FL-140, FL-141, FL-142 or FL-150). State law makes this mandatory.
7. Work out custody, support, and property. Use Self-Help if you do not have a lawyer.
8. Submit the judgment packet or attend the hearing. The judge signs and the clerk enters the final judgment.

To pull a divorce file, search the Fresno Superior Court public case portal by case number or party name. Some Family Law matters are not visible online. Certified copies must be ordered from the court in person or by mail.

Family Law Self-Help and Facilitator

The Family Law Facilitator and Self-Help office helps people without a lawyer. Staff give forms, packets, and procedural help. They cannot act as your attorney, attend a hearing for you, or take responsibility for the result.

Reach Self-Help at (559) 457-2143 or SelfHelpFamilyLaw@Fresno.Courts.Ca.Gov. Walk-in hours: Monday 9 AM to 2 PM; Tuesday and Wednesday 9 AM to 1 PM. Phone and email help: Thursday and Friday 9 AM to 3 PM. Bring every form, order, and date.

Confidential Family Records (Adoption, Sealed)

Not every family record is open. Adoption files are confidential under Family Code section 9200 and need a court order to view. Juvenile dependency and most restraining order details are also restricted. Sealed settlements stay closed.

If a record is sealed, the public portal will not show it. A party, attorney of record, or person with a signed court order can ask the courthouse for access.

Key Fresno County Marriage and Divorce Contacts

California Vital Records Office

The state office keeps a backup index of California marriages, but Fresno County records are usually faster from the county. Use the state when the county of record is unknown.

Related Fresno County Records

For estates, see Fresno County probate records. For broader searches, see public records. For Clerk info, see Clerk of Court. For case lookups, see court records. Common questions are on the FAQ.